How Much Do Plumbers Make? (2026 Salary Guide)

As of the May 2025 BLS release, the median plumber salary is $63,800 a year, or $30.67 an hour. Apprentices earn a lot less. The top 10 percent clear $108,420. Here’s how the whole range breaks down, from first-year pay to six figures.

Key takeaways

• The BLS median for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters was $63,800 a year ($30.67 an hour) in May 2025. The top 10 percent earned more than $108,420.
• Experience roughly doubles your pay. ZipRecruiter puts apprentices at $41,861 a year, journeymen at $69,723, and master plumbers at $80,053 as of September 2026.
• Where you work matters as much as your license. Illinois plumbers earn a median of $99,950 while Florida plumbers earn $52,910, per BLS May 2025 state data compiled by HireAligned.
• Demand is strong. BLS projects 7 percent job growth from 2025 to 2035 with about 42,000 openings a year.

What is the average plumber salary in 2026?

The median plumber salary was $63,800 a year in May 2025, or $30.67 an hour, per the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Half of plumbers earned more, half earned less. The bottom 10 percent made under $44,150. The top 10 percent made over $108,420.

Job boards land in the same spot. ZipRecruiter lists an average of $63,215 a year as of September 9, 2026. Indeed puts the average hourly rate at $30.68. When three independent sources agree within a dollar, you can trust the number.

One caveat. The BLS figure covers pipefitters and steamfitters too, and industrial pipe work tends to pay more than residential service. A pure residential plumber may sit a little below $63,800.

Context helps. The median for all U.S. workers was $50,980 in May 2025, per the same BLS release. Plumbing pays about $12,800 more than the typical job, and you can enter with a high school diploma and a paid apprenticeship. No student loans required.

Employer type shifts the number as well. BLS reports a median of $71,660 for plumbers in government jobs, $65,770 in manufacturing, and $63,010 at plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors, where most plumbers actually work.

How much do plumbers make an hour?

Plumbers make about $30.67 an hour at the median, per BLS May 2025 data. Indeed puts it at $30.68, based on 22,000 reported salaries over 36 months (updated August 31, 2026). ZipRecruiter says $30.39. All three sit within 30 cents.

The spread is wide. Indeed shows a low of $16.87 and a high of $55.79 an hour. Divide the BLS percentiles by 2,080 working hours and you get roughly $21.23 an hour at the 10th percentile and $52.13 at the 90th.

Overtime adds real money. Indeed reports about $6,750 a year in overtime for the average plumber. Burst pipes and backed-up sewers do not wait for business hours, and hours past 40 a week pay time-and-a-half under federal overtime law.

Union rates run higher still. Plumbers Local 130 in Chicago pays journeymen $62.00 an hour from June 1, 2026 through May 31, 2027, per its published wage sheet. Employers add $18.15 an hour for health and welfare and $12.00 for the pension on top.

How much do plumbers make by experience level (apprentice, journeyman, master)?

Experience is the biggest lever you control. ZipRecruiter data from September 9, 2026 puts the average apprentice at $41,861 a year, the average journeyman at $69,723, and the average master plumber at $80,053. That’s close to double, from first year to master license.

Apprentice plumber salary

Apprentices average $41,861 a year, about $20.13 an hour, per ZipRecruiter. Most land between $34,000 and $47,500, and top earners reach $56,500. You’re paid to learn, which is the whole appeal.

BLS says most plumbers train through a 4- or 5-year apprenticeship with about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job work each year. Union scales step up on a schedule. Local 130 in Chicago starts first-year apprentices at $21.10 an hour and pays $46.50 by year five.

Journeyman plumber salary

A licensed journeyman averages $69,723 a year, or $33.52 an hour, per ZipRecruiter. The middle half earns between $57,000 and $79,500. Top earners hit $92,500. This is the stage where you work unsupervised and your rate finally reflects it.

Master plumber salary

Master plumbers average $80,053 a year, about $38.49 an hour, per ZipRecruiter. The 75th percentile sits at $92,500 and top earners reach $118,000. Many states also require a master license to pull permits and run a shop. That’s where the ceiling lifts.

Which states pay plumbers the most?

The District of Columbia leads at a median of $101,020, followed by Illinois at $99,950 and Oregon at $97,050, according to BLS May 2025 state data compiled by HireAligned. Six jurisdictions post medians above $93,000. Arkansas sits at the bottom at $48,660.

Rank	State	Median annual wage	Plumbers employed
1	District of Columbia	$101,020	1,010
2	Illinois	$99,950	16,750
3	Oregon	$97,050	5,370
4	Minnesota	$94,410	10,720
5	Alaska	$93,920	1,200
6	Massachusetts	$93,880	13,460
7	Wisconsin	$81,210	10,210
8	Washington	$81,030	12,470
9	Michigan	$80,190	14,120
10	Montana	$79,960	1,860
–	U.S. median	$63,800	465,840

Median annual wages for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, compiled by HireAligned, retrieved September 9, 2026.

The biggest markets tell a different story. California employs 47,660 plumbers at a median of $72,830. Texas employs 44,090 at $59,840. Florida employs 29,260 at $52,910. Two of the biggest plumber workforces in the country pay below the national median.

Why the gap? Union density, cost of living, and the commercial-residential mix explain most of it. Run the cost-of-living math before chasing that $47,040 Illinois-to-Florida gap.

The union part is measurable. Membership across all workers runs 13.1 percent in Illinois and 14.5 percent in Massachusetts, against 5.4 percent in Florida and 4.9 percent in Texas, per BLS 2025 state data. Florida and Texas also skew residential.

Can plumbers make $100K or more?

Yes. The BLS says the top 10 percent of plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters earned more than $108,420 in May 2025, so roughly one in ten already does. ZipRecruiter shows master plumber top earners at $118,000 and journeyman top earners at $92,500.

The clearest six-figure path is a union card in a strong market. Local 130’s $62.00 journeyman rate works out to about $128,960 a year at 2,080 hours, before any overtime. The $93,000-plus medians in Illinois, Oregon, Minnesota, Alaska, and Massachusetts point the same way.

Outside union markets, six figures usually takes a master license plus commercial work, steady overtime, or ownership. A journeyman at $33.52 an hour needs a lot of overtime to get there. A master at $38.49 is much closer.

How much do self-employed plumbers and business owners make?

No government dataset tracks what plumbing business owners take home, so be wary of anyone quoting a precise average. ZipRecruiter’s self-employed plumber page shows $63,215 a year, identical to its employed plumber figure, which mostly tells you job-board data can’t see owner profit at all.

What we can say: wage data tops out near $108,420 at the BLS 90th percentile and $118,000 for top master plumbers on ZipRecruiter. Owners aren’t bound by an hourly rate. They keep the margin on every job after paying for labor, parts, trucks, and insurance.

That margin only exists if the business runs tight. Unbilled hours, slow invoicing, and missed follow-ups eat it quietly. Owner income also swings with the local market and the size of the crew.

If ownership is the goal, our guide on how to start a plumbing business walks through licensing, insurance, and pricing. Many states will want that master license first.

How fast is plumber pay growing?

Steadily, with strong demand behind it. BLS projects employment of plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters to grow 7 percent from 2025 to 2035, which it classifies as much faster than the average for all occupations. That adds about 34,500 jobs to a 2025 base of 510,600.

Openings matter more than growth. BLS expects about 42,000 openings a year over the decade, most of them to replace workers who retire or leave the trade. That churn keeps wage pressure on employers.

The median itself moved modestly: $62,970 in the May 2024 release, per U.S. News, to $63,800 in May 2025, a rise of about $830, or 1.3 percent. Union contracts move faster. Local 130’s 2024 to 2028 agreement adds $13.70 an hour over four years.

For comparison, HVAC technicians earned a median of $61,010 in the same BLS release, about $2,790 below plumbers. Our guide to how much HVAC technicians make breaks that trade down the same way.

How plumbers can earn more

Five levers move plumber pay more than anything else.

Get licensed and keep going

The jump from journeyman to master is worth about $10,330 a year on average, per ZipRecruiter’s September 2026 figures ($69,723 to $80,053). The master license also unlocks ownership, which has no ceiling.

Chase the right work

BLS shows government plumbers at a $71,660 median versus $63,010 at contractors. Commercial and industrial pipe work generally pays more than residential service, and it comes with steadier hours.

Consider a union local

Local 130’s $62.00 journeyman rate in Chicago is double the national median hourly wage. Union membership runs highest in Alaska (18.1 percent), Washington (18.0 percent), Oregon (15.1 percent), and Massachusetts (14.5 percent), per BLS 2025 data, matching the top-paying states above.

Take the overtime, within reason

Indeed’s $6,750 a year in average overtime is real money. Set a limit for peak season and stick to it.

Run the business like a business

Owner-operators leave money on the table every week through unbilled hours and late invoices. Scheduling and invoicing software like Jobber and Housecall Pro exists to fix exactly that: dispatch the day, bill from the truck, get paid on site.

Neither tool is free, and neither will make a slow plumber fast. But if you are still invoicing from a notebook, the math usually favors paying for one. Compare Jobber’s pricing tiers and Housecall Pro’s pricing side by side.

Want more options? Start with our roundup of the best plumbing software for small shops, or read our hands-on Jobber review for the long version on one platform.

Plumber salary FAQ

Can plumbers make $200K a year?

Rarely as an employee. The BLS 90th percentile is $108,420, and ZipRecruiter’s top master plumber figure is $118,000. Even Chicago’s $62.00 union rate lands near $129,000 at full-time hours. Plumbers who clear $200,000 almost always own the business and earn margin on a crew.

Is being a plumber a stressful job?

It can be, mainly from emergency calls and physical strain. Indeed shows the average plumber logs about $6,750 a year in overtime, mostly nights and weekends. Add crawl spaces and sewage. One stressor is missing: with 42,000 openings a year, finding work is easy.

Do plumbers make good money in Florida?

Below the national average. Florida’s median plumber wage is $52,910, about $10,890 under the $63,800 U.S. median, per BLS May 2025 data compiled by HireAligned. The state employs 29,260 plumbers, so work is plentiful. Lower housing costs and no state income tax narrow the gap.

What is the highest paying plumber job?

Union journeyman and master roles. Local 130 pays journeymen $62.00 an hour, and ZipRecruiter shows master plumbers topping out at $118,000. By employer, BLS puts government plumbing jobs highest at a $71,660 median. Plumbing designers average $88,079 on ZipRecruiter, but that’s an office role.

What is a good hourly rate for a plumber?

About $30.67 an hour at the median, per BLS May 2025 data. Indeed reports $30.68 and ZipRecruiter $30.39. Apprentices start near $20.13, journeymen average $33.52, and master plumbers $38.49, all per ZipRecruiter as of September 2026. Union rates in big cities can top $60.

How long does it take to become a plumber?

Four to five years. BLS says plumbers typically learn through a 4- or 5-year apprenticeship with about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training a year, plus classroom time. You’re paid throughout, around $41,861 a year per ZipRecruiter, then you test for a journeyman license.

The bottom line

Plumbers make a solid middle-class living. Expect around $63,800 at the median, more with a master license, and six figures in union markets or the top-paying states. About one in ten already clears $108,420. License, location, and how you run your work decide the rest.

How we compiled these numbers

We compiled every figure here from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Indeed, ZipRecruiter, HireAligned, and Plumbers Local 130 on September 9, 2026. We prefer BLS for medians and percentiles because it’s a government survey. Job boards cover hourly and market rates because they update monthly.

We re-check this page on each BLS release. The author is a software reviewer who covers the trades and has never worked as a plumber, so nothing here is first-hand pay data.

Sources

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (May 2025 wage data, 2025 to 2035 projections), retrieved 2026-09-09, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/plumbers-pipefitters-and-steamfitters.htm
• HireAligned, Plumber salary by state: what plumbers earn in all 50 states (2026), using BLS OEWS May 2025 state data, retrieved 2026-09-09, https://hirealigned.com/learn/plumber-salary-by-state
• Indeed, Plumber salary in United States, retrieved 2026-09-09, https://www.indeed.com/career/plumber/salaries
• ZipRecruiter, Plumber Salary, retrieved 2026-09-09, https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Plumber-Salary
• ZipRecruiter, Apprentice Plumber Salary, retrieved 2026-09-09, https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Apprentice-Plumber-Salary
• ZipRecruiter, Journeyman Plumber Salary, retrieved 2026-09-09, https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Journeyman-Plumber-Salary
• ZipRecruiter, Master Plumber Salary, retrieved 2026-09-09, https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Master-Plumber-Salary
• ZipRecruiter, Self Employed Plumber Salary, retrieved 2026-09-09, https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Self-Employed-Plumber-Salary
• Plumbers Local 130 UA (Chicago), 2026-2027 PCA-PAMCANI Wage Rate Sheet, retrieved 2026-09-09, https://plumberslu130ua.com/ULWSiteResources/ualocal130_v2/Resources/file/CBA-Wage-Rates/Plumbers/PCA/2026-2027%20PCA%20Wage%20Rate%20Sheet.pdf
• U.S. News, How Much Can a Plumber Expect to Get Paid? (2024 median), retrieved 2026-09-09, https://careers.usnews.com/best-jobs/plumber/salary
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Union Members 2025, Table 5: Union affiliation of employed wage and salary workers by state (2025 annual averages, all industries), retrieved 2026-09-09, https://www.bls.gov/news.release/union2.t05.htm
• U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, Overtime Pay (FLSA), retrieved 2026-09-09, https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/overtime