Pipe Layer: metro pay ranking

At Skilled Trades Headhunters, this is what we do all day: recruit skilled trades professionals.

Skilled Trades Headhunters compares published medians for SOC 47-2151 Pipelayers, not estimated offers for this particular title.

Which metros publish the highest and lowest medians?

This ranking uses the May 2025 annual median for Pipelayers. It is not adjusted for living costs. A metro is a BLS statistical area, not just the city limits. Top-coded or suppressed medians are not ranked.

Highest and lowest published metro medians
Metro	Median	Employment	Location quotient	Trade median / all-occupations median
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI	$93,550	90	0.52	1.83
Green Bay, WI	$91,520	40	1.03	1.83
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI	$90,880	40	1.53	1.95
Madison, WI	$86,870	50	0.55	1.50
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$84,830	610	1.39	1.17
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$82,020	320	0.78	1.38
Youngstown-Warren, OH	$81,250	30	0.97	1.86
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$80,370	390	0.19	1.31
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$80,260	500	0.37	1.44
Cleveland, OH	$79,840	100	0.47	1.59
Kennewick-Richland, WA	$77,220	90	3.1	1.35
Toledo, OH	$76,870	30	0.49	1.59
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY	$76,450	40	0.32	1.51
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	$76,390	80	1.43	1.40
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	$76,190	250	0.69	1.57
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN	$74,180	490	2.1	1.50
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	$73,960	170	0.75	1.24
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	$73,920	320	1.23	1.22
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$72,070	Not published by BLS	Not published by BLS	1.08
Columbus, OH	$71,560	430	1.83	1.39
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	$70,910	170	0.74	1.41
Syracuse, NY	$70,370	60	0.88	1.33
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	$70,230	40	0.27	1.31
Reno, NV	$65,290	80	1.43	1.31
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$64,770	90	0.29	1.10
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV	$63,570	Not published by BLS	Not published by BLS	1.36
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	$63,410	500	1.46	1.02
Salem, OR	$63,220	40	1.03	1.14
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	$63,010	400	0.79	1.23
Coeur d'Alene, ID	$62,580	40	2.84	1.31
Medford, OR	$62,370	40	1.9	1.25
Portland-South Portland, ME	$62,020	40	0.66	1.09
commercial-vehicle manufacturers-Warren-Dearborn, MI	$61,570	70	0.17	1.18
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA	$61,220	Not published by BLS	Not published by BLS	1.23
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	$61,160	40	0.64	1.16
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO	$59,810	50	1.26	1.08
Boise City, ID	$59,530	110	1.27	1.21
Lexington Park, MD	$59,340	30	2.22	0.93
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$58,560	90	0.14	1.08
HVAC manufacturers-Hanover, PA	$58,400	30	0.8	1.21
Greeley, CO	$56,570	70	2.65	1.03
Springfield, MA	$55,760	Not published by BLS	Not published by BLS	1.07
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$55,320	660	0.99	0.78
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	$54,690	280	0.99	0.93
Omaha, NE-IA	$54,570	200	1.86	1.10
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$54,520	250	0.26	1.00
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH	$53,880	50	1.65	1.21
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	$52,550	40	0.26	1.09
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT	$52,190	190	1.1	0.94
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL	$50,810	50	0.95	1.04
Rapid City, SD	$50,650	70	4.56	1.09
Ogden, UT	$50,200	100	1.71	1.03
Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT	$50,020	130	2.08	1.04
Sioux Falls, SD-MN	$49,400	110	2.82	1.03
Oklahoma City, OK	$49,350	260	1.8	1.04
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	$48,980	1,170	4.06	0.98
Colorado Springs, CO	$48,910	100	1.44	0.93
Richmond, VA	$48,700	240	1.74	0.95
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	$48,440	740	2.68	0.85
Raleigh-Cary, NC	$48,390	640	4.03	0.93
Wichita, KS	$48,390	50	0.79	1.02
Charleston-North Charleston, SC	$48,250	170	2.08	0.98
Naples-Marco Island, FL	$48,220	130	3.46	1.01
Goldsboro, NC	$48,190	50	5.42	1.19
Birmingham, AL	$47,980	80	0.7	1.00
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$47,950	700	1.17	0.99
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	$47,820	260	1.57	0.97
Tucson, AZ	$47,810	40	0.51	1.00
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	$47,790	570	1.84	0.98
Fargo, ND-MN	$47,740	60	2	0.94
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	$47,700	280	1.2	0.95
Jacksonville, FL	$47,690	450	2.78	0.98
Huntsville, AL	$47,610	110	1.9	0.92
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$47,560	1,000	1.64	0.93
Greensboro-High Point, NC	$47,550	120	1.54	1.02
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL	$47,330	260	3.63	1.00
Winston-Salem, NC	$47,150	190	3.21	1.02
Port St. Lucie, FL	$47,130	90	2.41	1.01
Spartanburg, SC	$47,000	40	1.05	0.99
Charlottesville, VA	$46,970	50	2.08	0.85
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	$46,860	110	1.47	0.77
Asheville, NC	$46,840	160	4.07	1.00
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$46,680	1,240	1.44	0.91
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	$46,650	690	2.29	1.00
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL	$46,630	210	3.28	1.00
Memphis, TN-MS-AR	$46,530	90	0.66	0.99
Fayetteville, NC	$46,410	110	4.02	1.02
Wilmington, NC	$46,130	160	4.01	1.01
Burlington, NC	$46,070	30	2.14	1.05
Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL	$45,950	80	4.24	1.02
Savannah, GA	$45,700	100	2.46	0.97
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL	$45,690	110	2.01	0.99
Midland, TX	$45,440	100	3.88	0.83
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL	$45,430	100	2.23	1.01
Lincoln, NE	$45,250	60	1.56	0.91
Ocala, FL	$45,250	90	3.4	1.03
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	$45,150	1,300	1.86	0.91
Albuquerque, NM	$45,110	80	0.95	0.94
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL	$44,920	90	2.29	0.97
Lynchburg, VA	$44,580	30	1.62	0.97
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC	$44,560	60	1.18	0.97
Chattanooga, TN-GA	$44,210	50	0.9	0.95
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	$44,200	380	1.57	0.94
Columbia, SC	$44,190	90	1.02	0.95
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC	$44,170	80	4.61	1.01
Jacksonville, NC	$44,000	70	5.94	1.09
Warner Robins, GA	$43,990	50	3.29	0.91
Tulsa, OK	$43,620	80	0.87	0.93
Gainesville, GA	$43,470	50	2.42	0.95
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC	$43,260	100	3.16	0.96
Rocky Mount, NC	$43,230	50	3.95	0.98
Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA	$42,990	100	3.74	0.95
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC	$42,950	60	1.86	1.13
Valdosta, GA	$42,880	30	2.91	1.10
Jackson, MS	$42,210	70	1.16	0.99
Odessa, TX	$41,990	40	2.57	0.86
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS	$41,920	50	1.6	0.96
College Station-Bryan, TX	$41,820	70	2.34	0.94
Johnson City, TN	$41,800	60	3.25	0.96
Corpus Christi, TX	$41,590	70	1.77	0.92
Longview, TX	$40,880	40	1.5	0.91
Wildwood-The Villages, FL	$40,570	50	5.22	0.89
Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC	$40,220	40	4.21	0.94
El Paso, TX	$38,370	140	1.92	0.97
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	$38,010	190	2.45	0.83
Florence, SC	$37,650	30	1.58	0.87
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX	$37,290	80	1.32	1.04
Manchester-Nashua, NH	$37,280	60	1.42	0.66
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR	$37,020	100	1.72	0.79
Albany, GA	$36,820	30	2.71	0.84
San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR	$25,620	180	1.21	0.87

The wage ratio is simple arithmetic: this occupation's median divided by the all-occupations median in the same area and unit. It is not a cost-of-living measure. Location quotient describes the concentration of employment, not relative pay. Neither predicts what a particular candidate will accept.

Where does this trade pay most relative to local wages?

Occupation median divided by the same area's all-occupations median
Area	Wage ratio	Median	Location quotient
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI	1.95	$90,880	1.53
Youngstown-Warren, OH	1.86	$81,250	0.97
Green Bay, WI	1.83	$91,520	1.03
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI	1.83	$93,550	0.52
Toledo, OH	1.59	$76,870	0.49
Cleveland, OH	1.59	$79,840	0.47
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	1.57	$76,190	0.69
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY	1.51	$76,450	0.32
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN	1.50	$74,180	2.1
Madison, WI	1.50	$86,870	0.55
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	1.44	$80,260	0.37
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	1.41	$70,910	0.74
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	1.40	$76,390	1.43
Columbus, OH	1.39	$71,560	1.83
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	1.38	$82,020	0.78
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV	1.36	$63,570	Not published by BLS
Kennewick-Richland, WA	1.35	$77,220	3.1
Syracuse, NY	1.33	$70,370	0.88
Reno, NV	1.31	$65,290	1.43
Coeur d'Alene, ID	1.31	$62,580	2.84
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	1.31	$80,370	0.19
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	1.31	$70,230	0.27
Medford, OR	1.25	$62,370	1.9
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	1.24	$73,960	0.75
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA	1.23	$61,220	Not published by BLS
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	1.23	$63,010	0.79
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	1.22	$73,920	1.23
Boise City, ID	1.21	$59,530	1.27
HVAC manufacturers-Hanover, PA	1.21	$58,400	0.8
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH	1.21	$53,880	1.65
Goldsboro, NC	1.19	$48,190	5.42
commercial-vehicle manufacturers-Warren-Dearborn, MI	1.18	$61,570	0.17
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	1.17	$84,830	1.39
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	1.16	$61,160	0.64
Salem, OR	1.14	$63,220	1.03
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC	1.13	$42,950	1.86
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	1.10	$64,770	0.29
Omaha, NE-IA	1.10	$54,570	1.86
Valdosta, GA	1.10	$42,880	2.91
Rapid City, SD	1.09	$50,650	4.56
Jacksonville, NC	1.09	$44,000	5.94
Portland-South Portland, ME	1.09	$62,020	0.66
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	1.09	$52,550	0.26
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	1.08	$72,070	Not published by BLS
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO	1.08	$59,810	1.26
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	1.08	$58,560	0.14
Springfield, MA	1.07	$55,760	Not published by BLS
Burlington, NC	1.05	$46,070	2.14
Oklahoma City, OK	1.04	$49,350	1.8
Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT	1.04	$50,020	2.08
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX	1.04	$37,290	1.32
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL	1.04	$50,810	0.95
Sioux Falls, SD-MN	1.03	$49,400	2.82
Ocala, FL	1.03	$45,250	3.4
Greeley, CO	1.03	$56,570	2.65
Ogden, UT	1.03	$50,200	1.71
Greensboro-High Point, NC	1.02	$47,550	1.54
Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL	1.02	$45,950	4.24
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	1.02	$63,410	1.46
Fayetteville, NC	1.02	$46,410	4.02
Winston-Salem, NC	1.02	$47,150	3.21
Wichita, KS	1.02	$48,390	0.79
Port St. Lucie, FL	1.01	$47,130	2.41
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL	1.01	$45,430	2.23
Naples-Marco Island, FL	1.01	$48,220	3.46
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC	1.01	$44,170	4.61
Wilmington, NC	1.01	$46,130	4.01
Birmingham, AL	1.00	$47,980	0.7
Tucson, AZ	1.00	$47,810	0.51
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	1.00	$46,650	2.29
Asheville, NC	1.00	$46,840	4.07
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL	1.00	$47,330	3.63
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL	1.00	$46,630	3.28
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	1.00	$54,520	0.26
Memphis, TN-MS-AR	0.99	$46,530	0.66
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL	0.99	$45,690	2.01
Spartanburg, SC	0.99	$47,000	1.05
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	0.99	$47,950	1.17
Jackson, MS	0.99	$42,210	1.16
Rocky Mount, NC	0.98	$43,230	3.95
Charleston-North Charleston, SC	0.98	$48,250	2.08
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	0.98	$48,980	4.06
Jacksonville, FL	0.98	$47,690	2.78
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	0.98	$47,790	1.84
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL	0.97	$44,920	2.29
El Paso, TX	0.97	$38,370	1.92
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC	0.97	$44,560	1.18
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	0.97	$47,820	1.57
Savannah, GA	0.97	$45,700	2.46
Lynchburg, VA	0.97	$44,580	1.62
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS	0.96	$41,920	1.6
Johnson City, TN	0.96	$41,800	3.25
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC	0.96	$43,260	3.16
Columbia, SC	0.95	$44,190	1.02
Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA	0.95	$42,990	3.74
Gainesville, GA	0.95	$43,470	2.42
Chattanooga, TN-GA	0.95	$44,210	0.9
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	0.95	$47,700	1.2
Richmond, VA	0.95	$48,700	1.74
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT	0.94	$52,190	1.1
College Station-Bryan, TX	0.94	$41,820	2.34
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	0.94	$44,200	1.57
Albuquerque, NM	0.94	$45,110	0.95
Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC	0.94	$40,220	4.21
Fargo, ND-MN	0.94	$47,740	2
Tulsa, OK	0.93	$43,620	0.87
Raleigh-Cary, NC	0.93	$48,390	4.03
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	0.93	$47,560	1.64
Colorado Springs, CO	0.93	$48,910	1.44
Lexington Park, MD	0.93	$59,340	2.22
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	0.93	$54,690	0.99
Huntsville, AL	0.92	$47,610	1.9
Corpus Christi, TX	0.92	$41,590	1.77
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	0.91	$45,150	1.86
Lincoln, NE	0.91	$45,250	1.56
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	0.91	$46,680	1.44
Longview, TX	0.91	$40,880	1.5
Warner Robins, GA	0.91	$43,990	3.29
Wildwood-The Villages, FL	0.89	$40,570	5.22
San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR	0.87	$25,620	1.21
Florence, SC	0.87	$37,650	1.58
Odessa, TX	0.86	$41,990	2.57
Charlottesville, VA	0.85	$46,970	2.08
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	0.85	$48,440	2.68
Albany, GA	0.84	$36,820	2.71
Midland, TX	0.83	$45,440	3.88
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	0.83	$38,010	2.45
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR	0.79	$37,020	1.72
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	0.78	$55,320	0.99
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	0.77	$46,860	1.47
Manchester-Nashua, NH	0.66	$37,280	1.42

Direct match Our title "Pipe Layer" is reported by BLS as SOC 47-2151 Pipelayers. BLS reports this occupation as Pipelayers. A license or specialty is still checked separately.

National percentile table Methodology