Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters Salary
In Madison, WI, helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters earn $45,760 at the median, or about $22 an hour. The range runs from $24K at the entry level to $55K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.29), that's roughly $47,035 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,168/month, about 37.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $46K get you in Madison?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Madison’s Regional Price Parity (97.29). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
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What this looks like in Madison
Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters pay in Madison tracks closely to the national median, $46K locally vs. $42K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,168/month, which is 37.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.29) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in metros near Madison, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $39K | $40K |
| Appleton | $38K | $41K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $40K | $38K |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $48K | $52K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Madison, WI
Entry-level helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (10th percentile) start around $24K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $55K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $56K | +33% | 600 |
| Hawaii | $52K | +23% | 180 |
| New York | $52K | +23% | 4,840 |
| Maine | $48K | +14% | N/A |
| Arizona | $48K | +13% | 460 |
| Alaska | $47K | +12% | 100 |
| California | $47K | +11% | 2,500 |
| Maryland | $46K | +9% | 970 |
| New Hampshire | $46K | +9% | 70 |
| Ohio | $46K | +8% | 1,090 |
| District of Columbia | $45K | +7% | N/A |
| Wyoming | $45K | +7% | 40 |
| Colorado | $45K | +6% | 240 |
| Oregon | $45K | +6% | 210 |
| Nebraska | $45K | +5% | 70 |
| Tennessee | $45K | +5% | 1,100 |
| New Jersey | $44K | +5% | 760 |
| Massachusetts | $44K | +5% | N/A |
| North Carolina | $44K | +3% | 3,070 |
| Utah | $43K | +2% | 390 |
| Kentucky | $43K | +2% | 960 |
| Michigan | $43K | +1% | 270 |
| Indiana | $42K | -0% | 390 |
| Pennsylvania | $42K | -0% | 920 |
| Texas | $42K | -1% | 7,210 |
| Wisconsin | $42K | -2% | 450 |
| Montana | $41K | -2% | 110 |
| Nevada | $41K | -3% | 350 |
| Kansas | $41K | -4% | 320 |
| Idaho | $40K | -5% | N/A |
| New Mexico | $40K | -5% | 400 |
| Oklahoma | $40K | -5% | 740 |
| South Carolina | $39K | -7% | 1,090 |
| Connecticut | $39K | -8% | 160 |
| Illinois | $38K | -10% | N/A |
| Virginia | $38K | -10% | 1,640 |
| Iowa | $38K | -11% | 350 |
| Georgia | $38K | -11% | 2,100 |
| Arkansas | $38K | -11% | 330 |
| Florida | $38K | -11% | 4,500 |
| Alabama | $37K | -12% | 770 |
| Mississippi | $37K | -12% | 400 |
| Vermont | $37K | -12% | 140 |
| Louisiana | $37K | -12% | 2,010 |
| South Dakota | $37K | -14% | 210 |
| Delaware | $36K | -15% | 140 |
| West Virginia | $36K | -15% | 130 |
| Missouri | $35K | -18% | 280 |
Showing 1–10 of 48 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Madison?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 37.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,168/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in Madison?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters typically earn — is $24K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,429/month. At HUD’s $1,168/month FMR, rent would take 82% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitter a high-paying job in Madison?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $46K locally vs. $42K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Madison compare to the national average for helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters?
Madison pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s +8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.29), the purchasing-power equivalent is $47K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters make in Madison, WI?
The median is $45,760 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $23,820, and experienced helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters can clear $55,440. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Madison?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,119/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,168/month, which eats 37.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters salary go in Madison?
Madison has a Regional Price Parity of 97.29 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters salary is worth about $47,035 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.