Plumbing
Job Description
Install, repair, and maintain water, gas, and drainage systems in homes and commercial buildings.
Read blueprints and follow building codes to determine the layout and placement of plumbing systems.
Assemble, cut, and install pipes and fixtures, using tools such as pipe cutters, soldering torches, and wrenches.
Inspect and test plumbing systems for leaks or malfunctions, ensuring compliance with safety standards.
Salary Data
Plumbers and pipefitters are always in demand, keeping water and gas systems functioning in homes, businesses, and industrial plants. This trade offers one of the highest earning potentials, with a median annual salary of $61,550, and top professionals making over $103,140 per year. The more specialized you become—such as working with medical gas systems, fire sprinklers, or industrial piping—the higher your earning potential. With rising demand and an aging workforce, now is the perfect time to enter this high-paying trade.
Salary and job market data sourced from reputable industry sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Glassdoor, Payscale, and other trusted labor market research reports. Figures represent estimates and may vary by location, experience, and employer.
Labor Market Growth Projections
The labor market for plumbers is growing at about 6% from 2023 to 2033, a faster-than-average pace. Approximately 43,000 plumber/pipefitter openings are projected each year. Growth is driven by new construction and a constant need for maintenance of aging pipelines and fixtures. Plumbing is also relatively sheltered from automation – when pipes leak or new buildings go up, human plumbers are needed on-site.
Fun Fact
The U.S. Capitol has over 100 miles of plumbing pipes, supplying water and removing waste for the massive complex. Plumbers ensure the functionality of historic buildings like this, maintaining infrastructure that dates back more than a century!


Plumbing & Pipefitting: The Lifelines of Industry
Plumbers and pipefitters are the hidden forces behind the massive infrastructure that keeps cities, factories, and skyscrapers running. This career isn’t just about fixing household leaks—it’s about installing and maintaining complex pipe systems that transport water, gas, steam, and industrial chemicals in commercial buildings and manufacturing plants. Whether you’re welding high-pressure pipes in a power plant or designing efficient water systems for a skyscraper, your work is essential to modern industry. Few people realize that pipefitters and commercial plumbers build the hidden lifelines that keep hospitals, stadiums, and entire cities functioning—making this a trade that is both vital and highly rewarding.
NextRung LLC
Empowering skilled trades through innovative recruitment solutions.
© 2025. All rights reserved.