Plumber salary in the US: median pay and hiring costs

The trade in numbers

Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters held about 510,600 jobs in 2025. Employment is projected to grow 7% over 2025–35, against 3% for all occupations, with about 42,000 openings a year, most of them to replace people who retire or leave the trade. That is the market a business hiring one is competing in.

The largest employers:

• Plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors: 65%
• Self-employed: 8%
• Government (excluding schools and hospitals): 3%
• Heavy and civil engineering construction: 3%

Becoming one

A high school diploma or equivalent is typical, followed by an apprenticeship with about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training each year plus technical instruction.

Most states and some localities license plumbers, often requiring 2 to 5 years of experience and an exam before working independently. Work on gas lines may need a separate license.

What an employee really costs, and what to charge

A wage is the start of the cost, not the whole of it. The employer pays 7.65% on top for Social Security and Medicare, plus federal and state unemployment taxes, workers’ compensation insurance and any health or retirement benefits. Then there are the hours that are paid but not billed: driving between jobs, quoting, picking up materials, training and call-backs.

That is why a charge-out rate is usually a multiple of the wage rather than a small margin on top of it. Work out yours with the labour rate calculator, and check what each hour really costs with the hourly cost calculator.

Common questions

How much does a plumber make in the US?

The median annual wage for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters was $63,800 in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which is about $30.67 an hour. Half earned more and half earned less.

What is the pay range for a plumber?

The lowest 10 percent earned less than $44,150 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $108,420 a year (BLS, May 2025). Location, licensing level, union membership and overtime account for most of the spread.

What does it cost to employ a plumber?

More than the wage. The employer pays 7.65% in Social Security and Medicare taxes, federal and state unemployment taxes, workers’ compensation insurance and any benefits, and pays for hours that cannot be billed, such as travel, training and quoting.