Pipelayers Salary
The median pay for a pipelayers in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN is $74,180/year ($35.66/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $95K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.7), that's roughly $77,513 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,473/month, or 29.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $74K get you in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood’s Regional Price Parity (95.7). 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 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood sits well above the national pay line for pipelayers, local pay runs about 51% higher than the U.S. median of $49K. Rent runs $1,473/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 95.7) 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 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $91K | $98K |
| Columbus | $72K | $75K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $55K | $53K |
| Cincinnati | $71K | $74K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN
Entry-level pipelayers (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $95K or more, a $57K 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 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a pipelayer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 30.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,473/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for pipelayers in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new pipelayers typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,304/month. At HUD’s $1,473/month FMR, rent would take 64% 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 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
Local pay is 51% above the national median — $74K here vs. $49K nationally.
How does Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood compare to the national average for pipelayers?
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s +51%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $78K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do pipelayers make in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN?
The median is $74,180 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,400, and experienced pipelayers can clear $95,180. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,859/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,473/month, which eats 30.3% 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 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood has a Regional Price Parity of 95.7 (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 $77,513 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.