Pipelayer Salary
Pipelayers earn a median $49,000 a year nationally. Construction and Extraction Occupations
U.S. median
$49,000
$23.56 per hour
Range
$37,730 – $80,170
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
33,050
across the U.S.
Pipelayer take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$41,552
per year · effective tax rate 15.2%
$3,463Monthly
$1,731Twice a month
$1,598Every 2 weeks
$19.98Hourly
- Federal income tax$3,700
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,038
- Medicare (1.45%)$711
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$41,552
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,730 | $18.14 | $32,496 |
| 25th percentile | $43,980 | $21.14 | $37,518 |
| Median (50th) | $49,000 | $23.56 | $41,552 |
| 75th percentile | $61,400 | $29.52 | $51,515 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $80,170 | $38.54 | $65,230 |
Best cities for pipelayers (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $84,830 | $68,508 | $61,645 | 610 |
| 2 | Indianapolis, IN | $74,180 | $58,857 | $61,504 | 490 |
| 3 | Los Angeles, CA | $80,260 | $61,015 | $53,726 | 500 |
| 4 | Denver, CO | $63,410 | $51,048 | $48,258 | 500 |
| 5 | Austin, TX | $48,440 | $41,102 | $41,912 | 740 |
| 6 | Charlotte, NC | $48,980 | $40,090 | $41,182 | 1,170 |
| 7 | Washington, DC | $55,320 | $44,476 | $40,848 | 660 |
| 8 | Jacksonville, FL | $47,690 | $40,499 | $40,709 | 450 |
| 9 | Raleigh, NC | $48,390 | $39,639 | $40,384 | 640 |
| 10 | Tampa, FL | $47,790 | $40,579 | $40,221 | 570 |
| 11 | Orlando, FL | $46,650 | $39,663 | $39,109 | 690 |
| 12 | Houston, TX | $45,150 | $38,458 | $38,993 | 1,300 |
| 13 | Atlanta, GA | $47,560 | $38,549 | $38,527 | 1,000 |
| 14 | Dallas, TX | $46,680 | $39,687 | $38,498 | 1,240 |
| 15 | Miami, FL | $47,950 | $40,708 | $35,660 | 700 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- Seattle, WA — $84,830
- Los Angeles, CA — $80,260
- Indianapolis, IN — $74,180
- Denver, CO — $63,410
- Washington, DC — $55,320
- Charlotte, NC — $48,980
- Austin, TX — $48,440
- Raleigh, NC — $48,390
- Miami, FL — $47,950
- Tampa, FL — $47,790
- Jacksonville, FL — $47,690
- Atlanta, GA — $47,560
- Dallas, TX — $46,680
- Orlando, FL — $46,650
- Houston, TX — $45,150
Pipelayer salary by state
| State | Median | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | $86,870 | $66,719 | $69,600 – $98,520 | 350 |
| Washington | $82,450 | $66,834 | $61,010 – $101,310 | 1,050 |
| Minnesota | $81,980 | $62,452 | $66,620 – $101,360 | 510 |
| New Jersey | $78,830 | $61,455 | $53,020 – $106,890 | 400 |
| California | $76,180 | $58,550 | $50,650 – $108,790 | 1,420 |
| Indiana | $73,580 | $58,452 | $38,400 – $95,180 | 800 |
| Massachusetts | $72,770 | $56,605 | $56,620 – $86,560 | — |
| Ohio | $71,560 | $57,987 | $46,840 – $91,540 | 1,160 |
| New York | $70,370 | $55,132 | $44,790 – $112,860 | 250 |
| Oregon | $64,230 | $48,998 | $48,870 – $83,200 | 620 |
| Nevada | $63,570 | $53,258 | $33,280 – $90,690 | 450 |
| Arizona | $62,740 | $51,232 | $46,990 – $73,820 | 480 |
| Michigan | $61,560 | $49,278 | $52,140 – $86,120 | 180 |
| Colorado | $59,740 | $48,261 | $46,930 – $76,940 | 790 |
| Kentucky | $58,820 | $47,501 | $52,120 – $61,870 | 60 |
| Idaho | $58,650 | $47,305 | $38,990 – $73,340 | 280 |
| Delaware | $58,240 | $46,420 | $46,700 – $71,060 | — |
| Maryland | $55,640 | $44,607 | $48,270 – $62,690 | 650 |
| District of Columbia | $55,470 | $44,588 | $37,350 – $67,900 | 110 |
| Iowa | $53,990 | $44,161 | $46,940 – $63,660 | 280 |
| New Hampshire | $53,870 | $45,465 | $37,280 – $82,510 | 210 |
| Utah | $52,000 | $42,588 | $47,840 – $60,510 | 530 |
| Maine | $50,980 | $40,883 | $44,320 – $73,380 | 110 |
| South Dakota | $50,650 | $42,877 | $36,560 – $60,300 | 300 |
| Illinois | $49,590 | $39,716 | $41,760 – $62,490 | 280 |
| Virginia | $48,700 | $39,324 | $38,130 – $61,140 | 1,080 |
| Montana | $48,080 | $39,309 | $47,480 – $75,420 | 80 |
| North Dakota | $47,810 | $40,595 | $47,200 – $59,240 | 170 |
| Kansas | $47,390 | $38,413 | $44,720 – $58,280 | 240 |
| Florida | $47,260 | $40,153 | $37,620 – $58,450 | 4,050 |
| North Carolina | $47,220 | $38,746 | $37,870 – $59,280 | 3,830 |
| Georgia | $46,220 | $37,542 | $35,600 – $61,820 | 1,890 |
| Tennessee | $46,020 | $39,157 | $35,810 – $59,590 | 810 |
| Texas | $45,620 | $38,836 | $37,030 – $56,730 | 5,010 |
| New Mexico | $45,550 | $37,788 | $38,000 – $55,830 | 190 |
| Oklahoma | $45,190 | $37,002 | $37,120 – $53,300 | 530 |
| South Carolina | $45,180 | $36,928 | $37,480 – $58,920 | 670 |
| Alabama | $44,550 | $36,013 | $29,130 – $55,410 | 460 |
| Nebraska | $44,470 | $36,768 | $37,110 – $62,550 | 570 |
| Louisiana | $44,340 | $36,863 | $35,200 – $60,180 | — |
| Mississippi | $41,900 | $34,903 | $31,610 – $67,010 | 320 |
| Pennsylvania | $41,600 | $34,328 | $41,600 – $75,330 | 590 |
| West Virginia | $40,440 | $33,560 | $31,660 – $58,680 | 180 |
| Arkansas | $37,650 | $31,176 | $31,570 – $44,760 | 430 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a pipelayer make?
The national median salary for pipelayers is $49,000 a year ($23.56 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $37,730 and the top 10% earn over $80,170. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays pipelayers the most?
Wisconsin has the highest median pay at $86,870. After taxes and local prices, Seattle, WA offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many pipelayers are there in the U.S.?
About 33,050 people work as pipelayers nationwide.