Plumber Hourly Pay (2026): How Much Do UA Journeymen Make Per Hour?
The median plumber hourly pay is $31.45 per hour in 2026, equivalent to $65,408 annually. UA journeymen in strong-union markets like Sunnyvale, CA reach $55–$95+/hour effective with overtime + per-diem on CHIPS Act / data center / EV megaprojects. UA Cert pipe welders command top pipefitter premium.
2019 BLS
$26.52/hr
2025 BLS
$30.67/hr
2026 Current Est.
$31.45/hr
2019–2027 Growth
+21.6%
National Plumber Hourly Rate Trend
2019–2025: BLS OEWS actual data. 2026+: CAGR 2.52% projection.
| Year | Median Hourly Rate | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $26.52/hr | Actual |
| 2020 | $27.08/hr | Actual |
| 2021 | $28.79/hr | Actual |
| 2022 | $28.89/hr | Actual |
| 2023 | $29.59/hr | Actual |
| 2024 | $30.27/hr | Actual |
| 2025 | $30.67/hr | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $31.45/hr | Estimated |
| 2027 | $32.24/hr | Projected |
The national median hourly rate for plumbers has grown steadily over the past 7 years of BLS data, reflecting strong demand for plumbing services. At the current 2.52% CAGR, hourly rates are projected to continue rising through 2027.
Note: BLS actual data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. Estimated and projected values are calculated using a 2.52% historical CAGR. Actual compensation may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.
Plumber Salary Per Hour by State
Hourly rates for plumbers vary widely by state. Western and Northeastern states consistently top the rankings, while Southeastern states tend to fall below the national median of $31.45/hour.
| # | State | Avg Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | $49.67 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $48.20 |
| 3 | Oregon | $47.67 |
| 4 | Alaska | $46.24 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $45.72 |
| 6 | Washington | $44.45 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | $42.23 |
| 8 | Michigan | $40.79 |
| 9 | Hawaii | $39.66 |
| 10 | Montana | $39.40 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $39.03 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $38.25 |
| 13 | Indiana | $38.23 |
| 14 | New York | $37.97 |
| 15 | Iowa | $36.27 |
| 16 | Missouri | $36.15 |
| 17 | California | $35.62 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $35.42 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $35.37 |
| 20 | Kentucky | $35.20 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $34.92 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $33.26 |
| 23 | Vermont | $33.06 |
| 24 | Louisiana | $32.28 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $31.64 |
| 26 | Maine | $31.44 |
| 27 | Nevada | $31.38 |
| 28 | Kansas | $31.36 |
| 29 | Ohio | $31.35 |
| 30 | Colorado | $30.98 |
| 31 | Maryland | $30.95 |
| 32 | Arizona | $30.91 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $30.74 |
| 34 | Utah | $30.73 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $30.20 |
| 36 | Delaware | $29.79 |
| 37 | Mississippi | $29.74 |
| 38 | West Virginia | $29.71 |
| 39 | Virginia | $29.71 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $29.66 |
| 41 | Texas | $29.48 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $29.02 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $29.02 |
| 44 | Alabama | $28.77 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $28.32 |
| 46 | Georgia | $27.97 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $27.25 |
| 48 | Idaho | $27.01 |
| 49 | Florida | $26.95 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $26.08 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $24.54 |
| 52 | Puerto Rico | $15.82 |
How Much Do Plumbers Make Per Hour? Top 20 Cities
These 20 metro areas offer the highest hourly rates for plumbers in the United States. Rates reflect the median hourly wage reported by BLS, or estimated from annual salary data.
| # | City | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunnyvale, CA | $54.26 |
| 2 | Santa Clara, CA | $53.91 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $53.01 |
| 4 | Naperville, IL | $51.49 |
| 5 | Chicago, IL | $50.95 |
| 6 | Hillsboro, OR | $50.92 |
| 7 | Bellingham, WA | $50.64 |
| 8 | Elgin, IL | $50.50 |
| 9 | Vancouver, WA | $50.11 |
| 10 | Minneapolis, MN | $50.09 |
| 11 | Portland, OR | $49.78 |
| 12 | St. Paul, MN | $49.59 |
| 13 | Bloomington, MN | $49.20 |
| 14 | Richland, WA | $48.87 |
| 15 | Kennewick, WA | $47.88 |
| 16 | Bloomington, IN | $47.81 |
| 17 | Boston, MA | $47.69 |
| 18 | Fairbanks, AK | $47.65 |
| 19 | Bellevue, WA | $47.39 |
| 20 | Newton, MA | $47.31 |
Plumber Hourly Rate: UA Journeyman, Pipefitter / Steamfitter, Megaproject, and Master Plumber Pay
Plumber compensation varies dramatically by union vs non-union state, employer (residential / commercial / industrial / megaproject), credential (apprentice / journeyman / master / pipe welder), and overtime / per-diem opportunities. UA Cert pipe welders on CHIPS Act fabs and refinery work command top pipefitter premium.
Staff plumber hourly rate — at $31.45/hour median (W-2 base; overtime not fully captured).
UA journeyman in strong-union state (top tier) — UA Local 130 Chicago (one of strongest), UA Local 1 NYC plumbers, UA Local 638 steamfitters NYC, UA Local 9/14/322 NJ, UA Local 12 Boston, UA Local 38 SF, UA Local 78 LA, UA Local 250 LA pipefitters, UA Local 32 Seattle, UA Local 675 Hawaii, UA Local 15/539 Minnesota, UA Local 75/400 Wisconsin, UA Local 98/671 Michigan, UA Local 690/27 Pennsylvania, UA Local 189/219/396/577/162 Ohio.
Megaproject pipefitter with per-diem (top tier) — CHIPS Act fabs (process plumbing — UA Cert pipe welders premium), hyperscaler data centers (chilled water + emergency generator fuel piping), EV megaprojects (industrial structural and process welding), pharma megaprojects (high-purity stainless process piping). Per-diem $80–$200/day raises effective hourly substantially.
UA Cert pipe welder (top specialty) — UA Certified Welder for pipe welding (carbon steel, stainless, alloy, exotic). High premium especially on industrial / fab projects.
Master plumber / contractor — established master plumbers with contracting business. Strong owner economics.
Industrial pipefitter (oil & gas / chemical / power plant) — TX, LA, OK, ND, AK industrial markets. Strong premium with hazard pay.
Medical gas certification (ASSE 6010) — medical gas installer for hospital piping. Premium pay.
Federal Davis-Bacon prevailing wage — federal projects pay Davis-Bacon prevailing wage including in right-to-work states.
Fire sprinkler installation (NICET) — fire sprinkler specialty.
Backflow prevention testing — state-level certification for premium specialty.
| Schedule | Weekly | Monthly | Annual (50 wks) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days/week (24 hrs) | $755 | $3,268 | $37,735 |
| 4 days/week (32 hrs) | $1,006 | $4,357 | $50,314 |
| Full-time (40 hrs) | $1,258 | $5,446 | $62,892 |
* Based on the national median hourly rate of $31.45. Actual earnings vary by location.
Plumber Pay Per Hour vs Similar Healthcare Roles
How does plumber hourly pay compare to similar allied health professions? Here's a side-by-side comparison using BLS 2025 national median data:
| Occupation | Hourly |
|---|---|
| Plumber ★ | $31.45 |
| Electrician | $31.97 |
| HVAC Technician | $28.47 |
| Pipefitter / Steamfitter ★ | $32.85 |
| Construction Laborer | $22.95 |
★ = Plumber (2026 projected). Other roles: BLS OEWS 2025 national median wages.
Factors That Drive Plumber Hourly Pay Differences
Plumber hourly pay varies dramatically by state UA union density, employer (residential / commercial / industrial / megaproject), credential level (apprentice / journeyman / master / pipe welder), and overtime / per-diem opportunities. The national median sits at $31.45/hour, but UA journeyman effective hourly with overtime reaches $54.26+ in top union markets like Sunnyvale, CA and exceeds $90/hour on CHIPS Act / data center / EV megaprojects.
This guide breaks down the five biggest drivers of plumber hourly pay differences. Whether you're a UA apprenticeship graduate, a working journeyman considering megaproject travel, or a mechanical contractor benchmarking competitive wages, the framework below is the central reference.
1. UA Union Density and Prevailing Wage
- Strong-union states (top tier) — IL (Local 130, 597), NY (Local 1, 638), NJ (Local 9, 14, 322), MA (Local 12), CA (Local 38, 78, 250), WA (Local 32, 26), HI (Local 675), MN (Local 15, 539), WI (Local 75, 400 — Act 10 effects), MI (Local 98, 671 — RTW status changing), PA (Local 690, 27), OH (Local 189, 219, 396, 577, 162).
- Right-to-work / weak-union states — TX, FL, GA, NC, SC, TN, AZ, AL, MS, LA, OK, KS.
- Davis-Bacon prevailing wage — federal projects.
- UA NIA pension — National Pension Fund and IPAL annuity.
2. Megaproject Pipefitter Demand
- CHIPS Act fabs (pipefitter-intensive) — high-purity gas, deionized water, chemical waste systems. UA Cert pipe welders premium.
- Hyperscaler data centers — chilled water + emergency generator fuel piping. Increasingly direct liquid cooling for AI servers.
- EV megaprojects — battery plant fluid systems.
- Oil & gas / chemical / refining — TX (Houston Ship Channel, Permian, Eagle Ford), LA (Baton Rouge, Lake Charles), OK, ND (Bakken).
- Power plant construction — natural gas combined cycle, nuclear, renewables.
- Pharma / biotech megaprojects — IN (Eli Lilly), NC (RTP), MA. High-purity stainless process piping.
- State megaproject per-diem — $80–$200/day.
3. State and Cost of Living
- Hawaii, IL (Chicago), NY, AK, MA, CA, WA, OR — lead nominal plumber hourly rankings.
- State income tax — plumbers in TX, FL, TN, NV, WA, WY, SD, AK, NH keep more.
- State cost-of-living-adjusted leaders — Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, Arizona, NC, Ohio.
4. State Licensing and Specialty
- Journeyman vs master license — most states. 8,000 hours journeyman / 12,000 hours master typical.
- UPC vs IPC adoption — Uniform Plumbing Code (western) vs International Plumbing Code (eastern/midwestern).
- UA Cert pipe welder — high specialty premium especially on industrial / fab.
- Medical gas certification (ASSE 6010) — hospital medical gas installer premium.
- Backflow prevention testing — state-level certification.
- Fire sprinkler (NICET) — fire sprinkler installation.
- API 1104 / ASME IX — pipeline and pressure vessel codes.
- AWS D1.1 — structural welding.
5. Overtime, Per-Diem, and Master Plumber Path
- Megaproject overtime + per-diem — 50–80 hour weeks common. Per-diem $80–$200/day.
- Davis-Bacon prevailing wage — federal projects.
- Master plumber business — owner economics top of distribution.
- Industrial specialty — process control / instrumentation premium.
- Federal plumber (USACE, NAVFAC, military bases) — pension + PSLF.
- 1099 specialty contractor — medical gas, fire sprinkler, backflow.
2026 Plumber Hourly Pay Outlook
Plumber pay has grown at a compound annual rate of 2.52% nationally over the past five years — driven by structural skilled-trades shortage, CHIPS Act fab construction (very pipefitter-intensive for process and utility plumbing), hyperscaler data center boom (chilled water and increasingly direct liquid cooling for AI servers), EV megaproject buildout, IRA-driven clean energy and electrification (heat pumps, hot water electrification), IIJA water infrastructure, residential remodel demand, and aging plumber workforce retirement creating pipeline pressure. The BLS projects plumber employment growth at 6% through 2033, with strong upward pay pressure especially for pipefitter / steamfitter specialty and UA Cert pipe welders.
States with CHIPS Act fabs (Arizona, Texas, Ohio, New York, Oregon, Idaho), data center clusters (Virginia, Texas, Iowa, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, Georgia, NC, Ohio, Washington), EV megaprojects (Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Texas), and no-tax states are seeing the fastest state-level plumber pay growth through 2026. Plumbers stacking UA Cert pipe welder + medical gas (ASSE 6010) + industrial process specialty plus willingness to travel for megaproject per-diem maximize effective hourly comp.
More Salary Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
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Written by Samuel Torres, CWP
Career Analyst
Samuel Torres has 10 years of experience in plumbing. He specializes in residential plumbing systems. He has worked with several home improvement companies.
Data Sources & Methodology
Source: BLS, OEWS , released .
Compiled and verified by Samuel Torres, CWP, a licensed plumber with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov
Methodology & Data Source
Salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. We applied a 2.52% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS trends, to estimate current 2026 compensation.