Electrician vs plumber: who earns more
Pay, range, growth and a state map of which trade earns more, from BLS May 2025 data.
Electrician vs plumber: the numbers
| Electrician | Plumber | |
|---|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $30.38 | $30.67 |
| Median annual pay | $63,190 | $63,800 |
| 10th percentile (entry) | $20.50 | $21.22 |
| 90th percentile (top) | $52.17 | $52.13 |
| Jobs nationwide | 757,220 | 465,840 |
| Projected growth 2025-35 | +9.2% | +6.8% |
| Openings per year | 72,700 | 42,000 |
| 10-year real wage change | -10.3% | -7.2% |
| States where this trade pays more | 22 | 17 |
| States about even (within $0.50) | 12 | 12 |
Which pays more where you live
| State | Electrician $/hr | Plumber $/hr | Pays more, by how much |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $37.97 | $48.57 | Plumber +$10.60 |
| Hawaii | $46.38 | $37.53 | Electrician +$8.85 |
| Minnesota | $37.58 | $45.39 | Plumber +$7.81 |
| Massachusetts | $38.18 | $45.14 | Plumber +$6.96 |
| Washington | $45.78 | $38.96 | Electrician +$6.82 |
| Wyoming | $36.59 | $30.01 | Electrician +$6.58 |
| Nevada | $35.37 | $29.62 | Electrician +$5.75 |
| Maine | $36.24 | $30.77 | Electrician +$5.47 |
| Idaho | $30.29 | $25.18 | Electrician +$5.11 |
| South Dakota | $29.51 | $24.82 | Electrician +$4.69 |
| Maryland | $35.33 | $31.44 | Electrician +$3.89 |
| West Virginia | $31.16 | $27.39 | Electrician +$3.77 |
| Indiana | $32.93 | $36.69 | Plumber +$3.76 |
| Mississippi | $29.26 | $26.67 | Electrician +$2.59 |
| South Carolina | $28.24 | $25.93 | Electrician +$2.31 |
| Wisconsin | $36.80 | $39.04 | Plumber +$2.24 |
| Alaska | $43.00 | $45.15 | Plumber +$2.15 |
| Kentucky | $28.71 | $30.84 | Plumber +$2.13 |
| Florida | $27.52 | $25.44 | Electrician +$2.08 |
| Oregon | $48.71 | $46.66 | Electrician +$2.05 |
| New Hampshire | $30.21 | $32.12 | Plumber +$1.91 |
| Michigan | $36.67 | $38.56 | Plumber +$1.89 |
| California | $36.62 | $35.01 | Electrician +$1.61 |
| Montana | $36.90 | $38.44 | Plumber +$1.54 |
| New Mexico | $28.07 | $29.54 | Plumber +$1.47 |
| Iowa | $29.26 | $30.72 | Plumber +$1.46 |
| Oklahoma | $29.33 | $27.87 | Electrician +$1.46 |
| Alabama | $26.78 | $28.21 | Plumber +$1.43 |
| Tennessee | $29.37 | $28.17 | Electrician +$1.20 |
| Virginia | $30.24 | $29.07 | Electrician +$1.17 |
| Rhode Island | $35.62 | $36.77 | Plumber +$1.15 |
| Louisiana | $29.59 | $30.62 | Plumber +$1.03 |
| North Dakota | $31.59 | $30.56 | Electrician +$1.03 |
| Missouri | $31.45 | $32.11 | Plumber +$0.66 |
| Ohio | $31.11 | $30.45 | Electrician +$0.66 |
| Texas | $28.16 | $28.77 | Plumber +$0.61 |
| New York | $37.86 | $37.26 | Electrician +$0.60 |
| Vermont | $30.49 | $29.89 | Electrician +$0.60 |
| Georgia | $28.04 | $27.50 | Electrician +$0.54 |
| Arizona | $29.36 | $29.84 | About even ($0.48) |
| Delaware | $30.63 | $31.11 | About even ($0.48) |
| Colorado | $29.92 | $30.40 | About even ($0.48) |
| New Jersey | $37.14 | $37.61 | About even ($0.47) |
| Kansas | $31.66 | $31.36 | About even ($0.30) |
| Pennsylvania | $32.50 | $32.73 | About even ($0.23) |
| Arkansas | $23.59 | $23.39 | About even ($0.20) |
| Illinois | $47.87 | $48.05 | About even ($0.18) |
| North Carolina | $27.31 | $27.44 | About even ($0.13) |
| Connecticut | $37.28 | $37.16 | About even ($0.12) |
| Nebraska | $29.24 | $29.31 | About even ($0.07) |
| Utah | $29.81 | $29.76 | About even ($0.05) |
Questions this page answers
Who makes more, electricians or plumbers?
Nationally the two are about even: electricians earn a median of $30.38 an hour and plumbers $30.67, a gap of $0.29, in May 2025. Electricians earn more in 22 states, plumbers in 17, and the two are within $0.50 an hour in 12.
Which has the better outlook, electricians or plumbers?
BLS projects +9.2% growth for electricians and +6.8% for plumbers over 2025-35, with 72,700 and 42,000 openings a year respectively.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; BLS Employment Projections; CPI-U.