Pipelayers Salary
The median pay for a pipelayers in Florence, SC is $37,650/year ($18.1/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.77), which stretches that salary to about $43,391 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,098/month, about 42.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $38K get you in Florence?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Florence’s Regional Price Parity (86.77). 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 Florence
Pay for pipelayers in Florence runs about 23% below the U.S. median of $49K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,098/month, which is 41.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 86.77 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% 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 pipelayerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for pipelayers in metros near Florence, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston | $48K | $48K |
| Columbia | $44K | $47K |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal | $44K | $45K |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $43K | $46K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Florence, SC
Entry-level pipelayers (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $16K 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
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 Florence numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a pipelayer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Florence?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 41.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,098/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for pipelayers in Florence?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new pipelayers typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,864/month. At HUD’s $1,098/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 pipelayer a high-paying job in Florence?
Local pay runs 23% below the national median — $38K here vs. $49K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Florence compare to the national average for pipelayers?
Florence pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s -23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.77), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — below the national median.
How much do pipelayers make in Florence, SC?
The median is $37,650 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,070, and experienced pipelayers can clear $46,890. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Florence?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,626/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,098/month, which eats 41.8% 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.
How far does a pipelayers salary go in Florence?
Florence has a Regional Price Parity of 86.77 (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 $43,391 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.