When you see a plumber kneeling under a sink, covered in a bit of mystery sludge, your first thought probably isn't "man, I bet they’re loaded." But honestly? You might be surprised. The "dirty" trades have been quietly outearning a lot of entry-level office jobs for years now, and the gap is only widening as we head into 2026.
People always ask me, "is it worth the literal mess?" To answer that, you have to look past the hourly rate you see on a Yelp invoice.
📖 Related: The Federal Minimum Wage History: Why It Actually Started and Why It Rarely Changes
The Big Picture: National Averages vs. Reality
National averages are kinda misleading. If you look at the Bureau of Labor Statistics or major job boards like ZipRecruiter, they’ll tell you the average plumber makes somewhere around $63,215 a year. Some data points from late 2025 even push that closer to $65,000.
But that’s a "blended" number. It’s mixing the 19-year-old kid who just started his first week of an apprenticeship with the 55-year-old master plumber who owns three vans and hasn't touched a pipe wrench in five years.
The range is actually massive. We’re talking anywhere from $37,000 on the very low end to well over $101,000 for the top 10% of earners. And if you own the business? The sky's basically the limit, but we'll get to that.
How much money do plumbers make a year at different stages?
Plumbing isn't a "show up and get rich" career. It’s a ladder. A long, often damp ladder.
The Apprentice Years
When you start, you’re an apprentice. You’re basically a glorified tool-carrier for the first year or two. Because you're learning on the job (and often getting your trade school paid for), you aren't pulling in the big bucks yet.
- Expected Pay: $34,000 to $48,000.
- The Perk: You have zero student debt. While your friends are paying off $50k in loans, you’re getting paid to learn how to solder copper.
Becoming a Journeyman
This is the "sweet spot" for most people in the trade. Once you’ve clocked your 4-5 years and passed your state exam, you’re a Journeyman. You can work alone. You can lead a small crew.
- Expected Pay: $64,000 to $75,000.
- The Variance: In high-demand states like Illinois or Washington, a Journeyman can easily crack $85,000 with a bit of overtime.
The Master Plumber
This is the PhD of the plumbing world. To get here, you’ve usually put in 7 to 10 years of work. You know the code book front-to-back. You can pull permits. You can design entire systems for hospitals or skyscrapers.
- Expected Pay: $80,000 to $120,000+.
- The Reality: Many Master Plumbers move into management or "Foreman" roles where the base salary stays high even when the economy slows down.
Geography is Your Biggest Paycheck Driver
Where you live matters more than how good you are at fixing a water heater. It’s a supply and demand game.
Take a look at the massive gap between states. In 2026, Illinois remains one of the highest-paying states for plumbers, with adjusted median wages hitting $97,314. Why? Strong unions and a high cost of living in Chicago. On the flip side, if you're plumbing in Florida, you might struggle to hit a $49,000 average because the market is saturated and the union presence is much weaker.
Top Paying Regions Right Now:
- Alaska: Around $86,000 (It’s cold, it’s remote, and things freeze. People pay a premium for that).
- Oregon: Hovering near $81,000.
- Massachusetts: Often exceeds $84,000, especially in the Boston metro area.
Interestingly, small cities are becoming gold mines. Kokomo, Indiana and Huntington, West Virginia have been cited recently as top spots because the pay is high relative to how cheap it is to live there. You might make $71,000 in Kokomo, which feels like $120,000 in Los Angeles.
Commercial vs. Residential: The Secret Split
Most people think of "service plumbers"—the guys who come to your house when the toilet overflows. They make decent money, especially if they’re on a commission structure. If they sell a $10,000 repipe job, they might get a 5% to 10% cut of that.
Commercial plumbers are different. They work on "new construction"—building hotels, schools, and offices. The work is cleaner (usually), but the hours are rigid. Commercial plumbers often make a more stable, higher hourly wage, but they don't get those "emergency" weekend bonuses that residential guys live for.
The "Overtime" Factor
You can't talk about plumbing income without talking about the 2:00 AM phone call.
"My basement is a lake."
That sentence is music to a plumber's ears. Emergency rates are usually double or triple the standard hourly fee. A plumber who is willing to work Saturdays and take the holiday on-call rotation can easily add $10,000 to $15,000 to their annual income. It’s a grind, but it’s how those $100k+ years happen.
Business Ownership: The Real Wealth
If you want to know how much money plumbers make a year when they really "make it," you have to look at the owners. A one-man-and-a-van operation can net $150,000 if they’re efficient.
A medium-sized plumbing company with 10 trucks? That owner is likely bringing home multiple six figures. Of course, they also have the headache of insurance, fuel costs, and hiring, but the profit margins in plumbing—often 15% to 25%—are much better than in retail or food service.
Actionable Next Steps for Career Growth
If you're already in the trade or looking to jump in, don't just settle for the "average." Here is how to maximize that yearly take-home:
- Get Specialized: Plumbers with "Backflow Certification" or "Medical Gas" licenses can command 30% higher wages because fewer people can do that work.
- Chase the Unions: In states like Illinois or New York, union members often have better hourly rates and significantly better pension/health benefits that aren't reflected in the "base salary" numbers.
- Learn the Business Side: If you’re a Journeyman, start taking classes on project management or small business accounting. The jump from "technician" to "manager" is where the physical toll stops and the income spikes.
- Move if Necessary: If you’re stuck in a low-paying state like Arkansas or Mississippi, even moving one state over can sometimes result in a $10,000/year raise.
Plumbing is a recession-proof gig. People might skip a vacation or a new car, but they will never live with a broken sewer line. That job security, combined with the rising "silver tsunami" of retiring plumbers, means the pay is only going one direction: up.