Skilled Wages

Plumber salary in Indiana

Median $36.69 an hour for 11,280 plumbers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$36.69/hrMedian hourly wageIndiana, May data
$76,320/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$22.54 – $49.2910th to 90th percentilehourly range
11,280Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-13

Plumber pay in Indiana: the full range

Wage percentiles, IndianaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrIndiana: 10th $22.54 · 25th $27.89 · median $36.69 · 75th $46.52 · 90th $49.29Indiana$36.69$22.54$49.29United States: 10th $21.22 · 25th $24.13 · median $30.67 · 75th $40.92 · 90th $52.13United States$30.67
Hourly wage percentiles for plumbers: Indiana vs United States, May 2025.

Indiana ranks 16th of 51 states for median plumber pay, and 10th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $39.32). 11,280 plumbers work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.2× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$22.54 – $27.89$46,890 – $58,010roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$27.89 – $46.52$58,010 – $96,760the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$46.52 – $49.29$96,760 – $102,520the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Plumber pay by metro in Indiana

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrChicago: $49.70Chicago$49.70Bloomington: $46.63Bloomington$46.63Kokomo: $43.98Kokomo$43.98Terre Haute: $43.39Terre Haute$43.39Columbus: $41.31Columbus$41.31Michigan City: $39.52Michigan City$39.52Fort Wayne: $37.07Fort Wayne$37.07Indianapolis: $37.01Indianapolis$37.01Louisville: $35.91Louisville$35.91South Bend: $35.67South Bend$35.67Evansville: $35.19Evansville$35.19Cincinnati: $31.33Cincinnati$31.33
Median hourly wage for plumbers by metro area in Indiana, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Chicago$25.94$49.70$47.97$61.1512,75035% above
Bloomington$23.36$46.63$49.03$47.4732027% above
Kokomo$24.24$43.98$49.08$46.4740020% above
Terre Haute$22.17$43.39$49.42$48.0742018% above
Columbus$23.75$41.31$44.42$46.6710013% above
Michigan City$23.09$39.52$43.10$47.41908% above
Fort Wayne$23.01$37.07$40.03$49.291,1601% above
Indianapolis$22.47$37.01$38.67$49.224,0101% above
Louisville$23.20$35.91$38.57$45.642,7802% below
South Bend$22.32$35.67$38.40$47.624903% below
Evansville$21.95$35.19$38.46$47.325604% below
Cincinnati$22.52$31.33$32.84$48.943,64015% below
Muncie$22.73$31.15$35.36$40.585015% below
Elkhart$21.84$31.12$34.46$50.0340015% below
Lafayette$21.54$30.19$32.32$48.2432018% below

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

Plumber wages in Indiana over time

Indiana, 1999-2025IndianaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$36.69Indiana$30.67United States
Median hourly wage for plumbers, Indiana vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearIndiana $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$19.24$37.18$17.4110,940
2000$22.11$41.34$18.1912,300
2001$22.46$40.83$18.6112,040
2002$22.08$39.51$19.3111,400
2003$23.92$41.85$19.6911,460
2004$24.91$42.45$19.8512,190
2005$24.49$40.37$20.2711,710
2006$24.63$39.33$20.5612,590
2007$24.41$37.90$21.2011,090
2008$25.10$37.53$21.9412,420
2009$24.11$36.18$22.2710,690
2010$23.98$35.40$22.439,790
2011$24.45$34.99$22.9610,180
2012$27.12$38.03$23.6210,880
2013$25.63$35.42$24.1311,090
2014$26.93$36.62$24.3610,540
2015$27.90$37.90$24.3410,470
2016$27.30$36.62$24.7410,120
2017$28.98$38.06$25.2811,540
2018$27.89$35.76$25.9210,730
2019$28.63$36.05$26.5211,630
2020$27.07$33.67$27.0810,510
2021$29.51$35.06$28.7911,070
2022$32.83$36.12$28.8912,090
2023$31.20$32.97$29.5911,040
2024$31.04$31.86$30.2711,620
2025$36.69$36.69$30.6711,280

In today's dollars, the median plumber wage in Indiana changed by -3.2% over the last ten years of data and by +1.8% since 2019.

Are there more plumber jobs in Indiana?

-3.0%Jobs since 201911,630 then, 11,280 in 2025
+7.7%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
3.5Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.2× the US share, 18th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of plumbers counted in Indiana has changed by +3.1%, against +12.7% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by -3.0%.

Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters in Indiana vs United States, 1999 = 100IndianaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages708090100110120200020052010201520202025113United States103Indiana
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Indiana vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearIndiana jobsIndiana indexUS index
199910,940100100
200012,300112106
200112,040110106
200211,400104106
200311,460105105
200412,190111103
200511,710107102
200612,590115106
200711,090101105
200812,420114106
200910,6909897
20109,7909087
201110,1809384
201210,88010082
201311,09010185
201410,5409690
201510,4709695
201610,12092100
201711,540106104
201810,73098106
201911,630106107
202010,51096101
202111,070101101
202212,090110104
202311,040101106
202411,620106110
202511,280103113

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 Indiana

+5.3%Projected growth in Indiana2024–2034, state agency
1,100Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
12,410Jobs in 202413,070 projected for 2034
+6.8%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Indiana's labor market agency projects the number of plumbers in the state to change by +5.3% between 2024 and 2034, from 12,410 to 13,070, with about 1,100 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +6.8% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 11,280 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for plumbers in Indiana

On federally funded construction in Indiana, contractors must pay plumbers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 88 of the 92 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $70.44 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $18.98). 4 of the 92 counties still use a survey rate dated 1996 or earlier (for example Jackson County at $21.12). The market median for the state is $36.69.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, INAdams: $70.44 (union)Allen: $70.44 (union)Bartholomew: $70.44 (union)Benton: $70.44 (union)Blackford: $70.44 (union)Boone: $70.44 (union)Brown: $70.44 (union)Carroll: $70.44 (union)Cass: $70.44 (union)Clark: $70.44 (union)Clay: $68.60 (union)Clinton: $70.44 (union)Crawford: $45.96 (union)Daviess: $45.96 (union)Dearborn: $70.44 (union)Decatur: $70.44 (union)DeKalb: $70.44 (union)Delaware: $70.44 (union)Dubois: $45.96 (union)Elkhart: $68.22 (union)Fayette: $70.44 (union)Floyd: $70.44 (union)Fountain: $70.44 (union)Franklin: $70.44 (union)Fulton: $70.44 (union)Gibson: $68.60 (union)Grant: $70.44 (union)Greene: $68.60 (union)Hamilton: $70.44 (union)Hancock: $70.44 (union)Harrison: $70.44 (union)Hendricks: $70.44 (union)Henry: $70.44 (union)Howard: $70.44 (union)Huntington: $70.44 (union)Jackson: $21.12 (survey)Jasper: $68.22 (union)Jay: $70.44 (union)Jefferson: $16.85 (survey)Jennings: $70.44 (union)Johnson: $70.44 (union)Knox: $70.10 (union)Kosciusko: $68.22 (union)LaGrange: $68.22 (union)Lake: $78.33 (union)LaPorte: $78.33 (union)Lawrence: $67.75 (union)Madison: $70.44 (union)Marion: $70.44 (union)Marshall: $68.22 (union)Martin: $45.96 (union)Miami: $70.44 (union)Monroe: $70.44 (union)Montgomery: $70.44 (union)Morgan: $70.44 (union)Newton: $68.22 (union)Noble: $70.44 (union)Ohio: $70.44 (union)Orange: $67.75 (union)Owen: $68.60 (union)Parke: $68.60 (union)Perry: $45.96 (union)Pike: $45.96 (union)Porter: $78.33 (union)Posey: $68.60 (union)Pulaski: $68.22 (union)Putnam: $68.60 (union)Randolph: $70.44 (union)Ripley: $70.44 (union)Rush: $70.44 (union)St. Joseph: $78.33 (union)Scott: $16.85 (survey)Shelby: $70.44 (union)Spencer: $21.33 (survey)Starke: $68.22 (union)Steuben: $70.44 (union)Sullivan: $68.60 (union)Switzerland: $70.44 (union)Tippecanoe: $70.44 (union)Tipton: $70.44 (union)Union: $70.44 (union)Vanderburgh: $68.60 (union)Vermillion: $68.60 (union)Vigo: $68.60 (union)Wabash: $70.44 (union)Warren: $70.44 (union)Warrick: $68.60 (union)Washington: $67.75 (union)Wayne: $70.44 (union)Wells: $70.44 (union)White: $70.44 (union)Whitley: $70.44 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$68.22$70.44survey 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)$20$40$60$80$100/hrSt. Joseph (South Bend): market median $35.67, prevailing (union) $78.33, gap +$42.66St. Joseph (South Bend)+$42.66Benton (Lafayette): market median $30.19, prevailing (union) $70.44, gap +$40.25Benton (Lafayette)+$40.25Delaware (Muncie): market median $31.15, prevailing (union) $70.44, gap +$39.29Delaware (Muncie)+$39.29Dearborn (Cincinnati): market median $31.33, prevailing (union) $70.44, gap +$39.11Dearborn (Cincinnati)+$39.11LaPorte (Michigan City): market median $39.52, prevailing (union) $78.33, gap +$38.81LaPorte (Michigan City)+$38.81Elkhart (Elkhart): market median $31.12, prevailing (union) $68.22, gap +$37.10Elkhart (Elkhart)+$37.10Clark (Louisville): market median $35.91, prevailing (union) $70.44, gap +$34.53Clark (Louisville)+$34.53Boone (Indianapolis): market median $37.01, prevailing (union) $70.44, gap +$33.43Boone (Indianapolis)+$33.43Posey (Evansville): market median $35.19, prevailing (union) $68.60, gap +$33.41Posey (Evansville)+$33.41Allen (Fort Wayne): market median $37.07, prevailing (union) $70.44, gap +$33.37Allen (Fort Wayne)+$33.37Bartholomew (Columbus): market median $41.31, prevailing (union) $70.44, gap +$29.13Bartholomew (Columbus)+$29.13Lake (Chicago): market median $49.70, prevailing (union) $78.33, gap +$28.63Lake (Chicago)+$28.63Howard (Kokomo): market median $43.98, prevailing (union) $70.44, gap +$26.46Howard (Kokomo)+$26.46Clay (Terre Haute): market median $43.39, prevailing (union) $68.60, gap +$25.21Clay (Terre Haute)+$25.21Monroe (Bloomington): market median $46.63, prevailing (union) $70.44, gap +$23.81Monroe (Bloomington)+$23.81
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for plumbers, metro counties in Indiana.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
LakeUnion PLUM0210-001 2025-06-01$49.77$28.56$78.33IN20260001
LaPorteUnion PLUM0210-001 2025-06-01$49.77$28.56$78.33IN20260001
PorterUnion PLUM0210-001 2025-06-01$49.77$28.56$78.33IN20260001
St. JosephUnion PLUM0210-001 2025-06-01$49.77$28.56$78.33IN20260001
AdamsUnion PLUM0440-003 2025-06-04$50.05$20.39$70.44IN20260002
AllenUnion PLUM0440-003 2025-06-04$50.05$20.39$70.44IN20260002
BartholomewUnion PLUM0440-003 2025-06-04$50.05$20.39$70.44IN20260002
BentonUnion PLUM0440-003 2025-06-04$50.05$20.39$70.44IN20260002
BlackfordUnion PLUM0440-003 2025-06-04$50.05$20.39$70.44IN20260002
BooneUnion PLUM0440-003 2025-06-04$50.05$20.39$70.44IN20260002
BrownUnion PLUM0440-004 2025-06-01$50.05$20.39$70.44IN20260004
CarrollUnion PLUM0440-003 2025-06-04$50.05$20.39$70.44IN20260002
CassUnion PLUM0440-003 2025-06-04$50.05$20.39$70.44IN20260002
ClarkUnion PLUM0440-004 2025-06-01$50.05$20.39$70.44IN20260004
ClintonUnion PLUM0440-003 2025-06-04$50.05$20.39$70.44IN20260002

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Indiana prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Indiana?

185.6kConstruction jobsIndiana, 2026-09
+2.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025186kSep 2026
Construction employment in Indiana (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 87 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 77,698 in 2015 to 107,611 in 2025, +38.5%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Allen County1353,190$99,648$1,916
Cass County12472$97,002$1,865
Vigo County28560$94,399$1,815
Marion County2706,858$90,649$1,743
Lake County1641,918$88,982$1,711
Hamilton County871,335$87,929$1,691
Whitley County13142$86,191$1,658
Howard County30553$86,075$1,655
LaPorte County38359$84,334$1,622
Monroe County331,075$83,662$1,609
Johnson County872,026$82,856$1,593
Montgomery County14133$80,972$1,557

Keep comparing

Plumber pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Indiana

More on Indiana

Questions this page answers

How much do plumbers make in Indiana?

The median plumber in Indiana earned $36.69 an hour ($76,320 a year) in May 2025, 20% above the national median of $30.67. The middle half earn $27.89–$46.52; the top 10% earn more than $49.29.

Where does Indiana rank for plumber pay?

Indiana ranks 16th of 51 states for plumber pay, with a median of $36.69 an hour, and 10th after adjusting for Indiana's cost of living (BEA price parity 93.3, US = 100).

What is the union plumber rate in Indiana?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for plumbers in 88 counties, with a typical package of $70.44 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many plumbers work in Indiana?

BLS counted 11,280 plumbers in Indiana in May 2025, 3.5 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.18; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is plumber work growing in Indiana?

The BLS employer survey count of plumbers in Indiana went from 10,470 in 2015 to 11,280 in 2025, +7.7%, and -3.0% since 2019. Indiana's labor market agency projects +5.3% growth for plumbers between 2024 and 2034, from 12,410 to 13,070 jobs.

How many plumber openings a year are there in Indiana?

Indiana projects about 1,100 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, Indiana 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 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: Indiana labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.