JobAfterNext

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 sprinkler fitters.

Wages

Median annual wage, U.S.$63,800
Employment, U.S.465,840
Median hourly wage$30.67
Annual wage percentiles, U.S., May 2025
10th25thMedian75th90th
$44,150$50,190$63,800$85,110$108,420
By state (51)
StateEmploymentMedian annualLocation quotient
Alabama6,950$58,6701.10
Alaska1,200$93,9201.23
Arizona11,810$62,0701.22
Arkansas3,370$48,6600.86
California47,660$72,8300.87
Colorado10,080$63,2401.17
Connecticut5,410$77,2801.07
Delaware1,590$64,7201.10
District of Columbia1,010$101,0200.48
Florida29,260$52,9100.98
Georgia8,930$57,2000.61
Hawaii2,500$78,0601.33
Idaho3,090$52,3801.20
Illinois16,750$99,9500.92
Indiana11,280$76,3201.18
Iowa5,730$63,8901.23
Kansas4,590$65,2201.06
Kentucky6,360$64,1601.06
Louisiana8,360$63,6801.44
Maine2,710$64,0001.41
Maryland11,420$65,4001.38
Massachusetts13,460$93,8801.24
Michigan14,120$80,1901.07
Minnesota10,720$94,4101.21
Mississippi3,360$55,4800.96
Missouri8,310$66,7900.95
Montana1,860$79,9601.22
Nebraska4,110$60,9701.34
Nevada5,370$61,6101.15
New Hampshire1,950$66,8100.95
New Jersey8,750$78,2400.68
New Mexico2,830$61,4401.09
New York23,210$77,4900.80
North Carolina14,510$57,0800.98
North Dakota1,620$63,5601.26
Ohio16,390$63,3300.99
Oklahoma6,050$57,9701.18
Oregon5,370$97,0500.91
Pennsylvania13,620$68,0800.75
Rhode Island1,820$76,4701.21
South Carolina5,770$53,9400.84
South Dakota1,760$51,6201.28
Tennessee9,270$58,6000.94
Texas44,090$59,8401.05
Utah7,030$61,9001.35
Vermont980$62,1701.08
Virginia13,780$60,4701.12
Washington12,470$81,0301.17
West Virginia1,830$56,9800.87
Wisconsin10,210$81,2101.16
Wyoming1,140$62,4101.35

Similar occupations

Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.

#OccupationJob ZoneSimilarity
1Carpenters1-20.976
2Commercial Divers30.971
3Sheet Metal Workers1-20.968
4Solar Photovoltaic Installers1-20.964
5Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers30.963
6Millwrights1-20.963
7Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers1-20.961
8Glaziers1-20.958
9Weatherization Installers and Technicians1-20.958
10Riggers1-20.957

One skill away

Among the 50 occupations most similar to Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.

OccupationSkill to buildLevel gapSimilarity
Commercial DiversActive Listening0.870.971
Solar Photovoltaic InstallersInstallation3.380.964
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersInstallation4.000.963
Weatherization Installers and TechniciansInstallation2.880.958
Rail Car RepairersRepairing0.880.949
Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersInstallation2.380.948
Mechanical Door RepairersInstallation3.380.946
Solar Thermal Installers and TechniciansInstallation4.120.943
RoofersCoordination0.880.941
Carpet InstallersMathematics0.880.937

All 13

Software to learn next

Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, excluding software Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.

SoftwareSimilar jobs using itLift
Microsoft Windows8 of 201.5x
Autodesk AutoCAD6 of 201.6x
SAP software6 of 201.0x
Microsoft Outlook10 of 200.7x
Web browser software3 of 200.3x
Microsoft PowerPoint6 of 200.4x

Skills

From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.

SkillTypeImportanceLevel
Critical ThinkingEssential skill 3.50 3.50
Judgment and Decision MakingTransferable skill 3.25 3.12
RepairingTransferable skill 3.25 3.12
TroubleshootingTransferable skill 3.25 3.12
MonitoringEssential skill 3.12 2.88
CoordinationTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
Operations MonitoringTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
Complex Problem SolvingTransferable skill 3.00 2.88
Operation and ControlTransferable skill 3.00 2.88
Time ManagementTransferable skill 3.00 2.88
SpeakingEssential skill 3.00 2.62
Systems AnalysisTransferable skill 2.88 2.88
Active ListeningEssential skill 2.88 2.75
Reading ComprehensionEssential skill 2.88 2.75
Systems EvaluationTransferable skill 2.88 2.75
InstallationTransferable skill 2.75not rated
Quality Control AnalysisTransferable skill 2.75 2.88
Social PerceptivenessTransferable skill 2.75 2.50
WritingEssential skill 2.75 2.50
Equipment SelectionTransferable skill 2.75 2.38
Service OrientationTransferable skill 2.75 2.25
Equipment MaintenanceTransferable skill 2.62 2.75
Active LearningEssential skill 2.62 2.62
InstructingTransferable skill 2.62 2.50
MathematicsEssential skill 2.62 2.50
Management of Personnel ResourcesTransferable skill 2.50 2.50
Learning StrategiesEssential skill 2.38 2.38
PersuasionTransferable skill 2.25 1.88
NegotiationTransferable skill 2.00 1.75
Management of Financial ResourcesTransferable skill 1.88 1.62
Management of Material ResourcesTransferable skill 1.88 1.50
Technology DesignTransferable skill 1.88 0.88
Operations AnalysisTransferable skill 1.75 1.38
ScienceEssential skill 1.75 1.12
ProgrammingTransferable skill 1.50not rated
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
Knowledge
NameImportanceLevel
Building and Construction 4.35 5.36
Mechanical 4.33 4.86
Design 3.76 5.05
Mathematics 3.75 3.75
Customer and Personal Service 3.60 4.20
Administration and Management 3.31 4.02
Engineering and Technology 3.24 3.97
Public Safety and Security 3.24 3.08
Physics 3.23 4.05
English Language 2.91 2.61
Education and Training 2.82 3.73
Production and Processing 2.68 2.88
Chemistry 2.51 2.99
Law and Government 2.31 1.84
Transportation 2.22 1.72
Administrative 2.21 2.13
Sales and Marketing 2.17 2.01
Personnel and Human Resources 2.16 1.53
Economics and Accounting 2.14 1.44
Computers and Electronics 2.11 2.08
Psychology 1.90 1.49
Communications and Media 1.85 1.27
Food Production 1.71 1.08
Medicine and Dentistry 1.69 1.01
Telecommunications 1.59 0.89
Therapy and Counseling 1.51 1.18
Philosophy and Theology 1.47 1.07
Geography 1.47 0.91
History and Archeology 1.42 0.62
Foreign Language 1.38 0.48
Biology 1.34not rated
Sociology and Anthropology 1.30not rated
Fine Arts 1.17not rated
Abilities
NameImportanceLevel
Problem Sensitivity 3.75 3.50
Near Vision 3.62 3.25
Finger Dexterity 3.62 3.12
Deductive Reasoning 3.50 3.38
Manual Dexterity 3.50 3.25
Inductive Reasoning 3.38 3.38
Trunk Strength 3.38 3.25
Far Vision 3.38 3.12
Visualization 3.25 3.75
Oral Comprehension 3.25 3.25
Arm-Hand Steadiness 3.25 3.12
Category Flexibility 3.25 2.75
Extent Flexibility 3.12 3.38
Information Ordering 3.12 3.38
Oral Expression 3.12 3.38
Control Precision 3.12 3.00
Multilimb Coordination 3.12 3.00
Selective Attention 3.12 2.75
Flexibility of Closure 3.00 3.25
Perceptual Speed 3.00 3.12
Static Strength 3.00 3.12
Dynamic Strength 3.00 2.88
Written Comprehension 3.00 2.75
Auditory Attention 2.88 2.75
Visual Color Discrimination 2.88 2.75
Speech Recognition 2.88 2.62
Gross Body Equilibrium 2.88 2.50
Reaction Time 2.75 2.62
Speech Clarity 2.75 2.62
Depth Perception 2.75 2.50
Stamina 2.75 2.50
Time Sharing 2.75 2.50
Spatial Orientation 2.75 2.12
Fluency of Ideas 2.62 2.62
Gross Body Coordination 2.62 2.38
Written Expression 2.62 2.38
Hearing Sensitivity 2.50 2.62
Originality 2.50 2.62
Speed of Closure 2.50 2.62
Wrist-Finger Speed 2.50 2.62
Number Facility 2.50 2.38
Explosive Strength 2.50 2.25
Mathematical Reasoning 2.50 2.25
Response Orientation 2.38 2.50
Rate Control 2.25 2.25
Memorization 2.25 2.12
Peripheral Vision 2.12 1.75
Sound Localization 2.00 1.88
Glare Sensitivity 1.88 1.75
Night Vision 1.88 1.50
Dynamic Flexibility 1.88 1.12
Speed of Limb Movement 1.50 0.88

Software used

Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.

All 41
  • Pipepro Pipefitting
  • Piping construction costs estimation software
  • PipingOffice
  • PricePoint
  • Quicken
  • Quote Software QuoteExpress
  • Vision InfoSoft Plumbing Bid Manager
  • ViziFlow
  • Watter Hammer Software Hytran
  • Wilhelm Publishing Threshold
  • Wintac Pro

Where it concentrates

Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.

Metro areaEmploymentLocation quotientMedian annual
Kokomo, IN4003.77$91,470
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA1,0403.72$82,960
St. Cloud, MN8302.66$90,230
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS1,2402.61$63,040
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX1,2502.55$62,220
Paducah, KY-IL3802.50$82,120
Appleton, WI8902.39$91,750
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI8702.38$90,730
Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT8702.31$76,980
Baton Rouge, LA2,7902.27$74,240

More metros, other thresholds