Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters Salary
The median pay for a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in Traverse City, MI is $63,100/year ($30.34/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $95K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.37), which stretches that salary to about $67,581 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,224/month, or 29.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $63K get you in Traverse City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Traverse City’s Regional Price Parity (93.37). 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 Traverse City
Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters pay in Traverse City tracks closely to the national median, $63K locally vs. $64K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,224/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.37 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in metros near Traverse City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $86K | $86K |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $80K | $84K |
| Kalamazoo-Portage | $91K | $96K |
| Flint | $81K | $87K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Traverse City, MI
Entry-level plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $95K or more, a $53K 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 Traverse City?
Yes — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 29.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,224/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in Traverse City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,516/month. At HUD’s $1,224/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Traverse City?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $63K locally vs. $64K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Traverse City compare to the national average for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters?
Traverse City pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.37), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters make in Traverse City, MI?
The median is $63,100 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,940, and experienced plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters can clear $95,400. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in Traverse City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,171/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,224/month, which eats 29.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters salary go in Traverse City?
Traverse City has a Regional Price Parity of 93.37 (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 plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters salary is worth about $67,581 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.