Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters Salary in Charlotte, NC
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area earn a median $58,690 a year — 8% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $47,504 take-home, or $3,959 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters salary in Charlotte, NC. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,863
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,639
- Medicare (1.45%)$851
- North Carolina income tax$1,833
- Take-home pay$47,504
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.99% state
The Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro spans North Carolina, South Carolina. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters pay by experience in Charlotte, NC
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $42,320 | $20.35 | $35,004 | $2,917 |
| 25th percentile | $47,430 | $22.80 | $38,906 | $3,242 |
| Median (50th) | $58,690 | $28.22 | $47,504 | $3,959 |
| 75th percentile | $64,230 | $30.88 | $51,735 | $4,311 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $76,010 | $36.54 | $59,779 | $4,982 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, North Carolina resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $58,690 buys in Charlotte, NC
Prices in Charlotte, NC are 2.7% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 2% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters's $47,504 take-home pay has the buying power of $48,799 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters jobs are about as common in Charlotte, NC as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.94).
Best-paying cities for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters, adjusted for cost of living
Charlotte, NC ranks #38 of 46 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago, IL | $103,380 | $76,585 | $73,928 |
| 2 | Minneapolis, MN | $101,630 | $74,939 | $71,492 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $107,560 | $77,327 | $70,028 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $95,230 | $75,824 | $68,228 |
| 5 | Portland, OR | $101,010 | $71,882 | $68,185 |
| 6 | Milwaukee, WI | $84,700 | $65,308 | $67,371 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $96,760 | $72,283 | $66,764 |
| 8 | Detroit, MI | $86,370 | $66,171 | $65,975 |
| 38 | Charlotte, NC | $58,690 | $47,504 | $48,799 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 46 metros →
About the job: plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
Assemble, install, alter, and repair pipelines or pipe systems that carry water, steam, air, or other liquids or gases. May install heating and cooling equipment and mechanical control systems.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Apprenticeship
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +6.8% (faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters salaries elsewhere in North Carolina
- Raleigh, NC — $60,540
Frequently asked questions
How much does a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters make in Charlotte, NC?
The median plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters salary in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area is $58,690 a year, or about $28.22 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $47,430 and $64,230.
What is a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters’s take-home pay in Charlotte, NC?
On the median $58,690 salary, a single filer living in North Carolina takes home about $47,504 a year ($3,959 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,833 in North Carolina taxes in 2026.
Is Charlotte, NC a good place to work as a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters?
Pay here is 8% below the national median of $63,800. Local prices are 2.7% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $48,799 would in a typical U.S. city. Charlotte, NC ranks #38 of 46 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters afford rent in Charlotte, NC?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Charlotte, NC is $1,428 a month ($1,577 for two bedrooms) — 36% of a median plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Charlotte, NC
- First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers — $77,300
- Electrician — $59,080
- Carpenter — $50,960
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator — $50,870
- Construction Laborer — $45,850