Plumber Salary

What Is A Plumber Paid?

The plumber salary you can expect to earn if you decide to pursue a career in this field can be quite rewarding. There are, however, several factors that will go into determining the plumber salary that you can expect to earn. In addition, the amount of your plumber salary can vary if you work within one of the industries that are closely related to this field and commonly confused as being the same occupation.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, plumbers and other related occupations are among the highest paid within the construction industry. These related occupations include pipefitters, pipelayers, and steamfitters.

The Bureau reports that the plumber salary for those that were specifically working as pipelayers earned a median hourly wage of $13.68 in 2004. Those that were paid the highest 10%, however, earned $25.07. The median hourly plumber salary for those working as plumbers, steamfitters, and pipefitters, on the other hand, was $19.85 with the highest 10% earning a median hourly wage of $33.72 or more.

The plumber salary can also be affected by the specific industry in which he or she works. For example, the Bureau reports that the plumber salary for a person working in the natural gas distribution area earned a median hourly wage of $23.86 while those working in nonresidential building construction earned an hourly wage of $21.55 in 2004. The plumber hourly for those that were building equipment contracts was $19.85, while those working in utility system construction earned $18.29 and those working for the local government earned $16.30.

When working as an apprentice, your plumber salary will be substantially less. In fact, it is generally about 50% less of that which an experienced plumber can expect to receive. As your skills improve, however, your plumber salary will also go up.