Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters Salary
In Missouri, helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters earn $34,630 at the median, or about $16.65 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $49K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.97), which stretches that salary to about $38,923 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,097/month, about 46.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Missouri. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $35K get you in Missouri?
About helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
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What this looks like in Missouri
Pay for helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in Missouri runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $42K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,097/month, which is 45.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitterss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Missouri
Entry-level helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $49K or more, a $18K spread from bottom to top.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Missouri?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $35K, rent takes 45.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,097/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/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 Missouri?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,872/month. At HUD’s $1,097/month FMR, rent would take 59% 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 Missouri?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $35K here vs. $42K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Missouri compare to the national average for helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters?
Missouri pays $35K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — below the national median.
How much do helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters make in Missouri?
The median is $34,630 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,200, and experienced helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters can clear $49,070. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $35K enough to live in Missouri?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,418/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,097/month, which eats 45.4% 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 Missouri?
Missouri has a Regional Price Parity of 88.97 (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 $38,923 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.