Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters to grow 2.4% from 2025 to 2035 (about 1,100 more jobs), with about 4,400 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $42,360 a year ranks 699th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +2.4%
- Openings a year
- 4,400
- Median pay
- $42,360
- Pay rank
- 699th of 825
Is employment of helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters to rise 2.4% (about 1,100 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is slower than the +5.1% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 60 construction and extraction occupations with a projection. That change ranks 449th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 45,300 |
| Employment, 2035 | 46,400 |
| Projected change | +2.4% |
| Openings a year | 4,400 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 45,300 jobs here differ from the 44,330 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 4,400 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 400th most of 830 occupations. About 98% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 110 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters rank?
The median of $42,360 a year ranks 699th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on openings and the lower half on pay.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: high school diploma or equivalent.
- Typical on-the-job training: short-term on-the-job training.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | +6.8% | 42,000 | $63,800 |
| Helpers--Electricians | +0.6% | 6,100 | $42,670 |
| Helpers--Carpenters | -1.7% | 2,000 | $43,780 |
| Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons | +1.5% | 700 | $40,470 |
| Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters | -11.7% | 1,100 | $47,550 |
| Boilermakers | -1.8% | 700 | $76,410 |
| Pipelayers | -3.1% | 2,100 | $49,000 |
| Helpers--Extraction Workers | +1.7% | 700 | $47,730 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.