Plumbers Salary 2025: $69,663 Median Pay (BLS OEWS)
- Official U.S. BLS OEWS data (May 2025)
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- Not self-reported estimates
$69,663 per year is the national median annual wage for plumbers (BLS OEWS, May 2025 reference period). That works out to about $33/hour, with a 10th–90th percentile range of $63,270 to $155,600. The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies this role under SOC code 47-2152.
Key Facts (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
- Median annual wage
- $69,663
- Median hourly wage
- $33/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $76,066
- Total US employment
- 282,530
- Top-paying metro
- San Jose, CA, CA ($107,560)
- BLS SOC code
- 47-2152
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.
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The national median wage for plumbers (BLS SOC 47-2152) is $69,663 per year — about $33/hour — across 282,530 workers in 70 U.S. metros in the BLS OEWS May 2025 release. The mean wage of $76,066 sits above the median, which means a minority of high earners pulls the average up — the median is the more honest benchmark for a typical offer.
Experience drives the range as much as anything: the 10th percentile earns $46,004 while the 90th earns $110,285 — a 2.4× gap from entry-level to the top of the field. Most plumbers land in the $56,705–$91,522 band (25th–75th percentile), which is the right anchor when you size up an offer.
Location matters too. San Jose, CA, CA posts the highest median at $107,560, versus $49,190 in Little Rock, AR, AR — a 119% gap. But adjusted for cost of living, Chicago, IL delivers the strongest real purchasing power ($96,347 in national-average dollars), which can flip the nominal ranking for anyone weighing a move.
BLS OEWS reports base wage for this Trades role; bonuses, commissions, and equity are excluded, so total compensation for many plumbers runs meaningfully above the figures shown — particularly at the senior end of the distribution.
Plumbers Salary by Experience Level (2025)
BLS OEWS doesn’t publish wages by years of experience, but its national percentile bands map cleanly to career stages. Here’s what plumbers earn from entry-level to the top of the field.
| Career stage | Typical experience | BLS percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level | 0–2 years | 10th | $46,004 |
| Junior / early-career | 2–5 years | 25th | $56,705 |
| Mid-career | 5–10 years | 50th (median) | $72,758 |
| Senior | 10–15 years | 75th | $91,522 |
| Top earners | 15+ years | 90th | $110,285 |
Experience bands are SalaryTruth’s interpretation of BLS OEWS percentiles, not a separate BLS series. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and region.
Salary Range (BLS Percentiles)
Plumbers salaries range from $49,190 to $107,560 median across cities, depending on location, experience, and industry.
Plumbers Salary by City (BLS OEWS)
| City | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | COL-Adjusted | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $63,270 | $80,986 | $107,560 | $131,580 | $155,600 | $54,934 | 3,830 |
| Chicago, IL | $53,960 | $73,728 | $103,380 | $115,290 | $127,200 | $96,347 | 12,750 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $51,370 | $71,474 | $101,630 | $111,675 | $121,720 | $95,697 | 6,730 |
| Portland, OR | $57,640 | $74,988 | $101,010 | $124,055 | $147,100 | $77,640 | 4,600 |
| Boston, MA | $52,270 | $70,066 | $96,760 | $120,355 | $143,950 | $63,616 | 9,200 |
| Seattle, WA | $51,930 | $69,250 | $95,230 | $124,365 | $153,500 | $63,742 | 6,350 |
| Anchorage, AK | $53,730 | $69,678 | $93,600 | $105,195 | $116,790 | $73,701 | 640 |
| Detroit, MI | $48,250 | $63,498 | $86,370 | $97,075 | $107,780 | $90,820 | 5,520 |
| Madison, WI | $48,310 | $63,050 | $85,160 | $104,215 | $123,270 | $82,042 | 1,590 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $56,520 | $67,792 | $84,700 | $104,585 | $124,470 | $86,961 | 2,760 |
| Providence, RI | $49,590 | $61,682 | $79,820 | $95,295 | $110,770 | $66,851 | 3,000 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $46,940 | $60,044 | $79,700 | $99,475 | $119,250 | $57,964 | 1,000 |
| New York, NY | $47,870 | $60,166 | $78,610 | $112,045 | $145,480 | $41,993 | 21,040 |
| San Francisco, CA | $48,540 | $60,276 | $77,880 | $116,605 | $155,330 | $43,363 | 5,660 |
| Albany, NY | $47,050 | $59,214 | $77,460 | $97,005 | $116,550 | $76,922 | 1,470 |
| Hartford, CT | $43,260 | $56,832 | $77,190 | $89,685 | $102,180 | $68,552 | 1,850 |
| Reno, NV | $44,200 | $57,328 | $77,020 | $94,280 | $111,540 | $72,319 | 1,170 |
| St. Louis, MO | $47,040 | $59,024 | $77,000 | $99,115 | $121,230 | $85,556 | 4,060 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $46,740 | $58,836 | $76,980 | $89,675 | $102,370 | $85,438 | 4,010 |
| Kansas City, MO | $46,800 | $58,540 | $76,150 | $99,485 | $122,820 | $79,822 | 3,740 |
| Des Moines, IA | $47,720 | $58,648 | $75,040 | $87,305 | $99,570 | $80,429 | 2,150 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $48,400 | $58,984 | $74,860 | $108,535 | $142,210 | $63,226 | 7,150 |
| Louisville, KY | $48,250 | $58,822 | $74,680 | $84,800 | $94,920 | $82,794 | 2,780 |
| Rochester, NY | $43,570 | $55,574 | $73,580 | $86,860 | $100,140 | $79,203 | 1,460 |
| Spokane, WA | $47,830 | $57,818 | $72,800 | $89,390 | $105,980 | $74,743 | 810 |
| San Diego, CA | $46,030 | $56,622 | $72,510 | $100,150 | $127,790 | $45,262 | 5,100 |
| Buffalo, NY | $40,300 | $53,072 | $72,230 | $88,135 | $104,040 | $78,086 | 1,430 |
| Washington, DC | $47,480 | $57,232 | $71,860 | $93,130 | $114,400 | $47,029 | 9,420 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $46,090 | $56,098 | $71,110 | $98,095 | $125,080 | $42,837 | 15,690 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $46,910 | $56,186 | $70,100 | $88,985 | $107,870 | $75,948 | 2,910 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $45,670 | $53,982 | $66,450 | $92,145 | $117,840 | $66,054 | 960 |
| Sacramento, CA | $46,620 | $54,056 | $65,210 | $98,155 | $131,100 | $52,294 | 3,120 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $46,830 | $54,162 | $65,160 | $83,480 | $101,800 | $71,447 | 3,640 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $47,870 | $54,642 | $64,800 | $76,555 | $88,310 | $63,905 | 3,190 |
| Fresno, CA | $46,590 | $53,714 | $64,400 | $94,340 | $124,280 | $61,043 | 970 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | $48,910 | $54,914 | $63,920 | $89,630 | $115,340 | $52,222 | 4,510 |
| Denver, CO | $48,640 | $54,744 | $63,900 | $83,335 | $102,770 | $56,649 | 5,750 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $37,280 | $47,928 | $63,900 | $75,910 | $87,920 | $67,979 | 1,440 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $46,530 | $53,418 | $63,750 | $82,230 | $100,710 | $63,307 | 9,270 |
| Omaha, NE | $46,710 | $53,386 | $63,400 | $80,970 | $98,540 | $69,063 | 2,430 |
| Columbus, OH | $40,820 | $49,796 | $63,260 | $83,130 | $103,000 | $67,948 | 3,060 |
| Baltimore, MD | $45,220 | $52,412 | $63,200 | $82,920 | $102,640 | $55,342 | 5,220 |
| Austin, TX | $40,810 | $49,610 | $62,810 | $71,865 | $80,920 | $60,981 | 5,260 |
| New Orleans, LA | $39,220 | $48,512 | $62,450 | $71,070 | $79,690 | $65,120 | 1,510 |
| Lexington, KY | $45,280 | $51,916 | $61,870 | $79,030 | $96,190 | $67,766 | 810 |
| Richmond, VA | $44,420 | $51,244 | $61,480 | $69,485 | $77,490 | $60,215 | 2,340 |
| Houston, TX | $39,920 | $48,472 | $61,300 | $73,490 | $85,680 | $63,523 | 10,980 |
| Dallas, TX | $39,350 | $48,110 | $61,250 | $71,740 | $82,230 | $58,838 | 11,980 |
| Wichita, KS | $38,290 | $47,350 | $60,940 | $77,285 | $93,630 | $72,548 | 1,060 |
| Raleigh, NC | $42,940 | $49,980 | $60,540 | $69,075 | $77,610 | $60,661 | 2,810 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $46,070 | $51,846 | $60,510 | $74,120 | $87,730 | $57,904 | 1,060 |
| Nashville, TN | $42,650 | $49,630 | $60,100 | $71,885 | $83,670 | $59,920 | 2,760 |
| Birmingham, AL | $38,620 | $47,208 | $60,090 | $68,190 | $76,290 | $66,471 | 1,840 |
| Knoxville, TN | $38,940 | $47,308 | $59,860 | $69,710 | $79,560 | $66,290 | 1,700 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $42,210 | $49,206 | $59,700 | $89,500 | $119,300 | $54,771 | 3,800 |
| Tulsa, OK | $37,990 | $46,570 | $59,440 | $69,930 | $80,420 | $68,479 | 1,950 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $38,760 | $46,916 | $59,150 | $71,205 | $83,260 | $68,382 | 2,400 |
| Tucson, AZ | $43,840 | $49,932 | $59,070 | $66,660 | $74,250 | $61,918 | 1,170 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $40,020 | $47,580 | $58,920 | $67,115 | $75,310 | $61,956 | 2,380 |
| Charlotte, NC | $42,320 | $48,868 | $58,690 | $67,350 | $76,010 | $60,693 | 3,840 |
| Memphis, TN | $37,530 | $45,994 | $58,690 | $70,355 | $82,020 | $69,869 | 1,920 |
| Atlanta, GA | $37,900 | $46,092 | $58,380 | $69,980 | $81,580 | $58,851 | 5,470 |
| San Antonio, TX | $37,240 | $45,616 | $58,180 | $68,355 | $78,530 | $63,585 | 3,190 |
| Miami, FL | $40,360 | $47,320 | $57,760 | $66,385 | $75,010 | $46,921 | 5,930 |
| Greensboro, NC | $39,550 | $46,734 | $57,510 | $65,685 | $73,860 | $62,990 | 1,110 |
| Boise, ID | $39,450 | $46,446 | $56,940 | $69,855 | $82,770 | $55,769 | 1,760 |
| Orlando, FL | $39,900 | $46,092 | $55,380 | $64,165 | $72,950 | $53,715 | 4,040 |
| Tampa, FL | $41,610 | $45,766 | $52,000 | $59,415 | $66,830 | $52,209 | 4,180 |
| Greenville, SC | $36,690 | $42,370 | $50,890 | $65,390 | $79,890 | $56,482 | 960 |
| Little Rock, AR | $35,100 | $40,736 | $49,190 | $58,865 | $68,540 | $55,771 | 890 |
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Plumber & H-1B Prevailing Wage
Sponsoring or filing an H-1B, PERM, or E-3 case? See the DOL prevailing-wage levels (1–4) for Plumber, including the 2026 proposed increase.
Plumber prevailing wage in San Jose, CA →Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for Plumber is $69,663 as of 2025 (BLS OEWS). The national mean (average) is $76,066. Salaries range from $49,190 to $107,560 median depending on city and cost of living.
Entry-level plumbers (10th percentile) earn about $46,004 per year nationally. Pay rises with experience to a median of $69,663, $91,522 at the 75th percentile, and $110,285 for the top 10% of earners.
The median plumber earns about $33/hour, based on the $69,663 annual median over a standard 2,080-hour work year (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
San Jose, CA, CA posts the highest median for Plumber at $107,560, well above the national median of $69,663. Cost of living matters, though — see the COL-adjusted column in the city table above, which can reorder the rankings.
There are approximately 282,530 Plumber positions in the US across 70 metropolitan areas tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey.
The 90th percentile plumber earns $110,285 — about 2.4× the $46,004 entry-level wage. A spread that wide signals real income growth potential with experience, specialization, and location.
No. BLS OEWS reports base wages only — bonuses, commissions, overtime, and equity are excluded. For roles where variable pay is common, total compensation runs above the figures shown here.
Salary data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. COL adjustments use BEA Regional Price Parities.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.