How Much Does a Steamfitter Make? (2024)
Plumbing · SOC Code 47-2152 · 5-year apprenticeship
The average steamfitter 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 steamfitters clear $100K in 15 of 30 metros
The 90th-percentile steamfitter 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 steamfitter pay nationally is $69,782 — the $100K mark is the high-earner ceiling, not the middle.
National Salary Range
Steamfitter salaries range from $52,280 to $100,110 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Steamfitter Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland, OR | $100,110 | $53,180 – $135,950 | $77,008 | C | 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 | C | 4,150 |
| Kansas City, MO | $72,600 | $45,960 – $117,500 | $77,234 | C | 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 Steamfitter Pay
Steamfitters 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 steamfitter typically requires a 5-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 steamfitter?
Step-by-step path: 5-year apprenticeship, certifications, state licensing, and apprentice-to-master pay timeline.
Related Plumbing Trades
Frequently Asked Questions
The average steamfitter 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.
Steamfitters 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 steamfitters 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, steamfitter offers steady career prospects. There are approximately 189,520 jobs nationwide across 30 metro areas.
Becoming a steamfitter typically requires a 5-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.
this entity is one of the data points covered by this site’s U.S. skilled-trade wage data dataset. The detail above comes directly from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey; the context that follows situates the headline numbers against the broader distribution across U.S. trades, cities, and states.
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.
For readers using this page as a decision input, the related-entity pages elsewhere on the site provide the comparison set. The most useful comparison for this entity is typically a peer within U.S. trades, cities, and states with similar size, similar exposure, or similar geography — not the national-level summary alone.