Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters Salary in Louisville, KY
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metro area earn a median $74,680 a year — 17% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $58,871 take-home, or $4,906 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters salary in Louisville, KY. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$7,600
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,630
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,083
- Kentucky income tax$2,496
- Take-home pay$58,871
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 3.50% state
The Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metro spans Kentucky, Indiana. 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 Louisville, KY
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $48,250 | $23.20 | $39,378 | $3,281 |
| 25th percentile | $51,660 | $24.84 | $41,998 | $3,500 |
| Median (50th) | $74,680 | $35.90 | $58,871 | $4,906 |
| 75th percentile | $88,420 | $42.51 | $68,056 | $5,671 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $94,920 | $45.63 | $72,402 | $6,033 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Kentucky resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $74,680 buys in Louisville, KY
Prices in Louisville, KY are 6.9% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 21% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters's $58,871 take-home pay has the buying power of $63,252 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Louisville, KY has 1.4× the national concentration of plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters, adjusted for cost of living
Louisville, KY ranks #13 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 |
| 13 | Louisville, KY | $74,680 | $58,871 | $63,252 |
*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.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters make in Louisville, KY?
The median plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters salary in the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metro area is $74,680 a year, or about $35.90 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $51,660 and $88,420.
What is a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters’s take-home pay in Louisville, KY?
On the median $74,680 salary, a single filer living in Kentucky takes home about $58,871 a year ($4,906 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,496 in Kentucky taxes in 2026.
Is Louisville, KY a good place to work as a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters?
Pay here is 17% above the national median of $63,800. Local prices are 6.9% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $63,252 would in a typical U.S. city. Louisville, KY ranks #13 of 46 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters afford rent in Louisville, KY?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Louisville, KY is $1,026 a month ($1,248 for two bedrooms) — 21% of a median plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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- Construction Laborer — $47,420