Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters Salary in Milwaukee, WI
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area earn a median $84,700 a year — 33% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $65,308 take-home, or $5,442 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters salary in Milwaukee, WI. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$9,804
- Social Security (6.2%)$5,251
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,228
- Wisconsin income tax$3,109
- Take-home pay$65,308
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 5.30% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters pay by experience in Milwaukee, WI
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $56,520 | $27.17 | $45,888 | $3,824 |
| 25th percentile | $62,350 | $29.98 | $50,316 | $4,193 |
| Median (50th) | $84,700 | $40.72 | $65,308 | $5,442 |
| 75th percentile | $108,000 | $51.92 | $80,465 | $6,705 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $124,470 | $59.84 | $91,125 | $7,594 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Wisconsin resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $84,700 buys in Milwaukee, WI
Prices in Milwaukee, WI are 3.1% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 3% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters's $65,308 take-home pay has the buying power of $67,371 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 Milwaukee, WI as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.12).
Best-paying cities for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters, adjusted for cost of living
Milwaukee, WI ranks #6 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 |
*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 Milwaukee, WI?
The median plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters salary in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area is $84,700 a year, or about $40.72 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $62,350 and $108,000.
What is a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters’s take-home pay in Milwaukee, WI?
On the median $84,700 salary, a single filer living in Wisconsin takes home about $65,308 a year ($5,442 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,109 in Wisconsin taxes in 2026.
Is Milwaukee, WI a good place to work as a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters?
Pay here is 33% above the national median of $63,800. Local prices are 3.1% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $67,371 would in a typical U.S. city. Milwaukee, WI ranks #6 of 46 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters afford rent in Milwaukee, WI?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Milwaukee, WI is $1,119 a month ($1,338 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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