Plumbers: licensing, jobs and pay in the United States
455,940 people work as plumbers in the United States, and the median pay is $62,970 a year (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).
The Census Bureau counts 111,207 plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractor businesses with employees, with 1,214,761 employees and a payroll of $89,519,407,000 a year (2023 County Business Patterns).
Figures last updated on .
- Jobs
- 455,940
- Median pay, a year
- $62,970
- Businesses with employees
- 111,207
Plumbers by state
| State | Jobs | Median pay, a year | Businesses with employees | Businesses per 10,000 homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 45,460 | $68,390 | 11,686 | 8.0 |
| Texas | 42,290 | $58,560 | 8,966 | 7.4 |
| Florida | 26,730 | $50,540 | 9,353 | 9.1 |
| New York | 22,630 | $78,460 | 7,061 | 8.2 |
| Illinois | 18,730 | $96,200 | 4,070 | 7.5 |
| Massachusetts | 15,670 | $83,260 | 3,069 | 10.1 |
| Ohio | 14,490 | $62,530 | 2,970 | 5.6 |
| North Carolina | 14,300 | $50,990 | 3,973 | 8.1 |
| Pennsylvania | 13,990 | $66,650 | 4,154 | 7.2 |
| Virginia | 13,190 | $59,560 | 2,765 | 7.5 |
| Michigan | 12,830 | $77,030 | 2,661 | 5.8 |
| Arizona | 12,330 | $61,940 | 2,567 | 8.0 |
| Washington | 12,210 | $79,070 | 2,242 | 6.8 |
| Indiana | 11,620 | $64,560 | 2,008 | 6.7 |
| Maryland | 11,490 | $63,270 | 1,986 | 7.8 |
| Colorado | 9,970 | $63,610 | 2,620 | 10.1 |
| New Jersey | 9,840 | $77,160 | 3,454 | 9.1 |
| Wisconsin | 9,120 | $78,510 | 1,944 | 7.0 |
| Louisiana | 9,040 | $64,720 | 1,623 | 7.7 |
| Tennessee | 8,810 | $57,730 | 1,899 | 6.0 |
| Minnesota | 8,520 | $83,280 | 1,816 | 7.1 |
| Missouri | 7,900 | $62,090 | 1,915 | 6.8 |
| Alabama | 7,880 | $53,840 | 1,647 | 7.0 |
| Georgia | 7,530 | $56,290 | 3,101 | 6.8 |
| Oklahoma | 7,110 | $54,840 | 1,592 | 9.0 |
| Utah | 6,770 | $61,680 | 1,443 | 11.8 |
| Iowa | 6,350 | $61,230 | 1,108 | 7.7 |
| Oregon | 6,080 | $93,110 | 1,337 | 7.2 |
| Kentucky | 5,500 | $62,370 | 1,379 | 6.8 |
| South Carolina | 5,480 | $54,840 | 1,685 | 6.9 |
| Nevada | 5,330 | $60,120 | 909 | 6.9 |
| Nebraska | 4,240 | $62,880 | 837 | 9.7 |
| Connecticut | 4,180 | $73,080 | 1,318 | 8.5 |
| Kansas | 4,090 | $62,820 | 1,028 | 7.9 |
| Idaho | 3,710 | $57,380 | 904 | 11.4 |
| Arkansas | 3,080 | $49,700 | 1,145 | 8.2 |
| Mississippi | 3,050 | $57,960 | 709 | 5.3 |
| New Mexico | 2,900 | $59,660 | 691 | 7.2 |
| Hawaii | 2,640 | $78,540 | 403 | 7.1 |
| New Hampshire | 2,530 | $62,030 | 776 | 12.0 |
| Maine | 2,480 | $61,890 | 781 | 10.4 |
| West Virginia | 1,860 | $49,630 | 406 | 4.7 |
| Montana | 1,810 | $77,930 | 712 | 13.5 |
| South Dakota | 1,800 | $50,790 | 401 | 9.8 |
| Rhode Island | 1,790 | $64,630 | 494 | 10.2 |
| North Dakota | 1,650 | $62,670 | 336 | 8.9 |
| Delaware | 1,570 | $64,300 | 344 | 7.4 |
| Wyoming | 1,140 | $61,480 | 315 | 11.4 |
| Vermont | 960 | $60,550 | 303 | 8.9 |
| Alaska | 870 | $83,090 | 264 | 8.0 |
| District of Columbia | 640 | $81,950 | 37 | 1.0 |
The highest median pay is in Illinois ($96,200), Oregon ($93,110), Minnesota ($83,280).
The lowest is in West Virginia ($49,630), Arkansas ($49,700), Florida ($50,540).
What plumbers earn
| United States | |
|---|---|
| Median pay, a year | $62,970 |
| Median pay, an hour | $30.27 |
| 10th percentile | $40,670 |
| 25th percentile | $48,860 |
| 75th percentile | $81,900 |
| 90th percentile | $105,150 |
| Average pay, a year | $69,940 |
Federal rules and model codes for plumbers
Pipes, fittings, fixtures, solder and flux installed in a drinking-water system must be “lead free” — no more than 0.25% lead across wetted surfaces and 0.2% in solder and flux (42 U.S.C. § 300g-6).
Work for pay that disturbs more than 6 square feet of paint inside, or 20 square feet outside, in a home or child-occupied facility built before 1978 must be done by an EPA- or state-certified firm, directed by a certified renovator and done with lead-safe work practices; replacing windows always counts (40 CFR part 745, subpart E).
Cutting, grinding or drilling concrete, masonry, stone or tile exposes workers to silica, and OSHA’s construction standard sets an exposure limit and requires dust controls, a written exposure control plan and, above set levels, respirators and medical exams (29 CFR 1926.1153).
Plumbing is inspected against a plumbing code adopted from one of two models, the International Plumbing Code or the Uniform Plumbing Code, with state and local amendments.
A model code becomes law only where a state or city adopts it; the building or licensing department says which edition applies.
- Safe Drinking Water Act lead-free plumbing (42 U.S.C. § 300g-6)
- EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR part 745, subpart E)
- OSHA respirable crystalline silica in construction (29 CFR 1926.1153)
- International Plumbing Code (ICC) and Uniform Plumbing Code (IAPMO)
Licenses for plumbers
Licensing for this trade is set by each state, and often by the city or county as well; each state’s page links the official license lookup for it.
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Questions about Plumbers
How much do plumbers make?
The median pay for plumbers in the United States is $62,970 a year, and half earn between $48,860 and $81,900 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).
How many plumbers are there in the United States?
455,940 people work as plumbers, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2024 count of jobs.
Where do plumbers earn the most?
The highest median pay is in Illinois ($96,200), Oregon ($93,110), Minnesota ($83,280).
Do plumbers need a license?
Licensing is set by each state, and often by the city or county as well; the US Department of Labor’s License Finder lists the licenses each state requires and the agency that issues each.
Sources
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024
- US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023
- US Department of Labor, CareerOneStop License Finder
- Safe Drinking Water Act lead-free plumbing (42 U.S.C. § 300g-6)
- EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR part 745, subpart E)
- OSHA respirable crystalline silica in construction (29 CFR 1926.1153)
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them. Rules are summarized from their official text, which governs; this page is not legal advice, and a state or city may add requirements of its own.
Figures last updated on .