1Pay
$63,800
Middle-of-the-pack pay
2025 national median. Near the middle of ChooseField careers for pay.
Construction and Trades · Career brief
Plumber / Pipefitter
Is it a good career to pursue?
The 30-second read
Plumber / Pipefitter at a glance
Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.
2Demand
6.8%
Steady projected growth
Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Top quarter for growth among careers on ChooseField.
3Openings
42,000
Lots of annual openings
Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Top quarter for openings among careers on ChooseField.
4Route in
Apprenticeship
Training happens largely on the job
High school diploma or equivalent + apprenticeship. Prior related work is not typically required.
5The work
Hands-on
Practical work with tools, systems, or physical environments
Shut off steam, water, or other gases or liquids from pipe sections, using valve keys or wrenches.
6The catch
Know this first
What could make this a poor fit
The usual entry route includes an apprenticeship. Interest in the subject is not a substitute for supervised, paid training.
ChooseField take
The strongest national signals are growth and opening volume; each ranks in the top quarter of ChooseField careers. It makes the most sense if hands-on work appeals to you and you are comfortable with an apprenticeship. Main tradeoff: The usual entry route includes an apprenticeship. Interest in the subject is not a substitute for supervised, paid training.
National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.
Compare Plumber / Pipefitter with another field
Explore rankings in Construction and Trades
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Want the evidence behind the snapshot?
Market and path
Pay, outlook, and the route in
National median pay (2025)
$63,800
A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.
2025–2035 outlook
6.8%employment growth42,000openings per year
Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.
Typical entry route
High school diploma or equivalent; Apprenticeship combines paid work and instruction; duration is not reported here. Check the full program and licensing requirements
BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.
2025 employment
510,600
Estimated workers in this occupation across the United States.
Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (47-2152).
Actual responsibilities
What you would be trusted to own
Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.
- 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.
- Cut, thread, or hammer pipes to specifications, using tools such as saws, cutting torches, pipe threaders, or pipe benders.
- Review blueprints, building codes, or specifications to determine work details or procedures.
Decision-changing realities
What could make this a poor fit
- The usual entry route includes an apprenticeship. Interest in the subject is not a substitute for supervised, paid training.
- The work can involve real occupational hazards. Training, protective equipment, and routine safety discipline matter every day.
- Hands-on manipulation of tools, controls, or objects occupies a meaningful part of the workday.
Work profile
What the work emphasizes
O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.
- Getting Information4.2
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.0
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.0
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.0
- Performing General Physical Activities3.9
Interest profile
Career interests
O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.
Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.
- Realistic7.0
- Conventional3.7
- Investigative2.2
- Social1.2
- Artistic1.0
- Enterprising1.0
Preparation
What the training must make you competent at
Subject matter
Building and Construction
Mechanical
Design
Mathematics
Before choosing the major or training
Run a cheaper test first
- Take a supervised shop, maker, or trade class and finish one project while following its measurement, cleanup, and safety rules.
- Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.
Field-specific evidence
What changes the picture
Employers struggle to hire plumbers
76%
Construction firms reporting difficulty filling plumber positions in the 2025 workforce survey.
AGC/NCCER · 2025 ↗The fuller career guide
How the evidence fits together
The tradeoff that matters most
Plumbing combines apprenticeship-based entry, substantial replacement demand, and self-employment potential. Employer difficulty filling plumber roles strengthens the demand case, but the field remains licensed and physically tied to job sites.
Common questions
Questions people ask about this career
Is plumbing a good career?
Consider this field if its core work interests you: assemble, install, alter, and repair pipelines or pipe systems that carry water, steam, air, or other liquids or gases. Try an introductory project, class, or permitted observation before committing to training. Compare the actual cost and required experience with entry-level work available where you plan to live.
Plumber salary
The national median annual wage in May 2025 was $63,800. This is a benchmark rather than an expected starting salary; actual compensation varies by experience, location, employer, specialty, credentials, and hours.
Plumber vs electrician
Consider Plumber / Pipefitter if you want to assemble, install, alter, and repair pipelines or pipe systems that carry water, steam, air, or other liquids or gases. Consider Electrician if you would rather install, maintain, and repair electrical wiring, equipment, and fixtures. Compare a sample task and the qualification requirements for each before choosing between them.
Is plumbing hard on your body?
Check the actual mix of installation, service, and repair. Ask to observe equipment handling, kneeling, access to confined spaces, and tools used for heavier tasks. A national pay figure cannot establish the demands of a particular plumbing job.
Adjacent options
Compare before committing
The useful question is not whether one field wins overall, but what changes when you choose a nearby path. Explore the full career guides for Electrician, HVAC Technician, Firefighter, Glaziers.
Electrician
- Median pay
- $63,190
- Growth
- 9.2%
High school diploma or equivalent + apprenticeship
Compare side by side →HVAC Technician
- Median pay
- $61,010
- Growth
- 10.9%
Postsecondary nondegree award
Compare side by side →Firefighter
- Median pay
- $59,280
- Growth
- 3.7%
Postsecondary nondegree award
Compare side by side →Glaziers
- Median pay
- $57,080
- Growth
- 1.9%
High school diploma or equivalent + apprenticeship
Compare side by side →Sources
- BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections and worker characteristics: pay, employment, openings, education, experience, and training for occupation 47-2152.
- O*NET 47-2152.00 occupation summary: tasks, knowledge, work context, and technologies.
- AGC/NCCER: 2025.