Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Apprenticeship
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters work in a skilled trade with a sizable national presence and steady projected expansion. With national employment at 504,000 and projected growth of 4.5%, this occupation offers a large existing workforce and room for additional entrants. The career draws on a blend of physical ability, mechanical understanding, and analytical thinking, reflected in key skills such as physical strength and stamina, fine motor abilities, mechanical skills, science, mathematics, and problem solving and decision making. Leadership, project management, attention to detail, and creativity and innovation also play important roles, suggesting opportunities to take on more complex projects or supervisory responsibilities over time. Annual openings of 44,000 indicate ongoing demand, which can be meaningful for both newcomers and experienced workers considering a move or advancement. Overall, this career combines hands-on work, problem solving, and structured skill development supported by clear opportunities across the country.
The national median annual salary for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters is $62,970, with notable variation across states and metro areas. Among top states by opportunity score, median salaries range from $63,240 in Colorado up to $93,880 in Massachusetts. Washington and New York also show higher median salaries of $81,030 and $77,490, respectively, while California offers $72,830. At the metro level, San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara, CA, stands out with a median salary of $107,560, while Boston–Cambridge–Newton, MA–NH, also shows a high median of $96,760. Other large metros such as New York–Newark–Jersey City and San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont provide median salaries in the high $70,000s. These figures suggest that geographic choice can significantly influence earning potential within this occupation.
Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters have a solid national employment base of 504,000, paired with projected employment growth of 4.5%. This projected growth rate appears consistently across the highlighted states and metro areas, indicating a broadly similar outlook in different parts of the country. Annual openings are projected at 44,000, which reflects ongoing opportunities for both new entrants and experienced workers seeking new positions. The presence of sizable employment in key states such as California, New York, Washington, Massachusetts, and Colorado, along with strong metro labor markets like New York–Newark–Jersey City and Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, shows that demand is spread across multiple regions. For individuals considering training or a career shift into this field, the combination of a large current workforce, projected growth, and recurring annual openings points to a career path with continuing employment prospects.
Location can make a meaningful difference for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in terms of salary levels and concentration of jobs. Among states with strong opportunity scores, California has the largest employment at 47,660 with a median salary of $72,830, while New York employs 23,210 with a median salary of $77,490. Massachusetts offers the highest listed state median salary at $93,880 with 13,460 employed. Washington and Colorado show moderate employment levels and median salaries of $81,030 and $63,240, respectively. At the metro level, San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara, CA, stands out with both a high opportunity score of 77.42 and the highest listed median salary of $107,560. New York–Newark–Jersey City combines a high opportunity score of 77.27 with employment of 21,040. Other metros such as San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, and Boston–Cambridge–Newton also pair strong opportunity scores with solid median pay, giving job seekers multiple regional options.
The typical education requirement for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters is a high school diploma or equivalent. Beyond this baseline, success in the field relies heavily on a mix of physical, technical, and cognitive skills. Physical strength and stamina, along with fine motor skills, support the hands-on nature of the work. Mechanical skills and science knowledge help with understanding systems and components, while mathematics contributes to accurate measurements and problem solving. The occupation also emphasizes problem solving and decision making, as well as being detail oriented, which are important when addressing complex situations or ensuring work quality. Leadership and project management skills suggest potential for coordinating tasks or guiding others. Creativity and innovation round out the profile, pointing to opportunities to find new or improved ways of doing work. Together, these skills build a pathway for growth from entry-level roles toward more advanced or supervisory positions over time.
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