Careers / Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
Opens your browser print dialog — choose “Save as PDF”.
Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$63,800
United States, 2025
Employment
465,840
United States, 2025
Typical education
Post-Secondary Certificate
Job Zone 3
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
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 sprinkler fitters.
- O*NET code
- 47-2152.00
- Job zone
- 3
- Experience required
- Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years
Typical tasks
- Shut off steam, water, or other gases or liquids from pipe sections, using valve keys or wrenches.
- Install underground storm, sanitary, or water piping systems, extending piping as needed to connect fixtures and plumbing.
- Assemble pipe sections, tubing, or fittings, using couplings, clamps, screws, bolts, cement, plastic solvent, caulking, or soldering, brazing, or welding equipment.
- Locate and mark the position of pipe installations, connections, passage holes, or fixtures in structures, using measuring instruments such as rulers or levels.
- Inspect work sites for obstructions or holes that could cause structural weakness.
- Cut, thread, or hammer pipes to specifications, using tools such as saws, cutting torches, pipe threaders, or pipe benders.
- Lay out full scale drawings of pipe systems, supports, or related equipment, according to blueprints.
- Plan pipe system layout, installation, or repair, according to specifications.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$44,150
25th percentile
$50,190
75th percentile
$85,110
90th percentile
$108,420
Most important skills
- Critical Thinking3.5
- Repairing3.3
- Troubleshooting3.3
- Judgment and Decision Making3.3
- Monitoring3.1
- Time Management3.0
- Operation and Control3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Complex Problem Solving3.0
- Operations Monitoring3.0
- Coordination3.0
- Systems Evaluation2.9
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 11 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
11
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 3.5 | 3.5 | Not selected | 3.5 |
| Repairing | 3.3 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.3 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.3 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Time Management | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Operation and Control | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Speaking | 3.0 | 2.6 | Not selected | 2.6 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
Supplemental
National median $53,710
Compare with Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersSupplemental
National median $49,120
Compare with Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersSupplemental
National median $62,780
Compare with Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersSupplemental
National median $39,630
Compare with Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersSupplemental
National median $61,800
Compare with Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersSupplemental
National median $65,380
Compare with Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersSupplemental
National median $42,670
Compare with Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $107,560 | 3,830 | 2025 |
| Chicago, IL | $103,380 | 12,750 | 2025 |
| Bellingham, WA | $102,750 | 540 | 2025 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $101,630 | 6,730 | 2025 |
| DC | $101,020 | 1,010 | 2025 |
| Portland, OR | $101,010 | 4,600 | 2025 |
| IL | $99,950 | 16,750 | 2025 |
| Kennewick, WA | $97,130 | 840 | 2025 |
| OR | $97,050 | 5,370 | 2025 |
| Bloomington, IN | $96,980 | 320 | 2025 |
| Boston, MA | $96,760 | 9,200 | 2025 |
| Fairbanks, AK | $96,670 | 200 | 2025 |
| Champaign, IL | $95,530 | 390 | 2025 |
| Seattle, WA | $95,230 | 6,350 | 2025 |
| MN | $94,410 | 10,720 | 2025 |
| Springfield, IL | $94,370 | 220 | 2025 |
| Rockford, IL | $94,230 | 440 | 2025 |
| AK | $93,920 | 1,200 | 2025 |
| MA | $93,880 | 13,460 | 2025 |
| Anchorage, AK | $93,600 | 640 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.