Pipelayers Salary
The median pay for a pipelayers in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY is $76,450/year ($36.76/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $97K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.84), that's roughly $79,768 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,343/month, or 26.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $76K get you in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Buffalo-Cheektowaga’s Regional Price Parity (95.84). 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.
About pipelayers
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What this looks like in Buffalo-Cheektowaga
Buffalo-Cheektowaga sits well above the national pay line for pipelayers, local pay runs about 56% higher than the U.S. median of $49K. Rent runs $1,343/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 95.84) 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 pipelayers in metros near Buffalo-Cheektowaga, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $80K | $71K |
| Syracuse | $70K | $74K |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $72K | $67K |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $61K | $62K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
Entry-level pipelayers (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $76K. Top earners bring in $97K or more, a $39K spread from bottom to top.
Pipelayers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Pipelayers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | $87K | +77% | 350 |
| Washington | $82K | +68% | 1,050 |
| Minnesota | $82K | +67% | 510 |
| New Jersey | $79K | +61% | 400 |
| California | $76K | +55% | 1,420 |
| Indiana | $74K | +50% | 800 |
| Massachusetts | $73K | +49% | N/A |
| Ohio | $72K | +46% | 1,160 |
| New York | $70K | +44% | 250 |
| Oregon | $64K | +31% | 620 |
| Nevada | $64K | +30% | 450 |
| Arizona | $63K | +28% | 480 |
| Michigan | $62K | +26% | 180 |
| Colorado | $60K | +22% | 790 |
| Kentucky | $59K | +20% | 60 |
| Idaho | $59K | +20% | 280 |
| Delaware | $58K | +19% | N/A |
| Maryland | $56K | +14% | 650 |
| District of Columbia | $55K | +13% | 110 |
| Iowa | $54K | +10% | 280 |
| New Hampshire | $54K | +10% | 210 |
| Utah | $52K | +6% | 530 |
| Maine | $51K | +4% | 110 |
| South Dakota | $51K | +3% | 300 |
| Illinois | $50K | +1% | 280 |
| Virginia | $49K | -1% | 1,080 |
| Montana | $48K | -2% | 80 |
| North Dakota | $48K | -2% | 170 |
| Kansas | $47K | -3% | 240 |
| Florida | $47K | -4% | 4,050 |
| North Carolina | $47K | -4% | 3,830 |
| Georgia | $46K | -6% | 1,890 |
| Tennessee | $46K | -6% | 810 |
| Texas | $46K | -7% | 5,010 |
| New Mexico | $46K | -7% | 190 |
| Oklahoma | $45K | -8% | 530 |
| South Carolina | $45K | -8% | 670 |
| Alabama | $45K | -9% | 460 |
| Nebraska | $44K | -9% | 570 |
| Louisiana | $44K | -10% | N/A |
| Mississippi | $42K | -14% | 320 |
| Pennsylvania | $42K | -15% | 590 |
| West Virginia | $40K | -17% | 180 |
| Arkansas | $38K | -23% | 430 |
Showing 1–10 of 44 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track pipelayers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Buffalo-Cheektowaga numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a pipelayer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
Yes — at the median salary of $76K, rent takes 27.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,343/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for pipelayers in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new pipelayers typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,481/month. At HUD’s $1,343/month FMR, rent would take 39% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is pipelayer a high-paying job in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
Local pay is 56% above the national median — $76K here vs. $49K nationally.
How does Buffalo-Cheektowaga compare to the national average for pipelayers?
Buffalo-Cheektowaga pays $76K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s +56%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.84), the purchasing-power equivalent is $80K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do pipelayers make in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY?
The median is $76,450 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,020, and experienced pipelayers can clear $97,050. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $76K enough to live in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,881/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,343/month, which eats 27.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a pipelayers salary go in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
Buffalo-Cheektowaga has a Regional Price Parity of 95.84 (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 pipelayers salary is worth about $79,768 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do pipelayers 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.