Plumber Salary by Metro Area (2025 BLS Data)
Quick answer: Plumbers earn a national median of $63,800 per year ($30.67 per hour), with about 465,840 employed nationwide (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The highest-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at a median of $107,560.
This page ranks U.S. metropolitan areas and states by median annual wage for plumbers (Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, SOC 47-2152). All figures come directly from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program (OEWS, May 2025); nothing is estimated or modeled.
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Plumbers
The top 25 U.S. metropolitan areas by median annual wage for this occupation, sorted highest first. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
| # | Metro Area | Median Annual | Median Hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $107,560 | $51.71 | 3,830 |
| 2 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $103,380 | $49.70 | 12,750 |
| 3 | Bellingham, WA | $102,750 | $49.40 | 540 |
| 4 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $101,630 | $48.86 | 6,730 |
| 5 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $101,010 | $48.56 | 4,600 |
| 6 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $97,130 | $46.70 | 840 |
| 7 | Bloomington, IN | $96,980 | $46.63 | 320 |
| 8 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $96,760 | $46.52 | 9,200 |
| 9 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $96,670 | $46.48 | 200 |
| 10 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $95,530 | $45.93 | 390 |
| 11 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $95,230 | $45.78 | 6,350 |
| 12 | Springfield, IL | $94,370 | $45.37 | 220 |
| 13 | Rockford, IL | $94,230 | $45.31 | 440 |
| 14 | Anchorage, AK | $93,600 | $45.00 | 640 |
| 15 | Eau Claire, WI | $92,720 | $44.58 | 210 |
| 16 | Bend, OR | $92,330 | $44.39 | 240 |
| 17 | Springfield, MA | $92,080 | $44.27 | 670 |
| 18 | Appleton, WI | $91,750 | $44.11 | 890 |
| 19 | Sheboygan, WI | $91,530 | $44.01 | 150 |
| 20 | Kokomo, IN | $91,470 | $43.98 | 400 |
| 21 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $90,730 | $43.62 | 870 |
| 22 | Green Bay, WI | $90,570 | $43.54 | 730 |
| 23 | Terre Haute, IN | $90,250 | $43.39 | 420 |
| 24 | St. Cloud, MN | $90,230 | $43.38 | 830 |
| 25 | Binghamton, NY | $87,990 | $42.30 | 280 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) data. Wages reflect all workers in this occupation regardless of experience level or specialty.
Plumber Salary by State
| State | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $101020 |
| Illinois | $99950 |
| Oregon | $97050 |
| Minnesota | $94410 |
| Alaska | $93920 |
| Massachusetts | $93880 |
| Wisconsin | $81210 |
| Washington | $81030 |
| Michigan | $80190 |
| Montana | $79960 |
About this data
Wages are median annual figures for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 release. Metro areas use the U.S. Office of Management and Budget metropolitan statistical area definitions. Median means half of workers earned more and half earned less. Figures reflect all workers in the occupation, not just program graduates.
Related
- How to Become a Plumber: training paths, licensing, and certification.
- Trade Salary Data hub: pay data for more skilled trades.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-2034
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade career guide using BLS, DOL, and state licensing data. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.