Plumber Cost Per Hour by State 2026 (BLS Wage Data)
A plumber in Illinois earns more than twice what a plumber in Arkansas earns, and every quote you receive is built on that wage. This guide lists the median plumber wage in all 50 states and the District of Columbia from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, ranks them, and converts the numbers into what common jobs cost in wage hours.
Quick answer
The national median wage for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters is $30.67 per hour ($63,800 a year) in BLS OEWS May 2025. The highest state medians are the District of Columbia ($48.57), Illinois ($48.05), Oregon ($46.66), Minnesota ($45.39), Alaska ($45.15) and Massachusetts ($45.14). The lowest are Arkansas ($23.39), South Dakota ($24.82), Idaho ($25.18), Florida ($25.44) and South Carolina ($25.93).
Twenty-six states are above the national median and 25 are below it. These are employee wages: the hourly rate a plumbing contractor bills adds insurance, vehicle, tools, overhead and profit. For billed-rate planning ranges see our plumbing cost guide.
Key Takeaways
- →National median plumber wage: $30.67/hr; the median state (Iowa, $30.72) sits almost exactly on it
- →Top of the range: D.C. $48.57, Illinois $48.05, Oregon $46.66. Bottom: Arkansas $23.39, South Dakota $24.82, Idaho $25.18
- →Among big states, Illinois (+57%), Michigan (+26%) and New York (+21%) are high; Florida (−17%), Georgia (−10%) and Texas (−6%) are low; California (+14%) is only moderately above
- →A 40-hour repipe is $1,227 of wages at the national median, $1,988 in Chicago and $1,000 in Tampa, before the contractor multiplier
About the data
The occupation is Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, the latest available. It is one occupation code, so it blends residential service plumbers with industrial pipefitters and steamfitters; states with a lot of refinery, power-plant or process-piping work (Illinois, Louisiana, the Gulf Coast) can show a higher median than their residential plumbers alone would. The number is a median hourly wage paid to employees, published at bls.gov/oes. Every figure on this page is computed from that release; none is a contractor billing rate.
Plumber wages in every state
Alphabetical, with the gap to the national median. Green means below the U.S. median (cheaper labor), amber means above.
Plumbers: median hourly wage by state (BLS OEWS May 2025)
| State | Median wage | vs. U.S. median ($30.67/hr) |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $28.21/hr | -8% |
| Alaska | $45.15/hr | +47% |
| Arizona | $29.84/hr | -3% |
| Arkansas | $23.39/hr | -24% |
| California | $35.01/hr | +14% |
| Colorado | $30.40/hr | -1% |
| Connecticut | $37.16/hr | +21% |
| Delaware | $31.11/hr | +1% |
| District of Columbia | $48.57/hr | +58% |
| Florida | $25.44/hr | -17% |
| Georgia | $27.50/hr | -10% |
| Hawaii | $37.53/hr | +22% |
| Idaho | $25.18/hr | -18% |
| Illinois | $48.05/hr | +57% |
| Indiana | $36.69/hr | +20% |
| Iowa | $30.72/hr | at U.S. median |
| Kansas | $31.36/hr | +2% |
| Kentucky | $30.84/hr | +1% |
| Louisiana | $30.62/hr | at U.S. median |
| Maine | $30.77/hr | at U.S. median |
| Maryland | $31.44/hr | +3% |
| Massachusetts | $45.14/hr | +47% |
| Michigan | $38.56/hr | +26% |
| Minnesota | $45.39/hr | +48% |
| Mississippi | $26.67/hr | -13% |
| Missouri | $32.11/hr | +5% |
| Montana | $38.44/hr | +25% |
| Nebraska | $29.31/hr | -4% |
| Nevada | $29.62/hr | -3% |
| New Hampshire | $32.12/hr | +5% |
| New Jersey | $37.61/hr | +23% |
| New Mexico | $29.54/hr | -4% |
| New York | $37.26/hr | +21% |
| North Carolina | $27.44/hr | -11% |
| North Dakota | $30.56/hr | at U.S. median |
| Ohio | $30.45/hr | -1% |
| Oklahoma | $27.87/hr | -9% |
| Oregon | $46.66/hr | +52% |
| Pennsylvania | $32.73/hr | +7% |
| Rhode Island | $36.77/hr | +20% |
| South Carolina | $25.93/hr | -15% |
| South Dakota | $24.82/hr | -19% |
| Tennessee | $28.17/hr | -8% |
| Texas | $28.77/hr | -6% |
| Utah | $29.76/hr | -3% |
| Vermont | $29.89/hr | -3% |
| Virginia | $29.07/hr | -5% |
| Washington | $38.96/hr | +27% |
| West Virginia | $27.39/hr | -11% |
| Wisconsin | $39.04/hr | +27% |
| Wyoming | $30.01/hr | -2% |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), median hourly wages. These are employee wages, not contractor billing rates — a contractor's quoted hourly rate adds overhead, insurance, equipment and profit on top of the wage. “—” means BLS did not publish a metro estimate for that occupation. Occupation: Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152). State medians cover the whole state; see the metro table for city-level figures.
Reading the rankings
The top six are a mix of union-dense states and high-cost-of-living states: D.C. ($48.57), Illinois ($48.05), Oregon ($46.66), Minnesota ($45.39), Alaska ($45.15) and Massachusetts ($45.14). All six are at least 47% above the national median. The next group, Wisconsin ($39.04), Washington ($38.96), Michigan ($38.56), Montana ($38.44), New Jersey ($37.61), Hawaii ($37.53), New York ($37.26) and Connecticut ($37.16), runs 21% to 27% above.
The surprise for many readers is California at $35.01, only 14% above the national median, lower than Michigan, Wisconsin or Indiana ($36.69). California's high living costs show up more strongly in electrician and carpenter wages than in plumbing. Texas ($28.77, −6%) is below the national median despite its construction boom, and Florida ($25.44, −17%) is the fourth-cheapest state in the country for plumber labor.
The bottom of the table is dominated by the South and the rural Mountain and Plains states: Arkansas ($23.39), South Dakota ($24.82), Idaho ($25.18), Florida ($25.44), South Carolina ($25.93), Mississippi ($26.67), West Virginia ($27.39), North Carolina ($27.44) and Georgia ($27.50). The distance from Arkansas to D.C. is $25.18 an hour, a 108% difference.
The 10 largest metros: where wages beat the state median
State medians hide city premiums. The table shows the 10 most populous metros with 4 hours of plumber time, the typical span of a tank water heater replacement, priced at the metro median.
Plumbers: median hourly wage, 10 largest U.S. metros vs. national (BLS OEWS May 2025)
| Metro area | Median wage | vs. U.S. median | 4 hours × median wage (water heater swap, wage only) |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $30.67/hr | baseline | $123 |
| New York, NY-NJ | $37.79/hr | +23% | $151 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $34.19/hr | +11% | $137 |
| Chicago, IL-IN | $49.70/hr | +62% | $199 |
| Dallas, TX | $29.45/hr | -4% | $118 |
| Houston, TX | $29.47/hr | -4% | $118 |
| Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $34.55/hr | +13% | $138 |
| Miami, FL | $27.77/hr | -9% | $111 |
| Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $35.99/hr | +17% | $144 |
| Atlanta, GA | $28.07/hr | -8% | $112 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $30.65/hr | at U.S. median | $123 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), median hourly wages. These are employee wages, not contractor billing rates — a contractor's quoted hourly rate adds overhead, insurance, equipment and profit on top of the wage. “—” means BLS did not publish a metro estimate for that occupation. Occupation: Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152).
Chicago plumbers earn $49.70 an hour, 62% above the national median and $1.65 above the Illinois statewide figure. New York ($37.79) and Philadelphia ($35.99) sit 17% to 23% above the U.S. median, and Washington ($34.55) at 13%. Los Angeles ($34.19) is only 11% above, consistent with California's modest state figure. The four Sun Belt giants are all at or below the median: Phoenix $30.65 (at the median), Dallas $29.45 (−4%), Houston $29.47 (−4%), Atlanta $28.07 (−8%) and Miami $27.77 (−9%). Four hours of plumber wages is $199 in Chicago and $111 in Miami.
Wage hours for common plumbing jobs
Hours are HammerIO planning assumptions for a licensed plumber with normal access. The right two columns show the cheapest and priciest of the 10 largest metros for the same job.
Plumbers labor-wage cost by scenario (hours × BLS median wage)
| Scenario | Labor hours | U.S. median ($30.67/hr) | Lowest large metro (Miami, FL) | Highest large metro (Chicago, IL-IN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Replace a toilet or faucetExisting shutoffs working | 1.5 | $46 | $42 | $75 |
| Tank water heater replacementLike-for-like, 40–50 gal, same location | 4 | $123 | $111 | $199 |
| Tankless water heater conversionGas line and venting changes | 10 | $307 | $278 | $497 |
| Full bathroom rough-inSupply and DWV for toilet, lav, tub/shower | 20 | $613 | $555 | $994 |
| Whole-house PEX repipe, 2 bathsTwo-person crew, drywall patching excluded | 50 | $1,534 | $1,389 | $2,485 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), median hourly wages. These are employee wages, not contractor billing rates — a contractor's quoted hourly rate adds overhead, insurance, equipment and profit on top of the wage. “—” means BLS did not publish a metro estimate for that occupation. Labor hours are HammerIO planning assumptions for the scenario described; the dollar figures are wage cost only (hours × median wage) and exclude materials, permits, contractor overhead and profit.
A 50-hour repipe is $1,534 of wages at the national median, $2,485 in Chicago and $1,389 in Miami. The materials for that job, PEX tubing, manifolds and fittings, are a small fraction of the total, which is why repiping is so sensitive to local labor and why the copper-versus-PEX decision is as much about labor hours as pipe price. For the billed-rate ranges HammerIO uses for these jobs, see the plumbing cost estimate guide.
From wage to invoice
The wage is the largest single component of a plumbing contractor's hourly rate but never the whole of it. Add employer payroll taxes, workers' compensation and liability insurance, the service van, fuel, parts inventory carried on the truck, licensing and bonding, the dispatcher and the office, unbillable drive time between calls, and profit. Emergency and after-hours calls carry a premium on top. HammerIO does not publish a fixed multiplier because it varies with the size of the company and the local market; use the wage tables to compare regions, and use the planning ranges on our project guides for the number you will actually see on an invoice.
One practical rule: when two quotes for the same repipe differ by more than the wage gap between the two companies' markets could explain, the difference is in scope. Ask whether drywall repair, permit fees, fixture reconnection and haul-away are included. Permit requirements for water heaters and repipes vary by jurisdiction; verify with your local building department before work starts.
2026 context: wages are still climbing
The BLS average hourly earnings series for all construction employees (CES2000000003) reached $41.66 in August 2026, up from $41.50 in July, and the all-items CPI was up 3.40% year-over-year in August (index 334.98). Plumber medians in the May 2025 OEWS release are therefore a floor for quotes gathered in late 2026, not a ceiling. Mortgage rates near 6.76% (Freddie Mac 30-year, week of September 10, 2026, via FRED) are keeping more owners in place and renovating, which supports demand for service plumbing and keeps the labor market tight.
Related BLS wage guides
- Electrician hourly rates by metro: the same method for the other licensed trade in most remodels.
- Roofer rates by metro and drywall installer wages by metro.
- Cost to build a house: labor vs. materials: how plumbing wages fit into a whole-house budget.
- Home improvement cost calculator for the full project estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a plumber cost per hour in 2026?
The U.S. median wage for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters is $30.67 per hour ($63,800 a year) in BLS OEWS May 2025 data. State medians range from $23.39 in Arkansas to $48.57 in the District of Columbia and $48.05 in Illinois. What you are billed is higher than the wage: a plumbing contractor's hourly rate also covers insurance, the truck, tools, licensing, unbillable time and profit. HammerIO's billed-rate planning ranges are on the plumbing cost guide.
Which state has the highest plumber wages?
The District of Columbia has the highest median at $48.57 per hour (58% above the national median), followed by Illinois ($48.05), Oregon ($46.66), Minnesota ($45.39), Alaska ($45.15) and Massachusetts ($45.14). Among the largest metros, Chicago leads at $49.70, then Minneapolis ($48.86), Boston ($46.52) and Seattle ($45.78).
Which state has the cheapest plumbers?
Arkansas has the lowest state median plumber wage at $23.39 per hour, 24% below the national median. South Dakota ($24.82), Idaho ($25.18), Florida ($25.44) and South Carolina ($25.93) round out the bottom five. Among the 20 largest metros, Tampa ($25.00) and Orlando ($26.62) are the lowest.
Why do plumber quotes vary so much between states?
The wage floor alone differs by more than 2× between the highest and lowest states, and the contractor's overhead scales with it: workers' compensation premiums, licensing fees, vehicle costs and rent are all higher in the high-wage states. Local licensing regimes matter too; states that require a journeyman license plus a separate contractor license restrict supply and raise rates. Always compare quotes to your own state's wage, not a national average.
How many hours does a plumbing job take?
HammerIO planning assumptions for a licensed plumber with normal access: replacing a faucet or toilet 1 to 2 hours; a tank water heater swap 3 to 4 hours; a tankless conversion 8 to 12 hours; a full-bathroom rough-in 16 to 24 hours; and a whole-house PEX repipe of a two-bath home 40 to 60 hours. Multiply hours by your state's median wage for the wage portion, then expect materials, permits and the contractor multiplier on top.
Are plumber wages rising in 2026?
Yes. BLS average hourly earnings for all construction employees reached $41.66 in August 2026, up from $41.50 in July, and consumer prices were up 3.40% year-over-year in the same month. The May 2025 OEWS medians used here are therefore a slightly conservative floor for quotes collected in late 2026.
Estimate Your Plumbing Project
Combine local labor, fixtures, materials and permits into one planning budget before you call for quotes.
Open Cost Calculator