Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Typical education: Less than a High School Diploma
Grade or level trench bases, using tamping machines or hand tools.
Dig trenches to desired or required depths, by hand or using trenching tools.
Cut pipes to required lengths.
Install or use instruments such as lasers, grade rods, or transit levels.
Cover pipes with earth or other materials.
Top skills:Operation and ControlSpeakingQuality Control AnalysisOperations MonitoringCritical ThinkingCoordination
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Pipelayer pay by experience level
Entry level$39,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$45,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$50,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$63,500
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$83,000
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
-4.1%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
2,400
projected openings per year
Declining
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Pipelayer salary by industry
Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction
16,380 workers
$55,500
Utility System Construction
13,140 workers
$56,500
Specialty Trade Contractors
8,480 workers
$58,000
Other Specialty Trade Contractors
5,960 workers
$56,000
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS
5,780 workers
$57,000
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
5,770 workers
$56,500
Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction
2,260 workers
$53,500
Building Equipment Contractors
2,010 workers
$65,500
Construction of Buildings
1,440 workers
$58,500
Nonresidential Building Construction
1,110 workers
$60,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Pipelayer pays 13% below the average across 63 roles in the Construction and Extraction job family (family average $65,000).
Similar-paying roles in Construction and Extraction
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