Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters Salary
The median pay for a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in California is $72,830/year ($35.01/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $131K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $68,617 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 52% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $73K get you in California?
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What this looks like in California
California sits well above the national pay line for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters, local pay runs about 14% higher than the U.S. median of $64K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 52.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $73K. Top earners bring in $131K or more, a $84K spread from bottom to top.
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters salary by metro in California
25 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $108K | +48% | 3,830 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $78K | +7% | 5,660 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $73K | -0% | 5,100 |
| Vallejo | $72K | -2% | 370 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $71K | -2% | 15,690 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $68K | -6% | 350 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $66K | -9% | 960 |
| Napa | $65K | -10% | 150 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $65K | -10% | 3,120 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $65K | -11% | 560 |
| Salinas | $64K | -12% | 320 |
| Fresno | $64K | -12% | 970 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $64K | -12% | 4,510 |
| Modesto | $63K | -13% | 470 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $63K | -13% | 320 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $63K | -14% | 690 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $63K | -14% | 110 |
| El Centro | $62K | -14% | 150 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $62K | -14% | 1,230 |
| Redding | $61K | -16% | 200 |
| Yuba City | $61K | -16% | 100 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $61K | -16% | 740 |
| Chico | $61K | -17% | 180 |
| Visalia | $61K | -17% | 460 |
| Merced | $60K | -17% | 160 |
Showing 1–10 of 25 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitter afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $73K, rent takes 52.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,841/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 87% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitter a high-paying job in California?
Local pay is 14% above the national median — $73K here vs. $64K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does California compare to the national average for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters?
California pays $73K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s +14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $69K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters make in California?
The median is $72,830 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,350, and experienced plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters can clear $131,100. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $73K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,725/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 52.3% 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 plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters salary go in California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters salary is worth about $68,617 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters 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.