Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters Salary

It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $31K, rent takes 71.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,534/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.

The 10th-percentile wage — what new helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,768/month.

Local pay runs 27% below the national median — $31K here vs. $42K nationally.

South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area pays $31K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s -27%.

The median is $30,900 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,460, and experienced helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters can clear $43,280. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.

On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,136/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,534/month, which eats 71.8% 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.

South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters salary is worth about $30,900 in national-average purchasing power.

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.