Plumbers in Massachusetts: licensing, jobs, pay and local data
15,670 people work as plumbers in Massachusetts, and the median pay is $83,260 a year (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).
The Census Bureau counts 3,069 plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractor businesses with employees in Massachusetts (2023 County Business Patterns).
That is 10.1 businesses per 10,000 homes, against 7.7 nationally.
Massachusetts ranks 4 of 51 states for median pay in this trade.
It ranks 8 of 51 for businesses per 10,000 homes.
Figures last updated on .
- Jobs
- 15,670
- Median pay, a year
- $83,260
- Businesses with employees
- 3,069
Plumbers in Massachusetts: businesses and jobs
| Massachusetts | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Businesses with employees | 3,069 | 111,207 |
| Their employees | 29,674 | 1,214,761 |
| Annual payroll | $2,713,661,000 | $89,519,407,000 |
| Payroll per employee | $91,449 | $73,693 |
| Businesses per 10,000 homes | 10.1 | 7.7 |
| Jobs | 15,670 | 455,940 |
| Jobs per 1,000 jobs | 4.30 | — |
| Location quotient (1.00 = the national share) | 1.45 | 1.00 |
A location quotient above 1 means the trade’s share of all jobs is larger here than nationally.
What plumbers earn in Massachusetts
| Massachusetts | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay, a year | $83,260 | $62,970 |
| Median pay, an hour | $40.03 | $30.27 |
| 10th percentile | $47,830 | $40,670 |
| 25th percentile | $59,100 | $48,860 |
| 75th percentile | $105,630 | $81,900 |
| 90th percentile | $140,500 | $105,150 |
| Average pay, a year | $87,390 | $69,940 |
Plumbers by county in Massachusetts
| County | Businesses with employees | Their employees | Businesses per 10,000 homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middlesex County | 770 | 9,250 | 11.6 |
| Norfolk County | 358 | 4,369 | 12.1 |
| Essex County | 331 | 2,919 | 10.0 |
| Worcester County | 328 | 2,433 | 9.2 |
| Plymouth County | 318 | 3,262 | 14.6 |
| Bristol County | 278 | 2,130 | 11.3 |
| Barnstable County | 205 | 1,444 | 12.3 |
| Suffolk County | 123 | 1,097 | 3.4 |
| Hampden County | 122 | 1,508 | 6.2 |
| Berkshire County | 70 | 469 | 10.0 |
| Hampshire County | 58 | 321 | 8.7 |
| Nantucket County | 43 | 155 | 34.1 |
| Dukes County | 41 | 212 | 23.0 |
| Franklin County | 24 | 105 | 7.0 |
The homes behind the work in Massachusetts
| Massachusetts | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1940 | 30.5% (±0.2 points) | 11.7% |
| Homes lacking complete plumbing | 0.4% (±0.1 points) | 0.4% |
| Homes in buildings of 20 or more units | 12.3% (±0.1 points) | 10.3% |
| Households that rent | 37.5% (±0.3 points) | 34.8% |
Licenses for plumbers in Massachusetts
Massachusetts sets its own licenses for this trade, and many cities and counties add their own; the US Department of Labor’s License Finder lists each license Massachusetts requires and the agency that issues it.
Before work starts, the local building department says which permits the job needs and which license the person pulling them must hold.
Federal rules and model codes for plumbers
These federal rules apply to this work in every state, and the model codes below are adopted state by state; each is linked to its official text.
- 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)
Business counts are establishments: a company with offices in two counties is counted in each.
Jobs and pay are for the occupation in every industry, so they include people employed by builders, property managers and governments as well as by contractors.
What you can do on Seayora in Massachusetts
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Questions about Massachusetts
How much do plumbers make in Massachusetts?
The median pay for plumbers in Massachusetts is $83,260 a year, against $62,970 nationally (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).
How many plumbers work in Massachusetts?
15,670 people work as plumbers in Massachusetts, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2024 count of jobs.
How many plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractor businesses are in Massachusetts?
The Census Bureau counts 3,069 plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractor businesses with employees in Massachusetts (2023 County Business Patterns).
Do plumbers need a license in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts sets its own licenses for this trade, and many cities and counties add their own; the US Department of Labor’s License Finder lists each license Massachusetts requires and the agency that issues it.
Sources
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024
- US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023
- License Finder: plumbers in Massachusetts (US Department of Labor, CareerOneStop)
- 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 .