Pipelayers Salary
The median pay for a pipelayers in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI is $93,550/year ($44.98/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $82K at the entry level to $99K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.94), that's roughly $96,503 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,338/month, or 22.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $94K get you in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Milwaukee-Waukesha’s Regional Price Parity (96.94). 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha
Milwaukee-Waukesha sits well above the national pay line for pipelayers, local pay runs about 91% higher than the U.S. median of $49K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,338/month, 22.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 96.94) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Milwaukee-Waukesha offers a genuinely strong financial position for pipelayerss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for pipelayers in metros near Milwaukee-Waukesha, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Madison | $87K | $89K |
| Green Bay | $92K | $98K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $82K | $78K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $55K | $53K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
Entry-level pipelayers (10th percentile) start around $82K. Mid-career wages sit at $94K. Top earners bring in $99K or more, a $17K 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a pipelayer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Yes — at the median salary of $94K, rent takes 22.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,338/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for pipelayers in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new pipelayers typically earn — is $82K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,891/month. At HUD’s $1,338/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is pipelayer a high-paying job in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Local pay is 91% above the national median — $94K here vs. $49K nationally.
How does Milwaukee-Waukesha compare to the national average for pipelayers?
Milwaukee-Waukesha pays $94K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s +91%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.94), the purchasing-power equivalent is $97K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do pipelayers make in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?
The median is $93,550 a year, that works out to about $45 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $81,520, and experienced pipelayers can clear $98,840. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $94K enough to live in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,857/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,338/month, which eats 22.8% 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Milwaukee-Waukesha has a Regional Price Parity of 96.94 (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 $96,503 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.