47 Series · SOC 47-2151
Pipelayers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $49,000
- Median / year
- $80,170
- Top 10% earn
- -4.1%
- Growth '23–'33
- 33,050
- US workers
Pipelayers earn a median of $49,000 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $49,000, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $37,730 (10th percentile) to $80,170 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 33,050 US workers. Wisconsin pays the most ($86,870), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Pipelayers earn a median of $49,000, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 30% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Construction and Extraction, it ranks #48 of 60 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 4.1% by 2033.
- $49,000
- Median annual wage
- Top 70%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #48 of 60
- in Construction and Extraction
- 2.1×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Wisconsin at $86,870. Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
Pipelayers (SOC 47-2151) pays a national median of $49,000 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $37,730 at the 10th percentile to $80,170 at the 90th, with a mean of $54,700 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 33,050 Americans work in this occupation across 45 reporting states and 166 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -4.1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 2,400 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is No formal educational credential and short-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 12.4 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.5 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Wisconsin pays the highest state median at $86,870, which is +77% above the national figure. The top metro is Western Washington nonmetropolitan area at $94,990 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$49,000
per year
Median Hourly
$23.56/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$54,700
average
Employment
33,050
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Pipelayers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$49,000 Bottom 30% higher than 30% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 47-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Pipelayers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 47-series occupations with growth data, Pipelayers sits on the slower-growing side at -4.1% growth and $49,000 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-4.1%
Declining
Annual Openings
2,400
per year (projected)
Typical Education
No formal educational credential
On-the-Job Training
Short-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
12.4/100K
Injury Rate
3.5/100
Danger Index
20.2/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Pipelayers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Grade or level trench bases, using tamping machines or hand tools.
- ▸ Dig trenches to desired or required depths, by hand or using trenching tools.
- ▸ Cut pipes to required lengths.
- ▸ Install or use instruments such as lasers, grade rods, or transit levels.
- ▸ Cover pipes with earth or other materials.
- ▸ Connect pipe pieces and seal joints, using welding equipment, cement, or glue.
- ▸ Install or repair sanitary or stormwater sewer structures or pipe systems.
- ▸ Check slopes for conformance to requirements, using levels or lasers.
- ▸ Align and position pipes to prepare them for welding or sealing.
- ▸ Lay out pipe routes, following written instructions or blueprints and coordinating layouts with supervisors.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$37,730
25th Percentile
$43,980
Median
$49,000
75th Percentile
$61,400
90th Percentile
$80,170
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 45 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin | $86,870 | +77% above national |
| 2 | Washington | $82,450 | +68% above national |
| 3 | Minnesota | $81,980 | +67% above national |
| 4 | New Jersey | $78,830 | +61% above national |
| 5 | California | $76,180 | +55% above national |
| 6 | Indiana | $73,580 | +50% above national |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $72,770 | +49% above national |
| 8 | Ohio | $71,560 | +46% above national |
| 9 | New York | $70,370 | +44% above national |
| 10 | Oregon | $64,230 | +31% above national |
| 11 | Nevada | $63,570 | +30% above national |
| 12 | Arizona | $62,740 | +28% above national |
| 13 | Michigan | $61,560 | +26% above national |
| 14 | Colorado | $59,740 | +22% above national |
| 15 | Kentucky | $58,820 | +20% above national |
| 16 | Idaho | $58,650 | +20% above national |
| 17 | Delaware | $58,240 | +19% above national |
| 18 | Maryland | $55,640 | +14% above national |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $55,470 | +13% above national |
| 20 | Iowa | $53,990 | +10% above national |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $53,870 | +10% above national |
| 22 | Utah | $52,000 | +6% above national |
| 23 | Maine | $50,980 | +4% above national |
| 24 | South Dakota | $50,650 | +3% above national |
| 25 | Illinois | $49,590 | +1% above national |
| 26 | Virginia | $48,700 | 1% below national |
| 27 | Montana | $48,080 | 2% below national |
| 28 | North Dakota | $47,810 | 2% below national |
| 29 | Kansas | $47,390 | 3% below national |
| 30 | Florida | $47,260 | 4% below national |
| 31 | North Carolina | $47,220 | 4% below national |
| 32 | Georgia | $46,220 | 6% below national |
| 33 | Tennessee | $46,020 | 6% below national |
| 34 | Texas | $45,620 | 7% below national |
| 35 | New Mexico | $45,550 | 7% below national |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $45,190 | 8% below national |
| 37 | South Carolina | $45,180 | 8% below national |
| 38 | Alabama | $44,550 | 9% below national |
| 39 | Nebraska | $44,470 | 9% below national |
| 40 | Louisiana | $44,340 | 10% below national |
| 41 | Mississippi | $41,900 | 14% below national |
| 42 | Pennsylvania | $41,600 | 15% below national |
| 43 | West Virginia | $40,440 | 17% below national |
| 44 | Arkansas | $37,650 | 23% below national |
| 45 | Puerto Rico | $25,620 | 48% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 166 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $94,990 | +94% above national |
| 2 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $93,550 | +91% above national |
| 3 | Green Bay, WI | $91,520 | +87% above national |
| 4 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $90,880 | +85% above national |
| 5 | Madison, WI | $86,870 | +77% above national |
| 6 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $84,830 | +73% above national |
| 7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $82,020 | +67% above national |
| 8 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $81,250 | +66% above national |
| 9 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $80,990 | +65% above national |
| 10 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $80,370 | +64% above national |
| 11 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $80,260 | +64% above national |
| 12 | Cleveland, OH | $79,840 | +63% above national |
| 13 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $77,220 | +58% above national |
| 14 | Toledo, OH | $76,870 | +57% above national |
| 15 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $76,450 | +56% above national |
| 16 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $76,390 | +56% above national |
| 17 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $76,190 | +55% above national |
| 18 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $74,500 | +52% above national |
| 19 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $74,180 | +51% above national |
| 20 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $73,960 | +51% above national |
| 21 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $73,920 | +51% above national |
| 22 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $72,070 | +47% above national |
| 23 | Columbus, OH | $71,560 | +46% above national |
| 24 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $70,910 | +45% above national |
| 25 | Syracuse, NY | $70,370 | +44% above national |
| 26 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $70,230 | +43% above national |
| 27 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $65,500 | +34% above national |
| 28 | Reno, NV | $65,290 | +33% above national |
| 29 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $64,770 | +32% above national |
| 30 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $63,570 | +30% above national |
| 31 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $63,410 | +29% above national |
| 32 | Salem, OR | $63,220 | +29% above national |
| 33 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $63,010 | +29% above national |
| 34 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $62,580 | +28% above national |
| 35 | Medford, OR | $62,370 | +27% above national |
| 36 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $62,020 | +27% above national |
| 37 | Central Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $61,720 | +26% above national |
| 38 | Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $61,720 | +26% above national |
| 39 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $61,570 | +26% above national |
| 40 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $61,220 | +25% above national |
| 41 | Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $61,170 | +25% above national |
| 42 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $61,160 | +25% above national |
| 43 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $59,810 | +22% above national |
| 44 | Boise City, ID | $59,530 | +21% above national |
| 45 | Lexington Park, MD | $59,340 | +21% above national |
| 46 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $58,560 | +20% above national |
| 47 | York-Hanover, PA | $58,400 | +19% above national |
| 48 | Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $56,980 | +16% above national |
| 49 | Greeley, CO | $56,570 | +15% above national |
| 50 | Wasatch Front Fringe Utah nonmetropolitan area | $56,190 | +15% above national |
| 51 | Springfield, MA | $55,760 | +14% above national |
| 52 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $55,320 | +13% above national |
| 53 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $54,690 | +12% above national |
| 54 | Omaha, NE-IA | $54,570 | +11% above national |
| 55 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $54,520 | +11% above national |
| 56 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $53,880 | +10% above national |
| 57 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $52,550 | +7% above national |
| 58 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $52,190 | +7% above national |
| 59 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $50,810 | +4% above national |
| 60 | Rapid City, SD | $50,650 | +3% above national |
| 61 | Ogden, UT | $50,200 | +2% above national |
| 62 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $50,020 | +2% above national |
| 63 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $49,750 | +2% above national |
| 64 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $49,400 | +1% above national |
| 65 | Oklahoma City, OK | $49,350 | +1% above national |
| 66 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $48,980 | same as national |
| 67 | Colorado Springs, CO | $48,910 | same as national |
| 68 | Richmond, VA | $48,700 | 1% below national |
| 69 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $48,440 | 1% below national |
| 70 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $48,390 | 1% below national |
| 71 | Wichita, KS | $48,390 | 1% below national |
| 72 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $48,250 | 2% below national |
| 73 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $48,220 | 2% below national |
| 74 | Goldsboro, NC | $48,190 | 2% below national |
| 75 | Birmingham, AL | $47,980 | 2% below national |
| 76 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $47,950 | 2% below national |
| 77 | West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $47,910 | 2% below national |
| 78 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $47,820 | 2% below national |
| 79 | Tucson, AZ | $47,810 | 2% below national |
| 80 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $47,790 | 2% below national |
| 81 | Fargo, ND-MN | $47,740 | 3% below national |
| 82 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $47,700 | 3% below national |
| 83 | Jacksonville, FL | $47,690 | 3% below national |
| 84 | Huntsville, AL | $47,610 | 3% below national |
| 85 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $47,560 | 3% below national |
| 86 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $47,550 | 3% below national |
| 87 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $47,330 | 3% below national |
| 88 | South Florida nonmetropolitan area | $47,260 | 4% below national |
| 89 | Winston-Salem, NC | $47,150 | 4% below national |
| 90 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $47,130 | 4% below national |
| 91 | Spartanburg, SC | $47,000 | 4% below national |
| 92 | Charlottesville, VA | $46,970 | 4% below national |
| 93 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $46,860 | 4% below national |
| 94 | Asheville, NC | $46,840 | 4% below national |
| 95 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $46,680 | 5% below national |
| 96 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $46,650 | 5% below national |
| 97 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $46,630 | 5% below national |
| 98 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $46,530 | 5% below national |
| 99 | Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $46,480 | 5% below national |
| 100 | Fayetteville, NC | $46,410 | 5% below national |
| 101 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $46,290 | 6% below national |
| 102 | Wilmington, NC | $46,130 | 6% below national |
| 103 | Burlington, NC | $46,070 | 6% below national |
| 104 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $45,950 | 6% below national |
| 105 | Savannah, GA | $45,700 | 7% below national |
| 106 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $45,690 | 7% below national |
| 107 | Midland, TX | $45,440 | 7% below national |
| 108 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $45,430 | 7% below national |
| 109 | Lincoln, NE | $45,250 | 8% below national |
| 110 | Ocala, FL | $45,250 | 8% below national |
| 111 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $45,160 | 8% below national |
| 112 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $45,150 | 8% below national |
| 113 | Albuquerque, NM | $45,110 | 8% below national |
| 114 | Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $45,050 | 8% below national |
| 115 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $44,920 | 8% below national |
| 116 | Lynchburg, VA | $44,580 | 9% below national |
| 117 | East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $44,580 | 9% below national |
| 118 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $44,560 | 9% below national |
| 119 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $44,210 | 10% below national |
| 120 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $44,200 | 10% below national |
| 121 | Columbia, SC | $44,190 | 10% below national |
| 122 | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $44,170 | 10% below national |
| 123 | Jacksonville, NC | $44,000 | 10% below national |
| 124 | Warner Robins, GA | $43,990 | 10% below national |
| 125 | Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $43,980 | 10% below national |
| 126 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $43,890 | 10% below national |
| 127 | Tulsa, OK | $43,620 | 11% below national |
| 128 | Gainesville, GA | $43,470 | 11% below national |
| 129 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $43,260 | 12% below national |
| 130 | Rocky Mount, NC | $43,230 | 12% below national |
| 131 | West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $43,190 | 12% below national |
| 132 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $43,060 | 12% below national |
| 133 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $42,990 | 12% below national |
| 134 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $42,950 | 12% below national |
| 135 | Valdosta, GA | $42,880 | 12% below national |
| 136 | Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $42,820 | 13% below national |
| 137 | Jackson, MS | $42,210 | 14% below national |
| 138 | Odessa, TX | $41,990 | 14% below national |
| 139 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $41,920 | 14% below national |
| 140 | Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $41,860 | 15% below national |
| 141 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $41,820 | 15% below national |
| 142 | Johnson City, TN | $41,800 | 15% below national |
| 143 | Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $41,600 | 15% below national |
| 144 | Corpus Christi, TX | $41,590 | 15% below national |
| 145 | Longview, TX | $40,880 | 17% below national |
| 146 | Wildwood-The Villages, FL | $40,570 | 17% below national |
| 147 | North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $40,280 | 18% below national |
| 148 | Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $40,220 | 18% below national |
| 149 | North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $40,100 | 18% below national |
| 150 | Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $39,980 | 18% below national |
| 151 | South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $39,750 | 19% below national |
| 152 | Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $39,450 | 19% below national |
| 153 | West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $39,020 | 20% below national |
| 154 | El Paso, TX | $38,370 | 22% below national |
| 155 | Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $38,150 | 22% below national |
| 156 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $38,010 | 22% below national |
| 157 | West Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $37,750 | 23% below national |
| 158 | Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $37,700 | 23% below national |
| 159 | Florence, SC | $37,650 | 23% below national |
| 160 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $37,290 | 24% below national |
| 161 | Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $37,290 | 24% below national |
| 162 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $37,280 | 24% below national |
| 163 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $37,020 | 24% below national |
| 164 | Albany, GA | $36,820 | 25% below national |
| 165 | Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $36,180 | 26% below national |
| 166 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $25,620 | 48% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 47 (construction and extraction) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Pipelayers make? ▼
What state pays Pipelayers the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Pipelayers? ▼
How dangerous is being a Pipelayers? ▼
Is Pipelayers a good career? ▼
How does Pipelayers pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Pipelayers? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Pipelayers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $61,400/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Wisconsin leads at $86,870/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.