Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters Salary in California: $85,000 Average

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Average base salary, California

$85,000 / year

≈ $7,100 per month · $40.87 per hour

LocationOr metro area

BLS May 2025 state data for California · median $75,500

25th percentile
$61,000Average
$85,00075th percentile
$103,500

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.

Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters salary by state

Alabama$60,000

Alaska$93,500

Arizona$70,500

Arkansas$52,500

California$85,000

Colorado$71,500

Connecticut$78,000

Delaware$70,500

District of Columbia$94,500

Florida$58,000

Georgia$60,500

Hawaii$85,500

Idaho$60,500

Illinois$96,500

Indiana$78,500

Iowa$72,500

Kansas$74,000

Kentucky$71,500

Louisiana$65,000

Maine$69,000

Maryland$76,000

Massachusetts$93,500

Michigan$80,000

Minnesota$89,500

Mississippi$58,500

Missouri$77,500

Montana$81,000

Nebraska$68,000

Nevada$74,000

New Hampshire$68,500

New Jersey$96,000

New Mexico$64,000

New York$86,500

North Carolina$58,500

North Dakota$68,500

Ohio$72,000

Oklahoma$61,000

Oregon$102,000

Pennsylvania$79,500

Rhode Island$84,500

South Carolina$58,000

South Dakota$57,500

Tennessee$62,500

Texas$63,000

Utah$66,500

Vermont$71,500

Virginia$63,000

Washington$92,000

West Virginia$61,000

Wisconsin$87,500

Wyoming$64,000

About this role

Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters is a professional role in the Construction and Extraction job family, focused on Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters work. Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.

What Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitterss do

Typical education: Post-Secondary Certificate

Shut off steam, water, or other gases or liquids from pipe sections, using valve keys or wrenches.
Install underground storm, sanitary, or water piping systems, extending piping as needed to connect fixtures and plumbing.
Assemble pipe sections, tubing, or fittings, using couplings, clamps, screws, bolts, cement, plastic solvent, caulking, or soldering, brazing, or welding equipment.
Locate and mark the position of pipe installations, connections, passage holes, or fixtures in structures, using measuring instruments such as rulers or levels.
Cut, thread, or hammer pipes to specifications, using tools such as saws, cutting torches, pipe threaders, or pipe benders.

Top skills: Critical Thinking Troubleshooting Repairing Judgment and Decision Making Monitoring Time Management

Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).

Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters salary by industry

Construction

383,600 workers

$74,500

Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS

16,660 workers

$76,000

Sectors 31, 32, and 33 – Manufacturing

16,010 workers

$73,000

Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)

14,750 workers

$74,500

Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services

13,310 workers

$65,000

Utilities

7,580 workers

$88,500

Educational Services

6,790 workers

$74,000

State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)

4,270 workers

$77,000

National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.

How this role compares

Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters pays 16% above the average across 60 roles in the Construction and Extraction job family (family average $64,000).

Similar-paying roles in Construction and Extraction

Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas$74,500

Taper$75,000

Electrician$74,000

Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining$73,500

Structural Iron and Steel Workers$73,000

Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other$72,500

Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators$71,000

Brickmasons and Blockmasons$70,500

Construction and Building Inspectors$80,500

Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters$69,000

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters make?

The average base salary for a Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in the United States is $74,500 per year, or about $35.82 per hour.

What is the typical salary range?

Pay typically falls between $52,000 and $88,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

How does this compare with other Construction and Extraction roles?

The Construction and Extraction job family averages $64,000 across 60 roles tracked by WePayFairly.

Need a defensible market price for this role?
WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.

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