The Essential Plumber Salary Guide for 2023
You’ve come to the right place
If you’re looking to hire a plumber to join your team, you probably have some questions about what to pay them. To help you, we’ve put together the essential plumber salary guide with up-to-date, crowdsourced data courtesy of Payscale. Below, you will find plumber salary information based on national averages, years of experience, job title, and geographic location.
How much do plumbers make?
The money a plumber earns varies by location and experience level. Here’s the breakdown based on experience:
- The average across the United States is $54,605
- The average hourly rate is $22.64 / hour
- Apprentice plumbers earn $36,526 per year on average
- Journeyman plumbers earn $56,054 per year on average
-
Plumbers earn
$54,605
per year on average
-
A plumber’s hourly rate is
$22.64
on average
-
Apprentice plumbers earn
$36,526
per year on average
-
Journeyman plumbers earn
$56,054
per year on average
State-by-state average plumber salaries
Where your plumber works will affect their average income. For example, you might be asking yourself, “How much do plumbers make in California compared to plumbers in Texas?” To illustrate, Plumbers working in California earn $62,681 on average, whereas the average plumber salary in Texas is $50,917 and $47,294 in Florida.
- $60,000-$64,999
- $55,000-$59,999
- $50,000-$54,999
- $45,000-$49,999
- $40,000-$44,999
State |
Average Salary (USD) |
Alabama |
$45,301 |
Alaska |
$62,399 |
Arizona |
$50,508 |
Arkansas |
$44,784 |
California |
$62,681 |
Colorado |
$54,048 |
Connecticut |
$57,983 |
Delaware |
$52,023 |
District Of Columbia |
$59,559 |
Florida |
$47,294 |
Georgia |
$47,916 |
Hawaii |
$58,050 |
Idaho |
$48,905 |
Illinois |
$52,875 |
Indiana |
$50,290 |
Iowa |
$47,230 |
Kansas |
$46,752 |
Kentucky |
$44,592 |
Louisiana |
$48,900 |
Maine |
$48,581 |
Maryland |
$53,813 |
Massachusetts |
$58,719 |
Michigan |
$49,052 |
Minnesota |
$52,070 |
Mississippi |
$42,906 |
Missouri |
$48,567 |
Montana |
$48,022 |
Nebraska |
$47,332 |
Nevada |
$55,610 |
New Hampshire |
$51,948 |
New Jersey |
$54,998 |
New Mexico |
$50,254 |
New York |
$56,986 |
North Carolina |
$46,931 |
North Dakota |
$51,136 |
Ohio |
$47,305 |
Oklahoma |
$47,475 |
Oregon |
$54,979 |
Pennsylvania |
$51,523 |
Rhode Island |
$52,563 |
South Carolina |
$45,163 |
South Dakota |
$45,991 |
Tennessee |
$45,413 |
Texas |
$50,917 |
Utah |
$49,537 |
Vermont |
$49,902 |
Virginia |
$50,192 |
Washington |
$59,490 |
West Virginia |
$43,880 |
Wisconsin |
$48,360 |
Wyoming |
$51,835 |
Plumber salaries by years of experience
Plumbers’ salaries increase as they earn experience. For example, a plumber’s starting salary is $40,023 on average, whereas plumbers with 19+ years of experience earn $66,764 on average. Here are national averages based on their levels of experience.
National Average |
<1 year |
1-2 yrs |
3-5 yrs |
6-10 yrs |
11+ yrs |
Alabama |
$33,202 |
$41,301 |
$46,236 |
$50,374 |
$55,392 |
Alaska |
$45,721 |
$56,877 |
$63,679 |
$69,388 |
$76,328 |
Arizona |
$37,052 |
$46,078 |
$51,569 |
$56,160 |
$61,681 |
Arkansas |
$32,843 |
$40,847 |
$45,719 |
$49,797 |
$54,716 |
California |
$45,920 |
$57,128 |
$63,963 |
$69,703 |
$76,691 |
Colorado |
$39,649 |
$49,308 |
$55,184 |
$60,095 |
$66,001 |
Connecticut |
$42,523 |
$52,886 |
$59,194 |
$64,472 |
$70,838 |
Delaware |
$38,154 |
$47,452 |
$53,111 |
$57,845 |
$63,552 |
District Of Columbia |
$43,661 |
$54,308 |
$60,793 |
$66,227 |
$72,805 |
Florida |
$34,680 |
$43,133 |
$48,280 |
$52,588 |
$57,789 |
Georgia |
$35,133 |
$43,697 |
$48,913 |
$53,280 |
$58,558 |
Hawaii |
$42,506 |
$52,887 |
$59,226 |
$64,556 |
$71,074 |
Idaho |
$35,868 |
$44,608 |
$49,928 |
$54,378 |
$59,744 |
Illinois |
$38,772 |
$48,223 |
$53,977 |
$58,794 |
$64,610 |
Indiana |
$36,848 |
$45,839 |
$51,322 |
$55,924 |
$61,518 |
Iowa |
$34,662 |
$43,101 |
$48,231 |
$52,512 |
$57,643 |
Kansas |
$34,295 |
$42,650 |
$47,734 |
$51,984 |
$57,099 |
Kentucky |
$32,706 |
$40,676 |
$45,526 |
$49,582 |
$54,469 |
Louisiana |
$35,818 |
$44,562 |
$49,897 |
$54,379 |
$59,842 |
Maine |
$35,648 |
$44,328 |
$49,607 |
$54,015 |
$59,306 |
Maryland |
$39,461 |
$49,079 |
$54,935 |
$59,837 |
$65,754 |
Massachusetts |
$43,070 |
$53,564 |
$59,950 |
$65,290 |
$71,720 |
Michigan |
$35,974 |
$44,741 |
$50,077 |
$54,542 |
$59,925 |
Minnesota |
$38,209 |
$47,513 |
$53,171 |
$57,894 |
$63,562 |
Mississippi |
$31,463 |
$39,131 |
$43,801 |
$47,709 |
$52,428 |
Missouri |
$35,629 |
$44,308 |
$49,588 |
$54,001 |
$59,309 |
Montana |
$35,226 |
$43,808 |
$49,030 |
$53,396 |
$58,652 |
Nebraska |
$34,733 |
$43,190 |
$48,333 |
$52,627 |
$57,779 |
Nevada |
$40,762 |
$50,703 |
$56,761 |
$61,837 |
$67,988 |
New Hampshire |
$38,132 |
$47,413 |
$53,053 |
$57,758 |
$63,386 |
New Jersey |
$40,309 |
$50,141 |
$56,133 |
$61,157 |
$67,249 |
New Mexico |
$36,835 |
$45,818 |
$51,292 |
$55,881 |
$61,442 |
New York |
$41,706 |
$51,899 |
$58,128 |
$63,376 |
$69,822 |
North Carolina |
$34,424 |
$42,811 |
$47,915 |
$52,183 |
$57,324 |
North Dakota |
$37,487 |
$46,628 |
$52,197 |
$56,862 |
$62,508 |
Ohio |
$34,698 |
$43,152 |
$48,296 |
$52,598 |
$57,780 |
Oklahoma |
$34,810 |
$43,296 |
$48,463 |
$52,790 |
$58,019 |
Oregon |
$40,334 |
$50,159 |
$56,135 |
$61,130 |
$67,136 |
Pennsylvania |
$37,780 |
$46,989 |
$52,596 |
$57,290 |
$62,959 |
Rhode Island |
$38,565 |
$47,958 |
$53,671 |
$58,444 |
$64,178 |
South Carolina |
$33,119 |
$41,191 |
$46,105 |
$50,218 |
$55,180 |
South Dakota |
$33,748 |
$41,966 |
$46,963 |
$51,135 |
$56,141 |
Tennessee |
$33,310 |
$41,426 |
$46,364 |
$50,494 |
$55,468 |
Texas |
$37,314 |
$46,416 |
$51,966 |
$56,620 |
$62,271 |
United States |
$40,023 |
$49,784 |
$55,733 |
$60,719 |
$66,764 |
Utah |
$36,337 |
$45,190 |
$50,576 |
$55,081 |
$60,503 |
Vermont |
$36,628 |
$45,544 |
$50,962 |
$55,483 |
$60,892 |
Virginia |
$36,792 |
$45,764 |
$51,231 |
$55,812 |
$61,363 |
Washington |
$43,629 |
$54,262 |
$60,734 |
$66,148 |
$72,678 |
West Virginia |
$32,160 |
$40,004 |
$44,785 |
$48,795 |
$53,658 |
Wisconsin |
$35,490 |
$44,131 |
$49,384 |
$53,770 |
$59,026 |
Wyoming |
$37,996 |
$47,262 |
$52,908 |
$57,640 |
$63,372 |
Salaries for licensed and certified plumbers
If you’re wondering what the average licensed plumber salary is, keep in mind that plumbers are highly regulated in most of the U.S., so a license and certification are likely required to work in the field. Plumbers will work as apprentices first on their way to becoming journeymen, then master plumbers (here’s a guide to certification in the U.S.). Their salaries will increase as they reach each stage.
Our top plumber salary resources for employers
Expert advice, entrepreneur success stories, best practices, and tools for people looking to run smarter, more efficient service businesses.
Retaining top employees: Thinking beyond their salaries
Proven advice to hire and retain top employees from experts in the home-service industry.
“The plumbing industry NEEDS skilled plumbers”
So qualified plumbers have their pick. That puts pressure on me to offer them a salary that is more competitive than the market.
Chris Sbrocco
Owner, Pro Service Plumbing