Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters Salary
The median pay for a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA is $101,010/year ($48.56/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $147K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.42), so that salary is closer to $95,817 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,922/month, about 30.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $101K get you in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro’s Regional Price Parity (105.42). 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.
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What this looks like in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro sits well above the national pay line for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters, local pay runs about 58% higher than the U.S. median of $64K. Rent runs $1,922/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.42), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in metros near Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Salem | $81K | $78K |
| Bend | $92K | $89K |
| Eugene-Springfield | $85K | $84K |
| Medford | $78K | $77K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
Entry-level plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $101K. Top earners bring in $147K or more, a $89K spread from bottom to top.
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $101K | +58% | 1,010 |
| Illinois | $100K | +57% | 16,750 |
| Oregon | $97K | +52% | 5,370 |
| Minnesota | $94K | +48% | 10,720 |
| Alaska | $94K | +47% | 1,200 |
| Massachusetts | $94K | +47% | 13,460 |
| Wisconsin | $81K | +27% | 10,210 |
| Washington | $81K | +27% | 12,470 |
| Michigan | $80K | +26% | 14,120 |
| Montana | $80K | +25% | 1,860 |
| New Jersey | $78K | +23% | 8,750 |
| Hawaii | $78K | +22% | 2,500 |
| New York | $77K | +21% | 23,210 |
| Connecticut | $77K | +21% | 5,410 |
| Rhode Island | $76K | +20% | 1,820 |
| Indiana | $76K | +20% | 11,280 |
| California | $73K | +14% | 47,660 |
| Pennsylvania | $68K | +7% | 13,620 |
| New Hampshire | $67K | +5% | 1,950 |
| Missouri | $67K | +5% | 8,310 |
| Maryland | $65K | +3% | 11,420 |
| Kansas | $65K | +2% | 4,590 |
| Delaware | $65K | +1% | 1,590 |
| Kentucky | $64K | +1% | 6,360 |
| Maine | $64K | +0% | 2,710 |
| Iowa | $64K | +0% | 5,730 |
| Louisiana | $64K | -0% | 8,360 |
| North Dakota | $64K | -0% | 1,620 |
| Ohio | $63K | -1% | 16,390 |
| Colorado | $63K | -1% | 10,080 |
| Wyoming | $62K | -2% | 1,140 |
| Vermont | $62K | -3% | 980 |
| Arizona | $62K | -3% | 11,810 |
| Utah | $62K | -3% | 7,030 |
| Nevada | $62K | -3% | 5,370 |
| New Mexico | $61K | -4% | 2,830 |
| Nebraska | $61K | -4% | 4,110 |
| Virginia | $60K | -5% | 13,780 |
| Texas | $60K | -6% | 44,090 |
| Alabama | $59K | -8% | 6,950 |
| Tennessee | $59K | -8% | 9,270 |
| Oklahoma | $58K | -9% | 6,050 |
| Georgia | $57K | -10% | 8,930 |
| North Carolina | $57K | -11% | 14,510 |
| West Virginia | $57K | -11% | 1,830 |
| Mississippi | $55K | -13% | 3,360 |
| South Carolina | $54K | -15% | 5,770 |
| Florida | $53K | -17% | 29,260 |
| Idaho | $52K | -18% | 3,090 |
| South Dakota | $52K | -19% | 1,760 |
| Arkansas | $49K | -24% | 3,370 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $101K, rent takes 32.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,922/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,800/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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,458/month. At HUD’s $1,922/month FMR, rent would take 56% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Local pay is 58% above the national median — $101K here vs. $64K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 5% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro compare to the national average for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro pays $101K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s +58%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $96K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters make in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA?
The median is $101,010 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $57,640, and experienced plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters can clear $147,100. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $101K enough to live in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,928/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,922/month, which eats 32.4% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro has a Regional Price Parity of 105.42 (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 $95,817 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.