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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2018

47-2152 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters

Assemble, install, alter, and repair pipelines or pipe systems that carry water, steam, air, or other liquids or gases. May install heating and cooling equipment and mechanical control systems. Includes sprinklerfitters.

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
438,070 1.2 % $27.96 $58,150 0.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $15.43 $19.35 $25.92 $34.20 $45.05
Annual Wage (2) $32,100 $40,250 $53,910 $71,140 $93,700

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Building Equipment Contractors 320,570 15.01 $28.05 $58,350
Nonresidential Building Construction 16,340 2.02 $29.37 $61,090
Utility System Construction 16,180 3.05 $26.37 $54,860
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 10,880 0.20 $27.87 $57,970
Employment Services 6,760 0.18 $24.85 $51,690

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Building Equipment Contractors 320,570 15.01 $28.05 $58,350
Natural Gas Distribution 4,900 4.49 $32.59 $67,790
Ship and Boat Building 5,560 4.09 $24.92 $51,830
Utility System Construction 16,180 3.05 $26.37 $54,860
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas 770 2.65 $30.97 $64,430

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (8) (8) $40.22 $83,650
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 430 0.11 $38.67 $80,430
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 420 0.09 $36.69 $76,310
Scientific Research and Development Services 300 0.05 $34.99 $72,770
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 70 0.03 $34.01 $70,740

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 48,040 2.82 0.93 $29.52 $61,410
Texas 43,490 3.59 1.19 $23.65 $49,180
New York 29,120 3.10 1.03 $35.49 $73,820
Florida 25,360 2.95 0.97 $21.25 $44,200
Illinois 16,300 2.72 0.90 $38.17 $79,400




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Louisiana 10,360 5.41 1.79 $26.41 $54,940
Utah 6,320 4.34 1.43 $24.99 $51,970
Montana 1,990 4.29 1.42 $29.30 $60,940
Oklahoma 6,500 4.08 1.35 $24.38 $50,710
Colorado 10,600 4.05 1.34 $25.65 $53,350




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Illinois 16,300 2.72 0.90 $38.17 $79,400
Alaska 1,020 3.22 1.06 $36.31 $75,520
Minnesota 8,700 3.03 1.00 $35.68 $74,220
New York 29,120 3.10 1.03 $35.49 $73,820
Oregon 5,770 3.06 1.01 $35.49 $73,810





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 28,620 3.01 1.00 $36.55 $76,030
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 15,960 2.61 0.86 $29.00 $60,320
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 12,890 2.78 0.92 $39.94 $83,080
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 12,520 3.51 1.16 $23.86 $49,630
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 11,720 3.93 1.30 $25.56 $53,170
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 10,040 3.64 1.20 $34.71 $72,200
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 9,000 2.87 0.95 $28.18 $58,610
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 7,460 3.08 1.02 $36.13 $75,160
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 7,130 2.50 0.83 $32.77 $68,170
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 7,090 2.74 0.90 $22.08 $45,930