How Much Does a Plumber Make? (2024)
Plumbing · SOC Code 47-2152 · 4-year apprenticeship
The average plumber earns $69,782 per year ($34/hour) as of 2024, according to BLS data. Yearly income ranges from $52,280 to $100,110 depending on city, with entry-level workers earning about $53,180 and top earners making $135,950+.
Yes — top-decile plumbers clear $100K in 15 of 30 metros
The 90th-percentile plumber in Portland, OR earns $135,950 per year ($65/hour). Reaching that tier typically takes journeyman-to-master progression plus union membership, specialization, or running a small contracting business. Median plumber pay nationally is $69,782 — the $100K mark is the high-earner ceiling, not the middle.
National Salary Range
Plumber salaries range from $52,280 to $100,110 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Plumber Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland, OR | $100,110 | $53,180 – $135,950 | $77,008 | B | 4,920 |
| Chicago, IL | $98,890 | $50,210 – $123,600 | $92,421 | B | 14,230 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $97,020 | $50,220 – $122,730 | $91,528 | B | 5,070 |
| Seattle, WA | $87,160 | $50,630 – $148,620 | $58,497 | C | 6,540 |
| Boston, MA | $83,640 | $48,170 – $140,870 | $55,026 | C | 11,320 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $82,080 | $50,070 – $121,260 | $85,500 | B | 2,710 |
| Detroit, MI | $81,480 | $46,350 – $103,930 | $91,551 | B | 5,590 |
| New York, NY | $79,420 | $49,180 – $138,100 | $42,471 | D | 21,500 |
| St. Louis, MO | $73,060 | $46,290 – $113,320 | $81,178 | B | 4,150 |
| Kansas City, MO | $72,600 | $45,960 – $117,500 | $77,234 | B | 3,300 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $72,580 | $48,000 – $131,040 | $63,113 | C | 7,570 |
| San Francisco, CA | $71,700 | $50,720 – $142,380 | $37,737 | D | 7,090 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $66,930 | $46,550 – $99,470 | $72,750 | C | 2,880 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $66,090 | $47,550 – $86,700 | $63,548 | C | 3,070 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $65,110 | $45,530 – $125,580 | $39,223 | D | 13,440 |
| New Orleans, LA | $64,340 | $38,830 – $79,940 | $67,726 | C | 1,530 |
| Denver, CO | $64,300 | $48,000 – $102,170 | $50,234 | C | 5,220 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $63,780 | $44,550 – $98,670 | $70,088 | C | 4,160 |
| Columbus, OH | $63,600 | $40,460 – $98,080 | $68,387 | C | 2,740 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $62,680 | $46,100 – $99,200 | $60,854 | C | 9,990 |
| Dallas, TX | $60,370 | $38,480 – $82,760 | $59,186 | C | 11,120 |
| Houston, TX | $60,230 | $38,080 – $81,980 | $62,740 | C | 11,150 |
| Nashville, TN | $59,870 | $41,560 – $83,010 | $58,126 | C | 2,850 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $59,640 | $37,780 – $112,320 | $57,346 | C | 3,750 |
| Atlanta, GA | $58,690 | $38,160 – $83,420 | $55,368 | C | 4,610 |
| San Antonio, TX | $58,530 | $37,230 – $79,310 | $65,033 | C | 3,040 |
| Miami, FL | $56,170 | $39,380 – $72,520 | $46,041 | D | 5,130 |
| Raleigh, NC | $55,560 | $39,810 – $72,910 | $55,560 | C | 2,520 |
| Charlotte, NC | $55,550 | $38,470 – $75,230 | $56,684 | C | 4,210 |
| Tampa, FL | $52,280 | $38,650 – $65,210 | $51,762 | C | 4,120 |
About Plumber Pay
Plumbers earn a national median salary of $69,782 based on 2024 BLS occupational wage data. The highest-paying city for this trade is Portland at $100,110 median, while Tampa offers the lowest at $52,280.
Becoming a plumber typically requires a 4-year apprenticeship program. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) can expect around $53,180, while master-level tradespeople (90th percentile) earn $135,950 or more. With 6% wage growth over the past 5 years, this trade is growing at a steady pace.
See how this compares to other trades on our highest paying trades ranking, or browse the best cities for trade workers.
Thinking about becoming a plumber?
Step-by-step path: 4-year apprenticeship, certifications, state licensing, and apprentice-to-master pay timeline.
Related Plumbing Trades
Frequently Asked Questions
Plumbers earn a national median of $69,782 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 90th percentile reaching $135,950 in Portland. Specific pay depends on city, certifications, union status, and specialization — see the per-city table above for any metro you're targeting.
Realistically, no — even the 90th-percentile plumber in the highest-paying metro (Portland) tops out at $135,950, below $250K. National median plumber pay is $69,782. Outliers — overtime-heavy industrial work, union foremen, or contractor-owners — can reach those numbers, but they sit outside what the BLS wage survey captures for typical W-2 employment.
Realistically, no — even the 90th-percentile plumber in the highest-paying metro (Portland) tops out at $135,950, below $200K. National median plumber pay is $69,782. Outliers — overtime-heavy industrial work, union foremen, or contractor-owners — can reach those numbers, but they sit outside what the BLS wage survey captures for typical W-2 employment.
Yes — top-decile plumbers clear $100K in 15 of the 30 metros tracked. The 90th-percentile plumber in Portland earns $135,950, well above six figures. Reaching that tier typically takes journeyman-to-master progression, plus union membership, specialization (industrial, commercial, or licensed-master tier), or running a small contracting business.
The average plumber salary is $69,782 per year ($34/hour) based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Average yearly income ranges from $52,280 to $100,110 depending on city, experience, and union status.
Plumbers earn an average hourly wage of $34/hour based on a 2,080-hour work year. Entry-level (10th percentile) hourly pay is about $26/hour, while top earners (90th percentile) make $65/hour or more.
Portland offers the highest median pay for plumbers at $100,110. However, cost of living matters, the COL-adjusted pay may tell a different story. Check our city-by-city breakdown above.
With a Trade Pay Score of C and 6% wage growth over 5 years, plumber offers steady career prospects. There are approximately 189,520 jobs nationwide across 30 metro areas.
Becoming a plumber typically requires a 4-year apprenticeship program combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Entry-level pay starts around $53,180 (10th percentile).
Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024. Trade Pay Scores are a composite of median wage vs. metro income, wage growth, job demand, and COL-adjusted pay.
The this entity record above pulls directly from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. What follows is the per-entity context — how this entity sits in the broader U.S. skilled-trade wage data distribution and which underlying factors drive the headline numbers.
Every number on this page links back to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey; the methodology page describes the inputs, refresh cadence, and known limitations of the underlying data product.
Practical use of this page is in combination with the comparison and ranking pages elsewhere on the site, which surface the same data for this entity’s peers within U.S. trades, cities, and states. A single-entity reading without peer context can be misleading when an entity is an outlier on one axis but typical on another.