Plumbing Apprentice Salary: United States
At Skilled Trades Headhunters, this is what we do all day: recruit skilled trades professionals.
The median annual wage for Plumbing Apprentice in the United States was $63,800 in May 2025 (BLS). The middle half of workers earned between $50,190 and $85,110.
Broader occupation Our title "Plumbing Apprentice" is reported by BLS as SOC 47-2152 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters. BLS groups Plumbing Apprentice within Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters; it does not publish this niche title or credential level separately.
Annual wages
Plumbing Apprentice, the United States, annual wages: 10% earned less than $44,150, half earned less than the median of $63,800, 90% earned less than $108,420 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Annual wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $44,150 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $50,190 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $63,800 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $85,110 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $108,420 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $72,170 | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Hourly wages
Plumbing Apprentice, the United States, hourly wages: 10% earned less than $21.22, half earned less than the median of $30.67, 90% earned less than $52.13 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Hourly wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $21.22 per hour | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $24.13 per hour | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $30.67 per hour | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $40.92 per hour | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $52.13 per hour | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $34.70 per hour | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Employment: BLS estimates 465,840 workers in this occupation nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 47-2152 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, National.
What BLS wages include. Base pay plus any guaranteed or production-based incentive pay. They leave out overtime, discretionary bonus, benefits, per diem and relocation.
BLS definitions, verbatim
wages
Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
hours
Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly wages by 2,080 hours; for occupations where hourly wages are not published, annual wages were taken directly from the reported survey data.
Target metros
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th percentile | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $57,760 | $47,560 to $63,960 | 5,930 | 0.7 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $52,000 | $48,740 to $61,720 | 4,180 | 0.96 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $55,380 | $47,520 to $61,750 | 4,040 | 0.96 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $60,540 | $48,370 to $70,010 | 2,810 | 1.26 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $78,610 | $61,900 to $107,970 | 21,040 | 0.74 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $78,610 | $61,900 to $107,970 | 21,040 | 0.74 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $61,250 | $47,910 to $75,290 | 11,980 | 0.99 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $61,300 | $49,260 to $75,680 | 10,980 | 1.11 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $103,380 | $74,300 to $122,540 | 12,750 | 0.94 |
How does Plumbing Apprentice pay differ by industry?
These are national industry estimates for SOC 47-2152, not local offers or separate estimates for the niche title. Industry names are exactly as BLS publishes them.
| Industry | NAICS | Median | Basis | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utilities | 22 | $90,750 | Annual | 7,580 |
| Utilities | 221000 | $90,750 | Annual | 7,580 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 221100 | $115,310 | Annual | 1,370 |
| Natural Gas Distribution | 221200 | $96,080 | Annual | 4,430 |
| Water, Sewage and Other Systems | 221300 | $53,560 | Annual | 1,780 |
| Construction | 23 | $63,270 | Annual | 383,600 |
| Construction of Buildings | 236000 | $69,370 | Annual | 17,150 |
| Residential Building Construction | 236100 | $63,310 | Annual | 6,370 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | 236200 | $71,220 | Annual | 10,790 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 237000 | $63,270 | Annual | 17,400 |
| Utility System Construction | 237100 | $61,400 | Annual | 14,960 |
| Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction | 237300 | $83,180 | Annual | 710 |
| Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 237900 | $72,990 | Annual | 1,730 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | 238000 | $63,150 | Annual | 349,050 |
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors | 238100 | $74,100 | Annual | 920 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | 238200 | $63,110 | Annual | 340,140 |
| Building Finishing Contractors | 238300 | $65,260 | Annual | 1,420 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors | 238900 | $63,300 | Annual | 6,570 |
| Food Manufacturing | 311000 | $67,210 | Annual | 100 |
| Other Food Manufacturing | 311900 | $77,630 | Annual | 40 |
| Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | 312000 | $84,700 | Annual | 80 |
| Beverage Manufacturing | 312100 | $84,700 | Annual | 70 |
| Manufacturing | 31-33 | $65,770 | Annual | 16,010 |
| Wood Product Manufacturing | 321000 | $49,810 | Annual | 500 |
| Other Wood Product Manufacturing | 321900 | $49,650 | Annual | 490 |
| Paper Manufacturing | 322000 | $84,270 | Annual | 290 |
| Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | 322100 | $84,400 | Annual | 270 |
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 324000 | $106,550 | Annual | 680 |
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 324100 | $106,550 | Annual | 680 |
| Chemical Manufacturing | 325000 | $87,350 | Annual | 490 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 3250A1 | $83,060 | Annual | 370 |
| Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 325400 | $105,800 | Annual | 100 |
| Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 326000 | $66,670 | Annual | 200 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing | 326100 | $35,100 | Annual | 110 |
| Rubber Product Manufacturing | 326200 | $82,100 | Annual | 90 |
| Primary Metal Manufacturing | 331000 | $75,170 | Annual | 140 |
| Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | 331200 | $67,990 | Annual | 50 |
| Foundries | 331500 | $91,660 | Annual | 40 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 332000 | $70,190 | Annual | 2,810 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 3320A1 | $71,430 | Annual | 1,550 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 3320A2 | $73,110 | Annual | 1,110 |
| Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 332700 | $58,120 | Annual | 120 |
| Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | 332800 | $69,640 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Machinery Manufacturing | 333000 | $51,540 | Annual | 1,440 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 3330A1 | $49,000 | Annual | 1,300 |
| Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 333300 | $77,610 | Annual | 80 |
| Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | 333600 | $84,370 | Annual | 50 |
| Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 334000 | $58,040 | Annual | 220 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 334500 | $88,900 | Annual | 40 |
| Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 335000 | $91,260 | Annual | 60 |
| Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 335900 | $88,260 | Annual | 40 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 336000 | $63,480 | Annual | 8,930 |
| Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | 336100 | $92,110 | Annual | 1,400 |
| Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | 336200 | $48,910 | Annual | 460 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 336300 | $91,690 | Annual | 860 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 336400 | $98,470 | Annual | 510 |
| Ship and Boat Building | 336600 | $62,590 | Annual | 5,650 |
| Rail Transportation | 482000 | $80,570 | Annual | 300 |
| Rail Transportation | 482100 | $80,570 | Annual | 300 |
| Pipeline Transportation | 486000 | $92,670 | Annual | 1,230 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil | 486100 | $92,670 | Annual | 90 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas | 486200 | $93,770 | Annual | 1,120 |
| Support Activities for Transportation | 488000 | $56,050 | Annual | 50 |
| Support Activities for Water Transportation | 488300 | $55,830 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Warehousing and Storage | 493000 | $85,340 | Annual | 40 |
| Warehousing and Storage | 493100 | $85,340 | Annual | 40 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 53 | $67,990 | Annual | 880 |
| Real Estate | 531000 | $68,900 | Annual | 870 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 54 | $63,480 | Annual | 3,350 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 541000 | $63,480 | Annual | 3,350 |
| Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services | 541200 | $46,470 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 541300 | $68,640 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | 541500 | $98,940 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | 541600 | $56,810 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 541700 | $101,300 | Annual | 210 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 541900 | $64,000 | Annual | 680 |
| Services to Buildings and Dwellings | 561700 | $50,880 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Waste Management and Remediation Services | 562000 | $53,340 | Annual | 1,760 |
| Remediation and Other Waste Management Services | 562900 | $53,340 | Annual | 1,730 |
| Repair and Maintenance | 811000 | $64,140 | Annual | 1,740 |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | 811300 | $68,110 | Annual | 1,340 |
| Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance | 811400 | $51,380 | Annual | 370 |
Industry estimates are national. Do not combine an industry median with a local percentile to invent an industry-specific local rate.
Which related roles have a different BLS occupation?
A supervisory occupation is not an experience percentile for the craft. Compare the actual responsibilities and the published SOC.
Plumbing Foreman (47-1011)Plumbing General Foreman (47-1011)Plumbing Superintendent (11-9021)Which metros publish the highest and lowest medians?
This ranking uses the May 2025 annual median for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters. 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.
| Metro | Median | Employment | Location quotient | Trade median / all-occupations median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $107,560 | 3,830 | 1.13 | 1.28 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $103,380 | 12,750 | 0.94 | 1.89 |
| Bellingham, WA | $102,750 | 540 | 1.97 | 1.78 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $101,630 | 6,730 | 1.15 | 1.71 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $101,010 | 4,600 | 1.27 | 1.66 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $97,130 | 840 | 2.18 | 1.70 |
| Bloomington, IN | $96,980 | 320 | 1.45 | 2.03 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $96,760 | 9,200 | 1.14 | 1.45 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | $96,670 | 200 | 1.85 | 1.56 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $95,530 | 390 | 1.24 | 1.88 |
| Jonesboro, AR | $47,030 | 160 | 0.89 | 1.11 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $46,850 | 250 | 0.53 | 1.28 |
| Hot Springs, AR | $46,820 | 140 | 1.18 | 1.28 |
| Laredo, TX | $46,350 | 120 | 0.37 | 1.24 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $46,110 | 360 | 0.41 | 1.29 |
| Valdosta, GA | $46,070 | 80 | 0.5 | 1.18 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $32,300 | 800 | 0.39 | 1.10 |
| Aguadilla, PR | $31,660 | 40 | 0.26 | 1.20 |
| Mayaguez, PR | $30,120 | 30 | 0.21 | 1.19 |
| Ponce, PR | $29,690 | 40 | 0.23 | 1.10 |
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.
What do these published wages mean for an offer?
Skilled Trades Headhunters reads the May 2025 figures for Plumbing Apprentice in National as an offer reference, not a quote for a particular candidate. For Plumbing Apprentice in National, the published median for SOC 47-2152, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, is $63,800 per year. The middle half of the Plumbing Apprentice in National wage distribution runs from $50,190 to $85,110, a width of $34,920 per year; that spread shows how much published pay varies within the occupation and area, without assigning experience levels.
For the national Plumbing Apprentice comparison, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ reports $78,610 per year while Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA reports $71,110 per year; these are the largest-employment metros with published medians for the occupation, rather than neighboring places to a national estimate. The United States Plumbing Apprentice figure pools markets with different work scopes and schedules, so use the area table before setting a local offer.
The highest published medians among the selected national industry rows for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, read alongside Plumbing Apprentice in National, are Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution at $115,310 per year (NAICS 221100); Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing at $106,550 per year (NAICS 324000); Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing at $106,550 per year (NAICS 324100). Those Plumbing Apprentice in National industry comparisons are national cross-sections, not local industry estimates; BLS does not give us a metro-by-industry wage cut here, and overlapping industry groups should not be added together.
The Plumbing Apprentice in National median was $62,970 per year in May 2024, compared with $63,800 in May 2025, a published difference of $830. That Plumbing Apprentice in National comparison is between separate BLS releases, not the raise paid to the same workers or a projection of next year's offer. Read the $62,970 and $63,800 Plumbing Apprentice in National estimates with both dates visible, because the employers and workers represented by the survey can change.
Before offering $63,800 per year for Plumbing Apprentice in National, separate on-call duties, overtime, travel reimbursement, tool replacement and any truck allowance separately; prevailing wage and union requirements must be checked against the actual assignment. The Plumbing Apprentice in National BLS comparison includes ordinary wages and qualifying incentive pay, but leaves overtime, discretionary bonuses, benefits and relocation outside this wage figure. A candidate's take-home pay and the employer's total cost for Plumbing Apprentice in National can therefore differ from the median without either number being an error.
The mapping for Plumbing Apprentice in National is broader: BLS groups Plumbing Apprentice within Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters; it does not publish this niche title or credential level separately. For a Plumbing Apprentice in National opening, establish the equipment, license requirements and responsibility before deciding which people the pay range should attract. A broader occupation can combine jobs that a Plumbing Apprentice in National buyer would screen separately, which is why the badge and SOC remain beside the figures.
Questions about this occupation and area
What does the middle-half band tell a Plumbing Apprentice in National buyer?
Plumbing Apprentice in National has a published middle-half band of $50,190 to $85,110, a width of $34,920 per year, with median $63,800. An offer inside that Plumbing Apprentice in National band is not automatically competitive for every scope; match the required work and the separate pay terms first.
Which areas should I compare before hiring Plumbing Apprentice in National?
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA are the largest-employment comparison markets used for Plumbing Apprentice in National. Comparing those Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters tables with the $63,800 Plumbing Apprentice in National median does not measure commuting costs or predict what a particular applicant will accept.
Are the industry figures local to Plumbing Apprentice in National?
Plumbing Apprentice in National uses national industry rows for SOC 47-2152, not local sector-specific wages. Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution leads the selected sortable rows at $115,310 per year, but that national industry figure is not a quoted offer for Plumbing Apprentice in National.
What changed between the releases for Plumbing Apprentice in National?
Plumbing Apprentice in National moved from $62,970 in May 2024 to $63,800 in May 2025. These Plumbing Apprentice in National published medians do not describe an individual raise or establish a future wage trend.
What changed since May 2024
SOC 47-2152. Published annual median: $62,970 (May 2024) and $63,800 (May 2025). These are two BLS releases, not a projection.