Plumber Pay Ladder: Helper to Licensed Plumber to Supervisor (May 2025 BLS Data)
Plumbing is a licensed trade with a long apprenticeship, and the federal wage data shows why people stick with it: the gap between helper pay and journey-level pay is large, and the step into supervision adds more. Here is the ladder in May 2025 numbers.
The pay ladder at a glance
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | 10th pct. | Median | 90th pct. | Typical entry education | Projected growth 2025–35 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbing helper | 44,330 | $33,590 | $42,360 | $57,780 | High school diploma or equivalent | +2.4% |
| Plumber / pipefitter | 465,840 | $44,150 | $63,800 | $108,420 | High school diploma or equivalent | +6.8% |
| Construction supervisor | 812,210 | $53,280 | $79,920 | $128,260 | High school diploma or equivalent | +5.0% |
| Construction manager | 380,360 | $69,690 | $114,990 | $189,440 | Bachelor's degree | +9.1% |
Wages are May 2025 estimates from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; growth and education from BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35. The 10th and 90th percentiles show the range from entry-level or lower-paying employers to the most experienced or best-paid workers. For comparison, the median for all U.S. occupations was $50,980.
Helper to plumber
Helpers for pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn a median of $42,360. Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn $63,800, about 51% more. According to the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, most learn the trade through an apprenticeship, some also attend vocational-technical school, and most states and some localities require plumbers to be licensed.
The top of the trade
Experience pays in plumbing: the 90th percentile for plumbers is $108,420, compared with $44,150 at the 10th percentile. BLS projects 6.8% employment growth from 2025 to 2035 and about 42,000 openings a year, most of them to replace workers who retire or change occupations.
Into supervision and management
First-line supervisors of construction trades earn $79,920, and construction managers $114,990. For plumbers, the usual route is lead plumber or foreman, then project management on larger commercial jobs.
Where plumber / pipefitters earn the most
State medians for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters vary widely. The five highest-paying states in the May 2025 survey:
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $101,020 | 1,010 |
| Illinois | $99,950 | 16,750 |
| Oregon | $97,050 | 5,370 |
| Minnesota | $94,410 | 10,720 |
| Alaska | $93,920 | 1,200 |
Pay tips for plumbers
- Get licensed as soon as you are eligible. In most states a journey or master license is what separates helper rates from full rates.
- Compare industries. The BLS occupation page lists pay by industry; plumbers in some industries earn well above the construction median.
Published October 27, 2026. Sources are linked in the text.
Header image: original chart by JobPayRaise.com using BLS OEWS May 2025 data.
Comments (1)
If you're in a registered apprenticeship, your raises aren't up to the boss's mood. Federal rules for registered programs require "a progressively increasing schedule of wages" tied to the skills you acquire, written into the apprenticeship standards. Ask your sponsor for the schedule. The rule is 29 CFR 29.5(b)(5).