Plumbers Pay Rates - How Much Are Plumbers Paid Hourly?

By Blake Maxted


There are certain jobs that are constantly in demand. One such job is that of a professional plumber. No matter what happens to the economy, when a plumbing problem develops it will need to be fixed. That is why many people look to enter the plumbing profession. However, a number of questions have been raised as to what is the hourly rate of a plumber actually. So, what exactly does a plumber earn per hour?

Keep in mind, not all plumbers are equal on the pay scale. A union plumber will earn more than one who is non-union. An apprentice will earn less than someone who has been in the profession for many years. So, consider the following a ballpark look at the wages plumbers earn per year.

The average salary of a plumber in the United States is somewhat misleading. It is listed at $27,000 a year but this figure includes the salaries of all people in the plumbing profession. As such, a Plumber's helper only earns $18,000 a year whereas a Master Plumber earns in the neighborhood of $47,000 a year. So, for clarity's sake, we will break down the salaries into the $20K, 30K, and 40K+ range.

When starting in this profession, the apprentice is learning while getting paid. This is why they are called plumber's helpers and this is the starting rate of around $18,000 per year. After learning the basics and getting to the point where they do not need much supervision, they become a plumber helper. The pay rate can increase to $25,000 a year. This averages out from $9 to $12 per hour.

Once an individual moves into the actual profession and becomes a full Plumber, the ability to earn $30,000. Then, there are those in the same professional level but have more experience and specialized skills can earn more. For example, Oil & GA Specialists earn roughly $33,000 whereas Senior Trade Plumbers, Commercial Plumbers, and Plumber Pipefitters all earn in the high $30?s. This all comes out to plumber hourly rates in the $15 - $19 range.

Top rates paid for plumbers who are licensed are from $40 to $50,000 a year. This includes journeyman plumbers, plumber technicians and plumber pipe fitters. An hourly rate of $20 to $25 would be what this annual salary ends up being.

One thing that needs to be pointed here is that all these figures are based on a 40 hour work week. In short, it is base pay. Needless to say, there are those who work far more than a 40 work week. As such, their income will increase significantly. Conversely, there are those who may only work part-time and earn less as a result. Really, the amount of money you earn will be based on how often you work and how much work you desire to perform.




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