Plumber salary in Alaska
Median $45.15 an hour for 1,200 plumbers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Plumber pay in Alaska: the full range
Alaska ranks 5th of 51 states for median plumber pay, and 5th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $44.09). 1,200 plumbers work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.3× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $25.83 – $35.40 | $53,730 – $73,640 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $35.40 – $49.44 | $73,640 – $102,820 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $49.44 – $58.97 | $102,820 – $122,660 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Plumber pay by metro in Alaska
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks | $29.61 | $46.48 | $45.04 | $58.24 | 200 | 3% above |
| Anchorage | $25.83 | $45.00 | $42.69 | $56.15 | 640 | about the same as |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Plumber wages in Alaska over time
Table
| Year | Alaska $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $29.89 | $57.76 | $17.41 | 1,080 |
| 2000 | $27.30 | $51.04 | $18.19 | 1,010 |
| 2001 | $26.51 | $48.19 | $18.61 | 1,340 |
| 2002 | $28.45 | $50.91 | $19.31 | 1,300 |
| 2003 | $27.55 | $48.20 | $19.69 | 1,340 |
| 2004 | $27.12 | $46.22 | $19.85 | 1,430 |
| 2005 | $27.58 | $45.46 | $20.27 | 1,370 |
| 2006 | $28.51 | $45.53 | $20.56 | 1,240 |
| 2007 | $29.76 | $46.21 | $21.20 | 1,400 |
| 2008 | $31.76 | $47.49 | $21.94 | 1,530 |
| 2009 | $32.63 | $48.97 | $22.27 | 1,840 |
| 2010 | $34.58 | $51.05 | $22.43 | 1,980 |
| 2011 | $34.14 | $48.86 | $22.96 | 1,620 |
| 2012 | $34.75 | $48.73 | $23.62 | 1,650 |
| 2013 | $35.92 | $49.64 | $24.13 | 1,630 |
| 2014 | $34.24 | $46.56 | $24.36 | 1,810 |
| 2015 | $33.46 | $45.45 | $24.34 | 1,970 |
| 2016 | $33.48 | $44.91 | $24.74 | 1,770 |
| 2017 | $34.83 | $45.75 | $25.28 | 1,260 |
| 2018 | $35.85 | $45.96 | $25.92 | 1,020 |
| 2019 | $38.02 | $47.88 | $26.52 | 1,060 |
| 2020 | $42.31 | $52.63 | $27.08 | 1,130 |
| 2021 | $37.98 | $45.12 | $28.79 | 940 |
| 2022 | $40.45 | $44.50 | $28.89 | 810 |
| 2023 | $39.26 | $41.48 | $29.59 | 960 |
| 2024 | $39.95 | $41.00 | $30.27 | 870 |
| 2025 | $45.15 | $45.15 | $30.67 | 1,200 |
In today's dollars, the median plumber wage in Alaska changed by -0.7% over the last ten years of data and by -5.7% since 2019.
Are there more plumber jobs in Alaska?
BLS counted 1,200 plumbers in Alaska in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 10%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.
Outlook for plumbers in Alaska
Alaska's labor market agency projects the number of plumbers in the state to change by -0.7% between 2024 and 2034, from 1,260 to 1,250, with about 100 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +6.8% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 1,200 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Alaska labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Union scale and prevailing wage for plumbers in Alaska
On federally funded construction in Alaska, contractors must pay plumbers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 30 of the 30 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $83.20 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $45.15.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aleutians East | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Aleutians West | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Anchorage | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Bethel | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Bristol Bay | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Chugach | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Copper River | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Denali | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Dillingham | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Fairbanks North Star | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Haines | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Hoonah-Angoon | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Juneau | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Kenai Peninsula | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Ketchikan Gateway | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Kodiak Island | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Kusilvak | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Lake and Peninsula | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Matanuska-Susitna | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Nome | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| North Slope | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Northwest Arctic | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Petersburg | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Prince of Wales-Hyder | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Sitka | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Skagway | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Southeast Fairbanks | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Wrangell | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Yakutat | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
| Yukon-Koyukuk | Union PLUM0367-002 2025-09-01 | $50.00 | $33.20 | $83.20 | AK20260001 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Alaska prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in Alaska?
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 10 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 7,994 in 2015 to 7,572 in 2025, -5.3%.
| County | Establishments | Employees | Average annual pay | Avg weekly wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage Municipality | 86 | 983 | $97,706 | $1,879 |
| Ketchikan Gateway Borough | 4 | 37 | $90,608 | $1,742 |
| Matanuska-Susitna Borough | 56 | 362 | $81,355 | $1,565 |
| Juneau City and Borough | 17 | 103 | $75,851 | $1,459 |
Keep comparing
Plumber pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Alaska
- Electrician
- HVAC technician
- Lineman
- Welder
- Carpenter
- Diesel mechanic
- Crane operator
- Heavy equipment operator
More on Alaska
Questions this page answers
How much do plumbers make in Alaska?
The median plumber in Alaska earned $45.15 an hour ($93,920 a year) in May 2025, 47% above the national median of $30.67. The middle half earn $35.40–$49.44; the top 10% earn more than $58.97.
Where does Alaska rank for plumber pay?
Alaska ranks 5th of 51 states for plumber pay, with a median of $45.15 an hour, and 5th after adjusting for Alaska's cost of living (BEA price parity 102.4, US = 100).
What is the union plumber rate in Alaska?
Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for plumbers in 30 counties, with a typical package of $83.20 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.
How many plumbers work in Alaska?
BLS counted 1,200 plumbers in Alaska in May 2025, 3.7 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.23; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is plumber work growing in Alaska?
Alaska's labor market agency projects -0.7% growth for plumbers between 2024 and 2034, from 1,260 to 1,250 jobs.
How many plumber openings a year are there in Alaska?
Alaska projects about 100 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, Alaska 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: Alaska labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.