Pipelayers Salary
The median pay for a pipelayers in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI is $90,880/year ($43.69/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $92K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.86), which stretches that salary to about $97,868 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $993/month, or 17% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $91K get you in South Bend-Mishawaka?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by South Bend-Mishawaka’s Regional Price Parity (92.86). 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 South Bend-Mishawaka
South Bend-Mishawaka sits well above the national pay line for pipelayers, local pay runs about 85% higher than the U.S. median of $49K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $993/month, 17.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.86 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, South Bend-Mishawaka offers a genuinely strong financial position for pipelayerss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for pipelayers in metros near South Bend-Mishawaka, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $74K | $78K |
| 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, South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI
Entry-level pipelayers (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $91K. Top earners bring in $92K or more, a $40K 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 South Bend-Mishawaka numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a pipelayer afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Bend-Mishawaka?
Yes — at the median salary of $91K, rent takes 17.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $993/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for pipelayers in South Bend-Mishawaka?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new pipelayers typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,078/month. At HUD’s $993/month FMR, rent would take 32% 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 South Bend-Mishawaka?
Local pay is 85% above the national median — $91K here vs. $49K nationally.
How does South Bend-Mishawaka compare to the national average for pipelayers?
South Bend-Mishawaka pays $91K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s +85%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $98K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do pipelayers make in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI?
The median is $90,880 a year, that works out to about $44 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,300, and experienced pipelayers can clear $91,600. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $91K enough to live in South Bend-Mishawaka?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,796/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $993/month, which eats 17.1% 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 South Bend-Mishawaka?
South Bend-Mishawaka has a Regional Price Parity of 92.86 (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 $97,868 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.