Skilled Wages

Plumber salary in Alabama

Median $28.21 an hour for 6,950 plumbers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$28.21/hrMedian hourly wageAlabama, May data
$58,670/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$18.14 – $36.8710th to 90th percentilehourly range
6,950Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-06

Plumber pay in Alabama: the full range

Wage percentiles, AlabamaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrAlabama: 10th $18.14 · 25th $22.63 · median $28.21 · 75th $31.12 · 90th $36.87Alabama$28.21$18.14$36.87United States: 10th $21.22 · 25th $24.13 · median $30.67 · 75th $40.92 · 90th $52.13United States$30.67
Hourly wage percentiles for plumbers: Alabama vs United States, May 2025.

Alabama ranks 40th of 51 states for median plumber pay, and 28th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $31.77). 6,950 plumbers work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.0× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$18.14 – $22.63$37,720 – $47,070roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$22.63 – $31.12$47,070 – $64,730the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$31.12 – $36.87$64,730 – $76,690the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Plumber pay by metro in Alabama

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrFlorence: $29.13Florence$29.13Birmingham: $28.89Birmingham$28.89Decatur: $28.81Decatur$28.81Tuscaloosa: $28.62Tuscaloosa$28.62Mobile: $28.56Mobile$28.56Montgomery: $27.87Montgomery$27.87Daphne: $27.44Daphne$27.44Huntsville: $27.42Huntsville$27.42Anniston: $27.33Anniston$27.33Auburn: $24.79Auburn$24.79Dothan: $23.59Dothan$23.59Columbus: $22.79Columbus$22.79
Median hourly wage for plumbers by metro area in Alabama, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Florence$17.66$29.13$34.35$39.963403% above
Birmingham$18.57$28.89$31.54$36.681,8402% above
Decatur$19.51$28.81$33.04$53.202102% above
Tuscaloosa$18.47$28.62$32.63$35.653701% above
Mobile$18.35$28.56$32.42$36.039601% above
Montgomery$17.93$27.87$31.07$35.623401% below
Daphne$17.42$27.44$28.98$36.573303% below
Huntsville$18.21$27.42$29.45$39.727903% below
Anniston$18.06$27.33$31.82$35.801303% below
Auburn$17.53$24.79$28.20$34.3620012% below
Dothan$17.30$23.59$28.15$32.2413016% below
Columbus$17.00$22.79$25.52$36.4720019% below
Gadsden$13.48$22.76$26.56$31.8610019% below

Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).

Plumber wages in Alabama over time

Alabama, 1999-2025AlabamaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$30.67United States$28.21Alabama
Median hourly wage for plumbers, Alabama vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearAlabama $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$14.57$28.16$17.417,600
2000$16.09$30.08$18.196,660
2001$16.47$29.94$18.616,120
2002$16.93$30.30$19.315,720
2003$16.50$28.87$19.695,220
2004$16.03$27.32$19.855,410
2005$15.66$25.81$20.275,860
2006$15.95$25.47$20.566,160
2007$15.93$24.73$21.206,320
2008$17.13$25.61$21.946,150
2009$17.48$26.23$22.275,230
2010$18.57$27.42$22.434,970
2011$18.01$25.78$22.965,200
2012$18.52$25.97$23.624,910
2013$19.04$26.31$24.135,720
2014$19.37$26.34$24.365,320
2015$19.12$25.97$24.345,370
2016$19.18$25.73$24.745,010
2017$20.18$26.50$25.285,400
2018$21.58$27.67$25.926,400
2019$22.36$28.16$26.526,700
2020$22.22$27.64$27.086,220
2021$22.63$26.89$28.796,660
2022$23.17$25.49$28.896,480
2023$24.36$25.74$29.597,250
2024$25.89$26.57$30.277,880
2025$28.21$28.21$30.676,950

In today's dollars, the median plumber wage in Alabama changed by +8.6% over the last ten years of data and by +0.2% since 2019.

Are there more plumber jobs in Alabama?

+3.7%Jobs since 20196,700 then, 6,950 in 2025
+29.4%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
3.3Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.1× the US share, 25th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of plumbers counted in Alabama has changed by -8.6%, against +12.7% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +3.7%.

Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters in Alabama vs United States, 1999 = 100AlabamaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages406080100120200020052010201520202025113United States91Alabama
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Alabama vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearAlabama jobsAlabama indexUS index
19997,600100100
20006,66088106
20016,12080106
20025,72075106
20035,22069105
20045,41071103
20055,86077102
20066,16081106
20076,32083105
20086,15081106
20095,2306997
20104,9706587
20115,2006884
20124,9106582
20135,7207585
20145,3207090
20155,3707195
20165,01066100
20175,40071104
20186,40084106
20196,70088107
20206,22082101
20216,66088101
20226,48085104
20237,25095106
20247,880104110
20256,95091113

Job counts are BLS OEWS survey estimates built from three years of samples, so moves of a few percent from one year to the next are within the survey's margin. Self-employed tradespeople are not counted. Areas with fewer than 3,000 jobs or a large sampling error are shown as a single figure rather than a trend.

Outlook for plumbers in Alabama

+7.4%Projected growth in Alabama2024–2034, state agency
880Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
9,610Jobs in 202410,330 projected for 2034
+6.8%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Alabama's labor market agency projects the number of plumbers in the state to change by +7.4% between 2024 and 2034, from 9,610 to 10,330, with about 880 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +6.8% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 6,950 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: Alabama labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).

Union scale and prevailing wage for plumbers in Alabama

On federally funded construction in Alabama, contractors must pay plumbers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 53 of the 67 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $48.71 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $19.33). 14 of the 67 counties still use a survey rate dated 2017 or earlier (for example Bibb County at $19.33). The market median for the state is $28.21.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, ALAutauga: $48.71 (union)Baldwin: $48.71 (union)Barbour: $48.71 (union)Bibb: $19.33 (survey)Blount: $19.33 (survey)Bullock: $48.71 (union)Butler: $48.71 (union)Calhoun: $19.33 (survey)Chambers: $52.05 (union)Cherokee: $52.05 (union)Chilton: $19.33 (survey)Choctaw: $48.71 (union)Clarke: $48.71 (union)Clay: $52.05 (union)Cleburne: $52.05 (union)Coffee: $48.71 (union)Colbert: $51.83 (union)Conecuh: $48.71 (union)Coosa: $52.05 (union)Covington: $48.71 (union)Crenshaw: $48.71 (union)Cullman: $48.71 (union)Dale: $48.71 (union)Dallas: $48.71 (union)DeKalb: $52.05 (union)Elmore: $48.71 (union)Escambia: $48.71 (union)Etowah: $19.33 (survey)Fayette: $48.71 (union)Franklin: $48.71 (union)Geneva: $48.71 (union)Greene: $48.71 (union)Hale: $19.33 (survey)Henry: $48.71 (union)Houston: $48.71 (union)Jackson: $52.05 (union)Jefferson: $19.33 (survey)Lamar: $48.71 (union)Lauderdale: $51.83 (union)Lawrence: $51.83 (union)Lee: $48.71 (union)Limestone: $24.82 (survey)Lowndes: $48.71 (union)Macon: $48.71 (union)Madison: $24.82 (survey)Marengo: $48.71 (union)Marion: $48.71 (union)Marshall: $52.05 (union)Mobile: $48.71 (union)Monroe: $48.71 (union)Montgomery: $48.71 (union)Morgan: $51.83 (union)Perry: $48.71 (union)Pickens: $19.33 (survey)Pike: $48.71 (union)Randolph: $52.05 (union)Russell: $48.71 (union)St. Clair: $19.33 (survey)Shelby: $19.33 (survey)Sumter: $48.71 (union)Talladega: $52.05 (union)Tallapoosa: $52.05 (union)Tuscaloosa: $19.33 (survey)Walker: $19.33 (survey)Washington: $48.71 (union)Wilcox: $48.71 (union)Winston: $48.71 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$29.60$48.71$51.83survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for plumbers by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)Prevailing (survey)$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrRussell (Columbus): market median $22.79, prevailing (union) $48.71, gap +$25.92Russell (Columbus)+$25.92Geneva (Dothan): market median $23.59, prevailing (union) $48.71, gap +$25.12Geneva (Dothan)+$25.12Lee (Auburn): market median $24.79, prevailing (union) $48.71, gap +$23.92Lee (Auburn)+$23.92Lawrence (Decatur): market median $28.81, prevailing (union) $51.83, gap +$23.02Lawrence (Decatur)+$23.02Colbert (Florence): market median $29.13, prevailing (union) $51.83, gap +$22.70Colbert (Florence)+$22.70Baldwin (Daphne): market median $27.44, prevailing (union) $48.71, gap +$21.27Baldwin (Daphne)+$21.27Autauga (Montgomery): market median $27.87, prevailing (union) $48.71, gap +$20.84Autauga (Montgomery)+$20.84Mobile (Mobile): market median $28.56, prevailing (union) $48.71, gap +$20.15Mobile (Mobile)+$20.15Greene (Tuscaloosa): market median $28.62, prevailing (union) $48.71, gap +$20.09Greene (Tuscaloosa)+$20.09Limestone (Huntsville): market median $27.42, prevailing (survey) $24.82, gap −$2.60Limestone (Huntsville)−$2.60Etowah (Gadsden): market median $22.76, prevailing (survey) $19.33, gap −$3.43Etowah (Gadsden)−$3.43Calhoun (Anniston): market median $27.33, prevailing (survey) $19.33, gap −$8.00Calhoun (Anniston)−$8.00Bibb (Birmingham): market median $28.89, prevailing (survey) $19.33, gap −$9.56Bibb (Birmingham)−$9.56
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for plumbers, metro counties in Alabama.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
ChambersUnion PLUM0372-001 2025-07-01$36.10$15.95$52.05AL20260079
CherokeeUnion PLUM0372-001 2025-07-01$36.10$15.95$52.05AL20260079
ClayUnion PLUM0372-001 2025-07-01$36.10$15.95$52.05AL20260079
CleburneUnion PLUM0372-001 2025-07-01$36.10$15.95$52.05AL20260079
CoosaUnion PLUM0372-001 2025-07-01$36.10$15.95$52.05AL20260079
DeKalbUnion PLUM0372-001 2025-07-01$36.10$15.95$52.05AL20260079
JacksonUnion PLUM0372-001 2025-07-01$36.10$15.95$52.05AL20260079
MarshallUnion PLUM0372-001 2025-07-01$36.10$15.95$52.05AL20260076
RandolphUnion PLUM0372-001 2025-07-01$36.10$15.95$52.05AL20260079
TalladegaUnion PLUM0372-001 2025-07-01$36.10$15.95$52.05AL20260077
TallapoosaUnion PLUM0372-001 2025-07-01$36.10$15.95$52.05AL20260079
ColbertUnion PLUM0760-004 2025-01-01$32.50$19.33$51.83AL20260100
LauderdaleUnion PLUM0760-004 2025-01-01$32.50$19.33$51.83AL20260100
LawrenceUnion PLUM0760-004 2025-01-01$32.50$19.33$51.83AL20260088
MorganUnion PLUM0760-004 2025-01-01$32.50$19.33$51.83AL20260094

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Alabama prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Alabama?

113.8kConstruction jobsAlabama, 2026-09
+2.6%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202660k80k100k120k19901995200020052010201520202025114kSep 2026
Construction employment in Alabama (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Contractor pay by county

Average pay at plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors establishments by county (all employees, not just plumbers), from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages. Across the 57 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 44,698 in 2015 to 62,190 in 2025, +39.1%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Jefferson County2813,486$82,619$1,589
Montgomery County66942$80,917$1,556
Mobile County1792,421$79,111$1,521
Shelby County1111,098$77,131$1,483
Lauderdale County39680$75,453$1,451
Morgan County64687$74,931$1,441
Franklin County1040$71,058$1,366
Madison County1531,486$70,148$1,349
Limestone County54512$69,230$1,331
Hale County6122$68,934$1,326
Elmore County46268$68,137$1,310
Cullman County54362$64,152$1,234

Keep comparing

Plumber pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Alabama

More on Alabama

Questions this page answers

How much do plumbers make in Alabama?

The median plumber in Alabama earned $28.21 an hour ($58,670 a year) in May 2025, 8% below the national median of $30.67. The middle half earn $22.63–$31.12; the top 10% earn more than $36.87.

Where does Alabama rank for plumber pay?

Alabama ranks 40th of 51 states for plumber pay, with a median of $28.21 an hour, and 28th after adjusting for Alabama's cost of living (BEA price parity 88.8, US = 100).

What is the union plumber rate in Alabama?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for plumbers in 53 counties, with a typical package of $48.71 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many plumbers work in Alabama?

BLS counted 6,950 plumbers in Alabama in May 2025, 3.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.10; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is plumber work growing in Alabama?

The BLS employer survey count of plumbers in Alabama went from 5,370 in 2015 to 6,950 in 2025, +29.4%, and +3.7% since 2019. Alabama's labor market agency projects +7.4% growth for plumbers between 2024 and 2034, from 9,610 to 10,330 jobs.

How many plumber openings a year are there in Alabama?

Alabama projects about 880 openings a year for plumbers over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 42,000 a year.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Alabama and metro areas, SOC 47-2152. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: Alabama labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.