Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters Salary
The median pay for a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in Wausau, WI is $86,750/year ($41.71/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $103K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.65), which stretches that salary to about $93,632 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,147/month, or 20.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $87K get you in Wausau?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Wausau’s Regional Price Parity (92.65). 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 Wausau
Wausau sits well above the national pay line for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters, local pay runs about 36% higher than the U.S. median of $64K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,147/month, 20.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.65 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Wausau offers a genuinely strong financial position for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitterss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in metros near Wausau, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $85K | $87K |
| Madison | $85K | $88K |
| Appleton | $92K | $99K |
| Green Bay | $91K | $97K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wausau, WI
Entry-level plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $87K. Top earners bring in $103K 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)
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Frequently asked questions
Can a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wausau?
Yes — at the median salary of $87K, rent takes 20.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,147/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in Wausau?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,023/month. At HUD’s $1,147/month FMR, rent would take 38% 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 Wausau?
Local pay is 36% above the national median — $87K here vs. $64K nationally.
How does Wausau compare to the national average for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters?
Wausau pays $87K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s +36%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.65), the purchasing-power equivalent is $94K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters make in Wausau, WI?
The median is $86,750 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,380, and experienced plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters can clear $103,440. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $87K enough to live in Wausau?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,489/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,147/month, which eats 20.9% 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 Wausau?
Wausau has a Regional Price Parity of 92.65 (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 $93,632 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.