Construction and Extraction Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Occupation-level safety SOC 47-2152

Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters

Occupation-specific BLS fatality and injury rates set the reading order for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, then wages beside peers such as Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers, Continuous Mining Machine Operators, Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other, First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers.

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters: Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers ($110K) , Continuous Mining Machine Operators ($62K) , Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other ($70K) , First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers ($80K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 47-2152 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Shut off steam, water, or other gases or liquids from pipe sections, using valve keys or wrenches
  2. 2. Install underground storm, sanitary, or water piping systems, extending piping as needed to connect fixtures and plumbing
  3. 3. Assemble pipe sections, tubing, or fittings, using couplings, clamps, screws, bolts, cement, plastic solvent, caulking, or soldering, bra…
  4. 4. Locate and mark the position of pipe installations, connections, passage holes, or fixtures in structures, using measuring instruments su…
  5. 5. Cut, thread, or hammer pipes to specifications, using tools such as saws, cutting torches, pipe threaders, or pipe benders
  6. 6. Lay out full scale drawings of pipe systems, supports, or related equipment, according to blueprints
  7. 7. Plan pipe system layout, installation, or repair, according to specifications
  8. 8. Review blueprints, building codes, or specifications to determine work details or procedures
  9. 9. Select pipe sizes, types, or related materials, such as supports, hangers, or hydraulic cylinders, according to specifications
  10. 10. Fill pipes or plumbing fixtures with water or air and observe pressure gauges to detect and locate leaks
  11. 11. Direct helpers engaged in pipe cutting, preassembly, or installation of plumbing systems or components
  12. 12. Inspect, examine, or test installed systems or pipe lines, using pressure gauge, hydrostatic testing, observation, or other methods

Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters: O*NET ranks Critical Thinking first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 47-2152 - lead skill Critical Thinking at 3.5 ; lead knowledge Building and Construction. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Critical Thinking 3.5
  2. 2. Troubleshooting 3.3
  3. 3. Repairing 3.3
  4. 4. Judgment and Decision Making 3.3
  5. 5. Monitoring 3.1
  6. 6. Speaking 3.0
  7. 7. Coordination 3.0
  8. 8. Complex Problem Solving 3.0

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Building and Construction 4.3
  2. 2. Mechanical 4.3
  3. 3. Design 3.8
  4. 4. Mathematics 3.8
  5. 5. Customer and Personal Service 3.6
  6. 6. Administration and Management 3.3
Occupation safety grade
B
Safe
Transparent derived index from BLS CFOI/SOII, not an official BLS rating · formula
National median still $63,800/yr
$64K
National median
↑ +5%
Growth 2024-2034
44,000
Annual openings
465,840
Estimated US jobs
Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers
Highest-pay peer · $110K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters

1. Wisconsin $81,210
2. Illinois $99,950
3. Massachusetts $93,880
4. Montana $79,960
5. Alaska $93,920
6. Oregon $97,050
7. Washington $81,030
8. Michigan $80,190
9. Minnesota $94,410
10. District of Columbia $101,020

Other Construction and Extraction Occupations titles

  1. 1. Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other $70,130
  2. 2. First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $79,920
  3. 3. Tapers $68,270
  4. 4. Boilermakers $76,410
  5. 5. Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers $109,910
  6. 6. Continuous Mining Machine Operators $61,810

Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters carries an occupation-specific WageDex safety grade of B from BLS CFOI/SOII rates. The national OEWS median is $63,800 inside Construction and Extraction Occupations (SOC 47-2152).

Employment Projections expect +5% change between 2024 and 2034 (about as fast as average vs baseline 3.1%). About 44,000 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Wisconsin at $81,210. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers at $109,910. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters pay-rank #13 in Construction and Extraction Occupations

Among 60 detailed Construction and Extraction Occupations with a published OEWS median, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters is pay-rank #13, the upper third of that major group. The order is ROW_NUMBER on national median (title as tiebreak), not a worker-level percentile.

Other upper-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

SOC 47-2152 · national median $63,800 · upper third of Construction and Extraction Occupations (#13/60). Open the full OEWS map or a named state before treating the card median as a local ask.

Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 47-2152

Wisconsin · top state for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters

$81K published median

Illinois · #2 state pay

$100K · behind Wisconsin

Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers

Highest-pay peer vs Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters · $110K

Continuous Mining Machine Operators

Lower-pay peer beside Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters · $62K

Compare Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters with another occupation →

Safety and risk next reads

Safest Occupations

Roles with the strongest published safety grades

Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters full wage map

State and metro pay after the safety lead

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Construction and Extraction Occupations titles sit near Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters at the top of the pay table? ▼
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters is pay-rank #13 of 60 detailed Construction and Extraction Occupations with an OEWS median, upper third. Nearest upper-third titles: Electricians ($63K), Structural Iron and Steel Workers ($63K), Brickmasons and Blockmasons ($62K), Continuous Mining Machine Operators ($62K). Rank is ROW_NUMBER on national median.
What do plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters. Leading ones include: Shut off steam, water, or other gases or liquids from pipe sections, using valve keys or wrenches; Install underground storm, sanitary, or water piping systems, extending piping as needed to connect fixtures and plumbing; Assemble pipe sections, tubing, or fittings, using couplings, clamps, screws, bolts, cement, plastic solvent, caulking, or soldering, bra…; Locate and mark the position of pipe installations, connections, passage holes, or fixtures in structures, using measuring instruments su…. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters? ▼
For SOC 47-2152, O*NET importance scores lead with Critical Thinking (3.5), Troubleshooting (3.3), Repairing (3.3), Judgment and Decision Making (3.3). Knowledge areas emphasize Building and Construction, Mechanical, Design. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $63,800 as the national median for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters. The published 10th-90th range is $44,150 to $108,420. Beside Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers ($109,910), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters is +5%. Projected annual openings: about 44,000. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: about as fast as average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters? ▼
Wisconsin ($81,210), Illinois ($99,950), Massachusetts ($93,880) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 47-2152. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics