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 professionals earn a median $49,000/year ($23.56/hr) nationally. The salary ranges from $37,730 (10th percentile) to $80,170 (90th percentile). Employment is projected to decline4.1% from 2023 to 2033, declining. The highest-paying state is Wisconsin at $86,870. Approximately 33,050 people work in this role across the U.S. Entry-level education: No formal educational credential. Workplace safety grade: B (Safe).
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 2023 to 2033, 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.
BLS OEWS May 2025 33,050 jobs Median $49,000/yr
Median Salary
$49,000
per year
Median Hourly
$23.56/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$54,700
average
Employment
33,050
jobs nationwide
This occupation vs. all-occupations US median ($63,000) 24.5%
All-occ US median
Bar fills relative to a $200K reference ceiling. Marker shows the all-occupations US median for context — anything to the right of it earns above the typical American worker.
Job Outlook (2023–2033)
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, 2023–2033
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings → B
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
Operation and Control 3.1
Active Listening 3.0
Speaking 3.0
Critical Thinking 3.0
Coordination 3.0
Operations Monitoring 3.0
Quality Control Analysis 3.0
Reading Comprehension 2.9
Judgment and Decision Making 2.9
Time Management 2.9
Knowledge Areas
Building and Construction 3.7
Public Safety and Security 3.0
Engineering and Technology 3.0
Mechanical 3.0
Administration and Management 2.9
Production and Processing 2.8
English Language 2.8
Design 2.8
Education and Training 2.8
Mathematics 2.7
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.
Salary Guides
Primary source data
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Pipelayers make? ▼
The median annual salary for Pipelayers is $49,000 ($23.56/hour). The salary range spans from $37,730 at the 10th percentile to $80,170 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Pipelayers the most? ▼
Wisconsin pays the highest median salary for Pipelayers at $86,870/year, which is +77% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Pipelayers? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Pipelayers is No formal educational credential. On-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training.
How dangerous is being a Pipelayers? ▼
Pipelayers has a safety grade of B (Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 12.4 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 3.5 per 100 workers.
Is Pipelayers a good career? ▼
Employment for Pipelayers is projected to decline 4.1% from 2023 to 2033, which is declining. About 2,400 openings are projected each year.
How does Pipelayers pay vary by state? ▼
Pipelayers salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Wisconsin at $86,870/year, while Mississippi pays the least at $41,900/year. BLS data covers 45 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Pipelayers? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Pipelayers is Western Washington nonmetropolitan area at $94,990/year. BLS reports wage data for 166 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.