Pipelayer Salary in Los Angeles, CA
Pipelayers in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area earn a median $80,260 a year — 64% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $61,015 take-home, or $5,085 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median pipelayer salary in Los Angeles, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$8,827
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,976
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,164
- California income tax$3,235
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$1,043
- Take-home pay$61,015
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 9.30% state
Pipelayer pay by experience in Los Angeles, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $54,100 | $26.01 | $43,651 | $3,638 |
| 25th percentile | $61,880 | $29.75 | $49,334 | $4,111 |
| Median (50th) | $80,260 | $38.59 | $61,015 | $5,085 |
| 75th percentile | $102,440 | $49.25 | $74,267 | $6,189 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $107,950 | $51.90 | $77,560 | $6,463 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $80,260 buys in Los Angeles, CA
Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 13.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.70× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median pipelayer's $61,015 take-home pay has the buying power of $53,726 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Pipelayer jobs are less concentrated in Los Angeles, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.37), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for pipelayers, adjusted for cost of living
Los Angeles, CA ranks #3 of 15 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $84,830 | $68,508 | $61,645 |
| 2 | Indianapolis, IN | $74,180 | $58,857 | $61,504 |
| 3 | Los Angeles, CA | $80,260 | $61,015 | $53,726 |
| 4 | Denver, CO | $63,410 | $51,048 | $48,258 |
| 5 | Austin, TX | $48,440 | $41,102 | $41,912 |
| 6 | Charlotte, NC | $48,980 | $40,090 | $41,182 |
| 7 | Washington, DC | $55,320 | $44,476 | $40,848 |
| 8 | Jacksonville, FL | $47,690 | $40,499 | $40,709 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 15 metros →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a pipelayer make in Los Angeles, CA?
The median pipelayer salary in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area is $80,260 a year, or about $38.59 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $61,880 and $102,440.
What is a pipelayer’s take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA?
On the median $80,260 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $61,015 a year ($5,085 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $4,278 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Los Angeles, CA a good place to work as a pipelayer?
Pay here is 64% above the national median of $49,000. Local prices are 13.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $53,726 would in a typical U.S. city. Los Angeles, CA ranks #3 of 15 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a pipelayer afford rent in Los Angeles, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Los Angeles, CA is $2,245 a month ($2,755 for two bedrooms) — 44% of a median pipelayer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Los Angeles, CA
- Elevator and Escalator Installer and Repairer — $140,600
- Insulation Workers, Mechanical — $124,090
- Construction and Building Inspector — $100,280
- First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers — $97,600
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator — $92,890
- Structural Iron and Steel Worker — $78,040
- Carpenter — $75,740
- Electrician — $73,810
- Sheet Metal Worker — $72,710
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — $71,110
- Taper — $68,020
- Helpers--Carpenter — $64,810