Pipelayers Career, Salary and Skills
Pipelayers have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $49,000 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 33,050. Wage data is published for 175 locations.
Occupation description
Lay pipe for storm or sanitation sewers, drains, and water mains. Perform any combination of the following tasks: grade trenches or culverts, position pipe, or seal joints.
O*NET code
47-2151.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
Less than a High School Diploma
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$49,000
Hourly median
$23.56
Employment
33,050
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Coordination | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Active Listening | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Speaking | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.88 | 2.38 |
| Time Management | 2.88 | 2.88 |
Typical tasks
- Grade or level trench bases, using tamping machines or hand tools.
- Dig trenches to desired or required depths, by hand or using trenching tools.
- Cut pipes to required lengths.
- Install or use instruments such as lasers, grade rods, or transit levels.
- Cover pipes with earth or other materials.
- Connect pipe pieces and seal joints, using welding equipment, cement, or glue.
- Install or repair sanitary or stormwater sewer structures or pipe systems.
- Check slopes for conformance to requirements, using levels or lasers.
Technology
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
Pipelayers salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Pipelayers Salary in TXMedian $45,620 · Employment 5,010
- Pipelayers Salary in FLMedian $47,260 · Employment 4,050
- Pipelayers Salary in NCMedian $47,220 · Employment 3,830
- Pipelayers Salary in GAMedian $46,220 · Employment 1,890
- Pipelayers Salary in CAMedian $76,180 · Employment 1,420
- Pipelayers Salary in Houston, TXMedian $45,150 · Employment 1,300
- Pipelayers Salary in Dallas, TXMedian $46,680 · Employment 1,240
- Pipelayers Salary in Charlotte, NCMedian $48,980 · Employment 1,170
- Pipelayers Salary in OHMedian $71,560 · Employment 1,160
- Pipelayers Salary in VAMedian $48,700 · Employment 1,080
- Pipelayers Salary in WAMedian $82,450 · Employment 1,050
- Pipelayers Salary in Atlanta, GAMedian $47,560 · Employment 1,000
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Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.