Trade hub
Plumber
Install and repair the water supply, drainage, gas and fixture systems that keep buildings habitable.
- Median pay
- $61,550/yr
- Entry path
- 4–5 years
- Job outlook
- +6%
What plumbers do
Plumbers install and service the piping systems that deliver potable water, remove waste and carry fuel gas. The classification covers plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, which diverge significantly once you pass the apprenticeship: residential service work looks nothing like process piping in a refinery. Licensing is state-administered and almost always requires documented apprenticeship hours.
- Median annual pay
- $61,550
- $29.59 per hour
- Typical range
- $38,650–$101,190
- 10th to 90th percentile
- Projected growth
- +6%
- 2023–2033 projections
- Annual openings
- 42,600
- Growth plus replacement
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2023 national wage estimates. Local pay varies substantially with union scale, prevailing wage projects and regional demand. Estimate pay for your area.
The work itself
A typical day
- Diagnose leaks, clogs, pressure and drainage complaints
- Cut, thread, solder, press and solvent-weld pipe
- Set fixtures, water heaters and recirculation systems
- Camera and clear sewer laterals
- Size supply and DWV systems from fixture unit counts
Where you work
- Occupied homes, often under sinks and in crawlspaces
- Commercial mechanical rooms
- New construction before walls close
- Industrial plants and refineries
Physical demands
Extended kneeling, crawling and overhead work in tight spaces. Lifting water heaters and cast iron is routine. Exposure to sewage requires strict hygiene practice.
The honest tradeoffs
What works in your favor
- Service work is recession-resistant — water leaks regardless of the economy
- Emergency and after-hours work carries premium rates
- Very strong path to self-employment
- Licensed plumbers are in short supply in most metros
What to go in knowing
- Unpleasant conditions are part of the job, not an exception
- On-call rotations interrupt evenings and weekends
- Hard on knees, shoulders and back over a long career
- Licensing rules vary sharply between states
Getting in
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Training route
- 4–5 year paid apprenticeship through a union local or a licensed contractor
- Apprenticeship length
- 4–5 years (roughly 8,000 on-the-job hours)
- Licensing
- Nearly every state licenses journeyman and master plumbers; gas fitting is often a separate endorsement.
Where the trade splits
Pay and working conditions diverge sharply by specialization. These are the paths most plumbers end up choosing between.
- Residential service and repair
- New construction rough-in
- Commercial plumbing
- Pipefitter (process and mechanical)
- Steamfitter (high-pressure steam)
- Medical gas installer
- Backflow prevention tester
- Drain and sewer specialist
Credentials that matter
- Journeyman Plumber LicenseState licensing board
- Master Plumber LicenseState licensing board
- Backflow Prevention Assembly TesterASSE International
- Medical Gas Installer (ASSE 6010)ASSE International
- OSHA 30-Hour ConstructionOSHA-authorized trainer
Plumber field tools
The calculators this trade uses on the job. Everything runs in the browser.
- CalculatorPipe SizingSize water supply piping from fixture unit counts, pressure and developed length.
- CalculatorDrain SizingSize drain, waste and vent piping from drainage fixture unit loads and slope.
- CalculatorWater Heater SizingFind the tank capacity or tankless flow rate a household actually needs from peak-hour demand.
- CalculatorPipe VolumeCalculate the water volume, weight and fill time of a pipe run for flushing and testing.
- CalculatorJob PricingBuild a defensible price from labor, materials, overhead and your target profit margin.
- CalculatorShop RateDetermine the hourly rate you must charge to cover overhead and hit your income target.
- CalculatorJob ProfitabilityCompare quoted price against actual hours and material to see what a job really earned.
- CalculatorBreak-EvenFind the revenue and billable hours required to cover fixed and variable costs.
- CalculatorMarkup / MarginConvert between markup and gross margin so you stop pricing below your intended profit.
- PlannerStarter Tool KitBuild a first-year tool list for your trade and see what it costs at three quality tiers.
- ComparisonRent vs. BuyCompare renting against buying a tool across the number of times you will actually use it.
For homeowners: when you need a plumber
- No hot water, or a water heater past its service life
- Sewage backing up into tubs or floor drains
- Water pressure that dropped suddenly across the house
- Any leak inside a wall, ceiling or slab
- Moving or adding a fixture, which requires a permit
Diagnose it first
What it should cost
Decide what to do
- CalculatorWater Heater SizingFind the tank capacity or tankless flow rate a household actually needs from peak-hour demand.
- EstimatorRepair CostEstimate what a common home repair should cost in your area before you call anyone.
- ComparisonRepair vs. ReplaceCompare the economics of repairing a failing system against replacing it outright.
- ComparisonDIY vs. ProWeigh cost, time, tools, permits, risk and consequences before you take on a job yourself.
- DiagnosticQuote AnalyzerBreak down a contractor's quote and see whether the price and the terms are reasonable.
- PlannerMaintenance PlannerGenerate a seasonal maintenance schedule tailored to your home's systems, age and climate.
- DiagnosticHome HealthAssess the remaining life of your major systems and see what is likely to fail next.
- EstimatorRenovation CostEstimate a kitchen, bath, basement or addition project by scope, finish level and region.
- ComparisonRent vs. BuyCompare renting against buying a tool across the number of times you will actually use it.
- ChecklistHiring ChecklistWork through license, insurance, contract and payment checks before you sign anything.
Find plumbers near you
Consent-based listings ranked by distance, relevance and verification date — never by payment.
- Plumbers in New York
- Plumbers in Los Angeles
- Plumbers in Chicago
- Plumbers in Houston
- Plumbers in Phoenix
- Plumbers in Philadelphia
- Plumbers in San Antonio
- Plumbers in San Diego
Related trades
Trades that share skills, tools or career adjacency.
- HVAC TechnicianInstall, service and troubleshoot the heating, cooling, ventilation and refrigeration systems buildings depend on.
- ElectricianInstall and maintain the power, lighting and control systems in homes, businesses and industrial plants.
- WelderJoin metal for structures, pipelines, pressure vessels and manufactured goods to a qualified procedure.