Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters Salary in Raleigh, NC
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area earn a median $60,540 a year — 5% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $48,917 take-home, or $4,076 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters salary in Raleigh, NC. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,085
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,753
- Medicare (1.45%)$878
- North Carolina income tax$1,907
- Take-home pay$48,917
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.99% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters pay by experience in Raleigh, NC
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $42,940 | $20.64 | $35,478 | $2,956 |
| 25th percentile | $48,370 | $23.25 | $39,624 | $3,302 |
| Median (50th) | $60,540 | $29.11 | $48,917 | $4,076 |
| 75th percentile | $70,010 | $33.66 | $55,797 | $4,650 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $77,610 | $37.31 | $60,841 | $5,070 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, North Carolina resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $60,540 buys in Raleigh, NC
Prices in Raleigh, NC are 1.8% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.03× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters's $48,917 take-home pay has the buying power of $49,836 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Raleigh, NC has 1.3× 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
Raleigh, NC ranks #35 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 |
| 35 | Raleigh, NC | $60,540 | $48,917 | $49,836 |
*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
- Charlotte, NC — $58,690
Frequently asked questions
How much does a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters make in Raleigh, NC?
The median plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters salary in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area is $60,540 a year, or about $29.11 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $48,370 and $70,010.
What is a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters’s take-home pay in Raleigh, NC?
On the median $60,540 salary, a single filer living in North Carolina takes home about $48,917 a year ($4,076 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,907 in North Carolina taxes in 2026.
Is Raleigh, NC a good place to work as a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters?
Pay here is 5% below the national median of $63,800. Local prices are 1.8% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $49,836 would in a typical U.S. city. Raleigh, NC ranks #35 of 46 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters afford rent in Raleigh, NC?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Raleigh, NC is $1,596 a month ($1,750 for two bedrooms) — 39% of a median plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Raleigh, NC
- First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers — $77,690
- Electrician — $56,800
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator — $51,110
- Carpenter — $50,820
- Construction Laborer — $45,650