Plumbers in West Virginia: licensing, jobs, pay and local data
1,860 people work as plumbers in West Virginia, and the median pay is $49,630 a year (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).
The Census Bureau counts 406 plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractor businesses with employees in West Virginia (2023 County Business Patterns).
That is 4.7 businesses per 10,000 homes, against 7.7 nationally.
West Virginia ranks 51 of 51 states for median pay in this trade.
It ranks 50 of 51 for businesses per 10,000 homes.
Figures last updated on .
- Jobs
- 1,860
- Median pay, a year
- $49,630
- Businesses with employees
- 406
Plumbers in West Virginia: businesses and jobs
| West Virginia | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Businesses with employees | 406 | 111,207 |
| Their employees | 2,981 | 1,214,761 |
| Annual payroll | $165,427,000 | $89,519,407,000 |
| Payroll per employee | $55,494 | $73,693 |
| Businesses per 10,000 homes | 4.7 | 7.7 |
| Jobs | 1,860 | 455,940 |
| Jobs per 1,000 jobs | 2.65 | — |
| Location quotient (1.00 = the national share) | 0.90 | 1.00 |
A location quotient above 1 means the trade’s share of all jobs is larger here than nationally.
What plumbers earn in West Virginia
| West Virginia | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay, a year | $49,630 | $62,970 |
| Median pay, an hour | $23.86 | $30.27 |
| 10th percentile | $35,260 | $40,670 |
| 25th percentile | $42,700 | $48,860 |
| 75th percentile | $68,120 | $81,900 |
| 90th percentile | $81,360 | $105,150 |
| Average pay, a year | $55,730 | $69,940 |
Plumbers by county in West Virginia
| County | Businesses with employees | Their employees | Businesses per 10,000 homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kanawha County | 46 | 651 | 5.1 |
| Berkeley County | 34 | 194 | 6.3 |
| Monongalia County | 30 | 294 | 6.0 |
| Cabell County | 27 | 308 | 5.9 |
| Jefferson County | 19 | 79 | 7.7 |
| Putnam County | 19 | 184 | 7.6 |
| Harrison County | 15 | 135 | 4.9 |
| Marion County | 15 | 57 | 5.7 |
| Greenbrier County | 13 | 49 | 7.3 |
| Mercer County | 13 | 124 | 4.4 |
| Wood County | 13 | 101 | 3.2 |
| Raleigh County | 12 | 68 | 3.5 |
| Nicholas County | 9 | 33 | 7.2 |
| Preston County | 9 | 28 | 5.9 |
| Wayne County | 9 | 45 | 4.9 |
| Ohio County | 8 | 140 | 3.8 |
| Hampshire County | 7 | 28 | 5.5 |
| Jackson County | 7 | 43 | 5.4 |
| Hancock County | 6 | 28 | 4.2 |
| Lincoln County | 6 | 20 | 6.3 |
| Randolph County | 6 | 29 | 4.6 |
| Boone County | 5 | 14 | 4.9 |
| Grant County | 5 | 15 | 8.8 |
| Mason County | 5 | 22 | 4.1 |
| Barbour County | 4 | 18 | 5.6 |
| Fayette County | 4 | 19 | 2.1 |
| Mineral County | 4 | 14 | 3.2 |
| Mingo County | 4 | 31 | 3.5 |
| Monroe County | 4 | 17 | 6.4 |
| Pendleton County | 4 | 11 | 10.8 |
| Taylor County | 4 | 17 | 5.4 |
| Wetzel County | 4 | 22 | 5.5 |
| Wyoming County | 4 | 6 | 4.0 |
| Brooke County | 3 | 15 | 2.8 |
| Hardy County | 3 | 3 | 3.6 |
| Lewis County | 3 | 5 | 3.7 |
| Marshall County | 3 | 69 | 2.0 |
| Upshur County | 3 | 11 | 2.7 |
The homes behind the work in West Virginia
| West Virginia | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1940 | 14.9% (±0.3 points) | 11.7% |
| Homes lacking complete plumbing | 0.5% (±0.1 points) | 0.4% |
| Homes in buildings of 20 or more units | 3.1% (±0.1 points) | 10.3% |
| Households that rent | 25.1% (±0.3 points) | 34.8% |
Licenses for plumbers in West Virginia
West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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.
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Questions about West Virginia
How much do plumbers make in West Virginia?
The median pay for plumbers in West Virginia is $49,630 a year, against $62,970 nationally (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).
How many plumbers work in West Virginia?
1,860 people work as plumbers in West Virginia, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2024 count of jobs.
How many plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractor businesses are in West Virginia?
The Census Bureau counts 406 plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractor businesses with employees in West Virginia (2023 County Business Patterns).
Do plumbers need a license in West Virginia?
West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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 West Virginia (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 .