Pipelayers Salary
The median pay for a pipelayers in Jackson, MS is $42,210/year ($20.29/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $58K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.05), which stretches that salary to about $47,400 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,288/month, about 44.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $42K actually covers in Jackson, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Jackson’s Regional Price Parity (89.05). 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 Jackson
Pay for pipelayers in Jackson runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $49K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,288/month, which is 45.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.05 (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 pipelayerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for pipelayers in metros near Jackson, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Gulfport-Biloxi | $42K | $47K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $48K | $50K |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $38K | $43K |
| Huntsville | $48K | $51K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Jackson, MS
Entry-level pipelayers (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $58K or more, a $20K 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 Jackson numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a pipelayer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Jackson?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 45.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,288/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 Jackson?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new pipelayers typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,559/month. At HUD’s $1,288/month FMR, rent would take 50% 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 Jackson?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $42K here vs. $49K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Jackson compare to the national average for pipelayers?
Jackson pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.05), the purchasing-power equivalent is $47K — below the national median.
How much do pipelayers make in Jackson, MS?
The median is $42,210 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,890, and experienced pipelayers can clear $57,820. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Jackson?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,831/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,288/month, which eats 45.5% 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 Jackson?
Jackson has a Regional Price Parity of 89.05 (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 $47,400 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.