Pipelayers Salary
The median pay for a pipelayers in Lincoln, NE is $45,250/year ($21.76/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.58), which stretches that salary to about $49,410 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,141/month, about 37% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $45K get you in Lincoln?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lincoln’s Regional Price Parity (91.58). 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 Lincoln
Pipelayers pay in Lincoln tracks closely to the national median, $45K locally vs. $49K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,141/month, which is 37.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.58 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for pipelayers in metros near Lincoln, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Omaha | $55K | $59K |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $63K | , |
| Sioux Falls | $49K | $55K |
| Colorado Springs | $49K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lincoln, NE
Entry-level pipelayers (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $27K 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 Lincoln numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a pipelayer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lincoln?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 37.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,141/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for pipelayers in Lincoln?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new pipelayers typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,119/month. At HUD’s $1,141/month FMR, rent would take 54% 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 Lincoln?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $45K locally vs. $49K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Lincoln compare to the national average for pipelayers?
Lincoln pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.58), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do pipelayers make in Lincoln, NE?
The median is $45,250 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,310, and experienced pipelayers can clear $62,260. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Lincoln?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,074/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,141/month, which eats 37.1% 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 Lincoln?
Lincoln has a Regional Price Parity of 91.58 (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 $49,410 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.