# How Much to Pay a Plumber in 2026: Apprentice to Master

Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earned a median $30.67 an hour ($63,800 a year) in May 2025, according to BLS. Plumbing contractors paid a median of $30.36. Helpers and apprentices earned around $20.36, while the top 10% of plumbers made more than $52.13, so pay depends heavily on license level.

## Key takeaways

- BLS national median for SOC 47-2152: $30.67; the middle half earn $24.13–$40.92.
- Plumbing helpers (SOC 47-3015) earn a $20.36 median, which sets the bottom rung of your pay ladder.
- State medians span more than $24 an hour: from $23.39 in Arkansas to $48.05 in Illinois.
- A service plumber at $30.36 with a truck and illustrative benefits costs about $107,225 a year, $79.92 per billable hour at 60% billable.
- Commission and flat-rate plumbers are still owed overtime. Compute it from the week's actual pay.

## How much do plumbers make?

BLS counted 465,840 plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters in May 2025, at a median of $30.67 an hour. The distribution is wider at the top than for most trades: the 90th percentile is $52.13, about $21 above the median, because licensed master plumbers, union pipefitters and commercial specialists pull it up. In a residential service shop, most of your plumbers will fall between the 25th and 75th percentiles.

**Plumber, pipefitter and steamfitter wages, United States, May 2025**

| Percentile | Hourly | Annual |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10th | $21.22 | $44,150 |
| 25th | $24.13 | $50,190 |
| Median | $30.67 | $63,800 |
| 75th | $40.92 | $85,110 |
| 90th | $52.13 | $108,420 |

_Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 47-2152, all industries. Annual figures assume 2,080 hours. Mean: $34.70. BLS combines plumbers with pipefitters and steamfitters in one occupation._

## What's a fair pay ladder from apprentice to master?

Pay plumbers by what they're licensed and able to do alone. BLS says plumbers usually train through a four- or five-year apprenticeship with about 2,000 paid hours of on-the-job training a year, and most states require a license that takes two to five years of experience and an exam. A written ladder tied to those steps helps you recruit apprentices and keeps journeymen from leaving for a $2 raise across town.

**Illustrative plumbing pay ladder anchored to BLS percentiles (May 2025)**

| Level | Typical abilities | BLS anchor | Hourly |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Helper / first-year apprentice | Carries, digs, preps, learns | Plumbing helpers, median (47-3015) | $20.36 |
| Mid apprentice | Rough-in, simple repairs with supervision | Plumbers, 10th percentile | $21.22 |
| Licensed journeyman, new | Runs service calls alone | Plumbers, 25th percentile | $24.13 |
| Experienced journeyman | Diagnoses, sells, trains apprentices | Plumbers, median | $30.67 |
| Master plumber / lead | Pulls permits, runs jobs and crews | Plumbers, 75th percentile | $40.92 |

_The ladder is our illustration; the hourly figures are BLS national percentiles. Many states set apprentice ratios and license steps; check your state board through the [licensing hub](https://www.brix.so/licensing)._

## Which employers pay plumbers more?

Plumbing contractors employ 349,050 plumbers, three-quarters of the total, at a median of $30.36. General builders pay more ($33.35) because much of that work is commercial. The top payers are natural gas distribution utilities at $46.19, while water and sewer systems pay $25.75, below contractors.

**Plumber wages by industry, May 2025**

| Industry (NAICS) | Employed | 10th pct. | Median | 90th pct. | Median annual |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| All industries | 465,840 | $21.22 | $30.67 | $52.13 | $63,800 |
| Specialty trade contractors (238) | 349,050 | $21.03 | $30.36 | $51.88 | $63,150 |
| Construction of buildings (236) | 17,150 | $22.80 | $33.35 | $57.38 | $69,370 |
| Natural gas distribution (2212) | 4,430 | $29.49 | $46.19 | $56.13 | $96,080 |
| Water, sewage and other systems (2213) | 1,780 | $17.24 | $25.75 | $41.77 | $53,560 |
| Plumbing helpers, all industries (SOC 47-3015) | 44,330 | $16.15 | $20.36 | $27.78 | $42,360 |

_Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 national and industry-specific estimates, SOC 47-2152 and 47-3015._

## How much do plumbers make in each state?

Plumbing has one of the widest state spreads of any trade. Illinois, Oregon, Minnesota and Massachusetts all have medians above $45 an hour, often reflecting union scale, while Florida sits at $25.44 and Arkansas at $23.39. Use the state median as the midpoint for a licensed journeyman and build your ladder around it.

**Plumber wages in selected states, May 2025**

| State | Employed | 10th pct. | Median | 90th pct. | Median annual |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Illinois | 16,750 | $24.16 | $48.05 | $60.79 | $99,950 |
| Oregon | 5,370 | $27.99 | $46.66 | $70.72 | $97,050 |
| Minnesota | 10,720 | $23.42 | $45.39 | $58.20 | $94,410 |
| Massachusetts | 13,460 | $25.01 | $45.14 | $64.94 | $93,880 |
| New York | 23,210 | $22.18 | $37.26 | $62.70 | $77,490 |
| California | 47,660 | $22.76 | $35.01 | $63.03 | $72,830 |
| Pennsylvania | 13,620 | $22.49 | $32.73 | $64.48 | $68,080 |
| Ohio | 16,390 | $21.86 | $30.45 | $48.75 | $63,330 |
| Arizona | 11,810 | $21.94 | $29.84 | $48.13 | $62,070 |
| Texas | 44,090 | $18.40 | $28.77 | $39.37 | $59,840 |
| Georgia | 8,930 | $18.12 | $27.50 | $38.82 | $57,200 |
| North Carolina | 14,510 | $18.69 | $27.44 | $36.47 | $57,080 |
| Florida | 29,260 | $18.72 | $25.44 | $35.39 | $52,910 |
| Arkansas | 3,370 | $16.06 | $23.39 | $33.11 | $48,660 |

_Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 state estimates, SOC 47-2152, all industries. Texas employs the most plumbers. State data isn't split by industry._

## Should you pay plumbers hourly, commission or flat rate?

Service plumbing shops commonly pay hourly for apprentices and installers, and hourly-plus-commission or a share of task revenue for experienced service plumbers. Commission rewards plumbers who diagnose well and present options, but it can also reward upselling, and a slow week can leave a plumber short. Many shops use an hourly floor with commission on top, which also makes minimum-wage compliance simple.

**Plumber pay plans**

| Plan | Pays | Fits | Guardrail |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Hourly by level | The ladder rate for every hour | Apprentices, new construction, remodel crews | Clear criteria to move up a level |
| Hourly + commission on sales | Base plus a percentage of what they sell | Service plumbers who also sell water heaters and repipes | No commission on callbacks you have to redo |
| Commission only (share of task revenue) | A share of the flat-rate price of each task | Senior service plumbers in busy markets | Must cover at least minimum wage for all hours, plus overtime |
| Hourly + drain or emergency premium | Higher rate for after-hours and sewer work | On-call rotations | Track on-call hours per DOL rules |

> **Illustrative commission week with overtime (not a benchmark)**
>
> A service plumber earns 22% of the task price on jobs completed. This week: $5,800 in completed tasks over 44 hours.
>
> Commission: $1,276. Regular rate: $1,276 ÷ 44 hours = $29.00 an hour, well above the federal minimum wage.
>
> Overtime premium: half of $29.00 × 4 hours = $58.00. Pay for the week: **$1,334.00**.
>
> DOL's regular-rate guidance says that for piece-rate and similar pay, overtime is based on the average hourly rate for the week. State rules, including daily overtime in some states, can require more. This isn't legal advice.

## What does a plumber really cost per billable hour?

Plumbing trucks are expensive to stock (water heaters, fittings, a camera and a jetter on some trucks), and plumbing carries a higher workers' comp rate than office work. The example below uses illustrative inputs; replace them with your class code rate and truck costs.

> **Total cost of a service plumber at the contractor median (illustrative inputs)**
>
> Wages: $30.36 an hour, 40 regular hours plus 3 overtime hours a week = $70,253 a year.
>
> Employer payroll taxes: $5,659. Workers' comp at an illustrative $5 per $100: $3,513. Benefits at $650 a month: $7,800.
>
> Truck, fuel, insurance, tools and stock carrying cost: $20,000.
>
> Total: **$107,225 a year**, 53% on top of wages. At 60% billable, that's **$79.92 per billable hour** before parts and overhead.

Interactive calculator: https://www.brix.so/tools/payroll-cost-calculator

Use the result to sanity-check your price book: if your average labor rate doesn't cover cost per billable hour plus overhead and profit, raise prices before you add a plumber. The [labor burden calculator](https://www.brix.so/tools/labor-burden-calculator) and [flat-rate pricing calculator](https://www.brix.so/tools/flat-rate-pricing-calculator) help with that math.

## What should you fix before hiring another plumber?

Make sure every emergency call already gets answered. Burst pipes, sewer backups and no-hot-water calls come in at night and on weekends, and the homeowner calls the next company if you don't pick up. Those are your highest-ticket service calls, and they're the easiest to lose.

BRIX's AI receptionist answers every call around the clock, books jobs onto your schedule and texts back anyone it misses. Payroll-ready timesheets make it easier to calculate commission weeks and overtime correctly.

- [AI receptionist](https://www.brix.so/features/ai-receptionist): Answers every call 24/7, qualifies the caller, books the job and texts back anyone it misses.
- [Missed-call text back](https://www.brix.so/features/missed-call-text-back): Texts a caller back within seconds when a call is missed, so the lead stays with you.
- [Crew timesheets](https://www.brix.so/#use-cases): Clock-ins, job hours and payroll-ready timesheets.

Next: see the [plumber hiring guide](https://www.brix.so/hiring/plumber) for licensing checks, a working-interview test and interview questions, and [how to hire and pay technicians](https://www.brix.so/guides/hire-and-pay-technicians) for pay plans across trades.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much should I pay a licensed journeyman plumber?

Start near your state's median for plumbers and adjust for experience and the work they'll run. Nationally, BLS puts the May 2025 median at $30.67 an hour, with the 25th percentile at $24.13. In Illinois the state median is $48.05; in Florida it's $25.44.

### What do plumbing apprentices make?

BLS doesn't publish a separate apprentice figure, but plumbing helpers, the closest category, earned a May 2025 median of $20.36 an hour. Apprentice pay usually rises in steps through the four- or five-year program. Some states and registered apprenticeship programs set minimum apprentice wage percentages.

### Do commission plumbers get overtime?

Yes, if they're non-exempt, which most service plumbers are. Under the FLSA, the regular rate is the week's total pay divided by hours worked, and overtime adds half that rate for each hour over 40. Pay must also average at least the minimum wage for all hours worked.

### Why do plumbers in some states earn so much more?

Local wage levels, union density, licensing rules and the mix of commercial work all affect it. BLS state data shows medians above $45 an hour in Illinois, Oregon, Minnesota and Massachusetts, compared with under $26 in Florida and Arkansas.

### Is there a plumber shortage?

BLS projects plumber, pipefitter and steamfitter employment to grow 7% from 2025 to 2035, with about 42,000 openings a year, mostly to replace people retiring or leaving. Because licensing takes years, experienced licensed plumbers are the hardest to hire.

### What does a plumber cost per billable hour?

In our illustrative example, a plumber at $30.36 an hour with a stocked truck and benefits costs about $107,225 a year, or $79.92 per billable hour at 60% billable. Your workers' comp rate and truck costs will change it.

## Related

- [Hiring Plumbers: A Guide for Plumbing Business Owners](https://www.brix.so/hiring/plumber)
- [How to Hire Technicians and Build a Pay Plan That Works](https://www.brix.so/guides/hire-and-pay-technicians)
- [True Cost of an Employee Calculator for Trades Businesses](https://www.brix.so/tools/payroll-cost-calculator)
- [Labor Burden Calculator](https://www.brix.so/tools/labor-burden-calculator)
- [Flat Rate Pricing Calculator](https://www.brix.so/tools/flat-rate-pricing-calculator)
- [What Is Labor Burden?](https://www.brix.so/learn/labor-burden)
- [What Is Workers' Compensation Insurance?](https://www.brix.so/learn/workers-compensation)
- [How Much to Pay an HVAC Technician in 2026](https://www.brix.so/hiring/hvac-technician/pay)
- [How Much to Pay an Electrician in 2026](https://www.brix.so/hiring/electrician/pay)
- [Plumbing Software That Catches the 2 a.m. Call and Gets You Paid for It](https://www.brix.so/for/plumbing)

## Sources

- [BLS OEWS May 2025: Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152), national estimates](https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/occupation/472152/2025) (checked 2026-10-24)
- [BLS OEWS May 2025: Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-3015), national estimates](https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/occupation/473015/2025) (checked 2026-10-24)
- [BLS OEWS May 2025: Specialty Trade Contractors (NAICS 238000) occupational estimates](https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/industry/238000/2025) (checked 2026-10-24)
- [BLS OEWS May 2025: National industry-specific occupational estimates](https://www.bls.gov/oes/2025/may/oessrci.htm) (checked 2026-10-24)
- [BLS OEWS May 2025: State occupational employment and wage estimates](https://www.bls.gov/oes/2025/may/oessrcst.htm) (checked 2026-10-24)
- [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (training, licensing, outlook 2025–35)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/plumbers-pipefitters-and-steamfitters.htm) (checked 2026-10-24)
- [U.S. Department of Labor: Overtime pay (FLSA)](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/overtime) (checked 2026-10-24)
- [U.S. Department of Labor: Fact Sheet #56A, Overview of the regular rate of pay under the FLSA](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/56a-regular-rate) (checked 2026-10-24)
- [IRS Publication 15 (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide, for use in 2026](https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15.pdf) (checked 2026-10-24)

Talk to BRIX: call or text (518) 588-1122, email eeharris2004@gmail.com, or book a 15-minute call at https://cal.com/ethanharris/15min.

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Written by BRIX Editorial Team. Last updated 2026-10-24.
Canonical: https://www.brix.so/hiring/plumber/pay