Skilled Wages

Lineman vs plumber: who earns more

Pay, range, growth and a state-by-state winner map, from BLS May 2025 data.

Lineman vs plumber: the numbers

Wage percentiles, LinemanMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60$80/hrLineman: 10th $24.74 · 25th $32.34 · median $45.83 · 75th $52.76 · 90th $61.87Lineman$45.83$24.74$61.87Plumber: 10th $21.22 · 25th $24.13 · median $30.67 · 75th $40.92 · 90th $52.13Plumber$30.67
Hourly wage percentiles, electrical power-line installers and repairers vs plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, United States, May 2025.
LinemanPlumber
Median hourly wage$45.83$30.67
Median annual pay$95,320$63,800
10th percentile (entry)$24.74$21.22
90th percentile (top)$61.87$52.13
Jobs nationwide131,070465,840
Projected growth 2025-35+10.3%+6.8%
Openings per year10,90042,000
10-year real wage change+5.6%-7.2%
States where this trade pays more501

Which pays more where you live

Lineman minus plumber, median $/hrAK: −$0.69AKAL: +$16.03ALAR: +$15.77ARAZ: +$6.42AZCA: +$27.03CACO: +$19.59COCT: +$23.83DC: +$0.10DE: +$15.61FL: +$16.32FLGA: +$11.00GAHI: +$27.06HIIA: +$17.45IAID: +$35.11IDIL: +$3.93ILIN: +$12.37INKS: +$17.50KSKY: +$6.19KYLA: +$6.12LAMA: +$7.85MD: +$19.57ME: +$9.18MEMI: +$12.83MIMN: +$4.70MNMO: +$14.22MOMS: +$9.82MSMT: +$14.60MTNC: +$9.71NCND: +$20.34NDNE: +$14.99NENH: +$17.00NJ: +$20.84NM: +$7.22NMNV: +$16.80NVNY: +$21.05NYOH: +$14.33OHOK: +$8.67OKOR: +$16.36ORPA: +$18.34PARI: +$13.53SC: +$11.03SCSD: +$21.97SDTN: +$12.05TNTX: +$9.18TXUT: +$18.90UTVA: +$7.75VAVT: +$22.28WA: +$25.01WAWI: +$11.84WIWV: +$12.90WVWY: +$15.11WYSmall statesCT +$23.83DC +$0.10DE +$15.61MA +$7.85MD +$19.57NH +$17.00NJ +$20.84RI +$13.53VT +$22.28Lineman minus plumber, median $/hr−$17.55−$2.81+$2.81+$17.55
Difference in median hourly wage by state: blue where electrical power-line installers and repairers earn more, orange where plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn more.
StateLineman $/hrPlumber $/hrPays more
Idaho$60.29$25.18Lineman
Hawaii$64.59$37.53Lineman
California$62.04$35.01Lineman
Washington$63.97$38.96Lineman
Connecticut$60.99$37.16Lineman
Vermont$52.17$29.89Lineman
South Dakota$46.79$24.82Lineman
New York$58.31$37.26Lineman
New Jersey$58.45$37.61Lineman
North Dakota$50.90$30.56Lineman
Colorado$49.99$30.40Lineman
Maryland$51.01$31.44Lineman
Utah$48.66$29.76Lineman
Pennsylvania$51.07$32.73Lineman
Kansas$48.86$31.36Lineman

Questions this page answers

Who makes more, linemans or plumbers?

Nationally, electrical power-line installers and repairers: a median of $45.83 an hour against $30.67 for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, a gap of $15.16 an hour in May 2025. Electrical power-line installers and repairers earn more in 50 states, plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters in 1.

Which has the better outlook, lineman or plumber?

BLS projects +10.3% growth for electrical power-line installers and repairers and +6.8% for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters over 2025-35, with 10,900 and 42,000 openings a year respectively.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; BLS Employment Projections; CPI-U.