Skilled Wages

Plumber salary in Kansas

Median $31.36 an hour for 4,590 plumbers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$31.36/hrMedian hourly wageKansas, May data
$65,220/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$18.81 – $52.5410th to 90th percentilehourly range
4,590Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Plumber pay in Kansas: the full range

Wage percentiles, KansasMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrKansas: 10th $18.81 · 25th $23.67 · median $31.36 · 75th $40.80 · 90th $52.54Kansas$31.36$18.81$52.54United States: 10th $21.22 · 25th $24.13 · median $30.67 · 75th $40.92 · 90th $52.13United States$30.67
Hourly wage percentiles for plumbers: Kansas vs United States, May 2025.

Kansas ranks 22nd of 51 states for median plumber pay, and 16th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $34.81). 4,590 plumbers work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.8× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$18.81 – $23.67$39,130 – $49,230roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$23.67 – $40.80$49,230 – $84,870the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$40.80 – $52.54$84,870 – $109,290the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Plumber pay by metro in Kansas

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrKansas City: $36.61Kansas City$36.61Topeka: $36.10Topeka$36.10St. Joseph: $32.83St. Joseph$32.83Joplin: $30.95Joplin$30.95Wichita: $29.30Wichita$29.30Manhattan: $29.13Manhattan$29.13Lawrence: $28.50Lawrence$28.50
Median hourly wage for plumbers by metro area in Kansas, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Kansas City$22.50$36.61$39.58$59.053,74017% above
Topeka$22.00$36.10$40.65$45.7342015% above
St. Joseph$22.91$32.83$38.00$56.052005% above
Joplin$20.29$30.95$36.11$48.861801% below
Wichita$18.41$29.30$32.96$45.021,0607% below
Manhattan$20.96$29.13$32.29$47.282007% below
Lawrence$17.71$28.50$31.60$51.261309% below

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

Plumber wages in Kansas over time

Kansas, 1999-2025KansasUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$31.36Kansas$30.67United States
Median hourly wage for plumbers, Kansas vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearKansas $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$16.27$31.44$17.414,440
2000$17.28$32.31$18.194,940
2001$18.02$32.76$18.614,420
2002$19.46$34.82$19.314,000
2003$19.73$34.52$19.693,650
2004$21.90$37.32$19.854,240
2005$20.05$33.05$20.274,210
2006$21.15$33.78$20.564,100
2007$20.33$31.57$21.203,540
2008$20.66$30.89$21.943,970
2009$20.15$30.24$22.273,830
2010$21.24$31.36$22.433,840
2011$22.63$32.39$22.964,040
2012$22.56$31.63$23.624,100
2013$22.94$31.70$24.133,790
2014$24.47$33.28$24.363,770
2015$23.74$32.25$24.343,940
2016$22.35$29.98$24.743,870
2017$22.69$29.80$25.284,290
2018$24.55$31.48$25.924,570
2019$25.38$31.96$26.524,330
2020$26.49$32.95$27.083,580
2021$23.42$27.83$28.793,900
2022$24.69$27.16$28.894,090
2023$28.59$30.21$29.594,360
2024$30.20$30.99$30.274,090
2025$31.36$31.36$30.674,590

In today's dollars, the median plumber wage in Kansas changed by -2.7% over the last ten years of data and by -1.9% since 2019.

Are there more plumber jobs in Kansas?

+6.0%Jobs since 20194,330 then, 4,590 in 2025
+16.5%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
3.2Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.1× the US share, 31st of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of plumbers counted in Kansas has changed by +3.4%, against +12.7% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +6.0%.

Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters in Kansas vs United States, 1999 = 100KansasUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages708090100110120200020052010201520202025113United States103Kansas
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Kansas vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearKansas jobsKansas indexUS index
19994,440100100
20004,940111106
20014,420100106
20024,00090106
20033,65082105
20044,24096103
20054,21095102
20064,10092106
20073,54080105
20083,97089106
20093,8308697
20103,8408687
20114,0409184
20124,1009282
20133,7908585
20143,7708590
20153,9408995
20163,87087100
20174,29097104
20184,570103106
20194,33098107
20203,58081101
20213,90088101
20224,09092104
20234,36098106
20244,09092110
20254,590103113

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 Kansas

+4.8%Projected growth in Kansas2024–2034, state agency
390Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
4,480Jobs in 20244,700 projected for 2034
+6.8%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Kansas's labor market agency projects the number of plumbers in the state to change by +4.8% between 2024 and 2034, from 4,480 to 4,700, with about 390 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +6.8% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed and use a different base year, so they do not match the 4,590 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for plumbers in Kansas

On federally funded construction in Kansas, contractors must pay plumbers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 17 of the 105 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $65.84 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $38.64). 88 of the 105 counties still use a survey rate dated 2015 or earlier (for example Allen County at $38.64). The market median for the state is $31.36.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, KSAllen: $38.64 (survey)Anderson: $38.64 (survey)Atchison: $38.64 (survey)Barber: $38.64 (survey)Barton: $38.64 (survey)Bourbon: $38.64 (survey)Brown: $38.64 (survey)Butler: $65.84 (union)Chase: $37.37 (survey)Chautauqua: $38.64 (survey)Cherokee: $38.64 (survey)Cheyenne: $38.64 (survey)Clark: $38.64 (survey)Clay: $38.64 (survey)Cloud: $38.64 (survey)Coffey: $38.64 (survey)Comanche: $38.64 (survey)Cowley: $38.64 (survey)Crawford: $38.64 (survey)Decatur: $38.64 (survey)Dickinson: $38.64 (survey)Doniphan: $48.65 (survey)Douglas: $65.84 (union)Edwards: $38.64 (survey)Elk: $38.64 (survey)Ellis: $38.64 (survey)Ellsworth: $38.64 (survey)Finney: $38.64 (survey)Ford: $38.64 (survey)Franklin: $78.07 (union)Geary: $46.29 (survey)Gove: $38.64 (survey)Graham: $38.64 (survey)Grant: $38.64 (survey)Gray: $38.64 (survey)Greeley: $38.64 (survey)Greenwood: $38.64 (survey)Hamilton: $38.64 (survey)Harper: $38.64 (survey)Harvey: $65.84 (union)Haskell: $38.64 (survey)Hodgeman: $38.64 (survey)Jackson: $65.84 (union)Jefferson: $65.84 (union)Jewell: $38.64 (survey)Johnson: $78.07 (union)Kearny: $38.64 (survey)Kingman: $38.64 (survey)Kiowa: $38.64 (survey)Labette: $38.64 (survey)Lane: $38.64 (survey)Leavenworth: $78.07 (union)Lincoln: $38.64 (survey)Linn: $78.07 (union)Logan: $38.64 (survey)Lyon: $37.37 (survey)McPherson: $38.64 (survey)Marion: $38.64 (survey)Marshall: $38.64 (survey)Meade: $38.64 (survey)Miami: $78.07 (union)Mitchell: $38.64 (survey)Montgomery: $38.64 (survey)Morris: $38.64 (survey)Morton: $38.64 (survey)Nemaha: $38.64 (survey)Neosho: $38.64 (survey)Ness: $38.64 (survey)Norton: $38.64 (survey)Osage: $65.84 (union)Osborne: $38.64 (survey)Ottawa: $37.37 (survey)Pawnee: $38.64 (survey)Phillips: $38.64 (survey)Pottawatomie: $65.84 (union)Pratt: $38.64 (survey)Rawlins: $38.64 (survey)Reno: $38.64 (survey)Republic: $38.64 (survey)Rice: $38.64 (survey)Riley: $65.84 (union)Rooks: $38.64 (survey)Rush: $38.64 (survey)Russell: $38.64 (survey)Saline: $37.37 (survey)Scott: $38.64 (survey)Sedgwick: $29.98 (survey)Seward: $38.64 (survey)Shawnee: $65.84 (union)Sheridan: $38.64 (survey)Sherman: $38.64 (survey)Smith: $38.64 (survey)Stafford: $38.64 (survey)Stanton: $38.64 (survey)Stevens: $38.64 (survey)Sumner: $65.84 (union)Thomas: $38.64 (survey)Trego: $38.64 (survey)Wabaunsee: $65.84 (union)Wallace: $38.64 (survey)Washington: $38.64 (survey)Wichita: $38.64 (survey)Wilson: $38.64 (survey)Woodson: $38.64 (survey)Wyandotte: $78.07 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$38.64survey 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)$20$40$60$80$100/hrJohnson (Kansas City): market median $36.61, prevailing (union) $78.07, gap +$41.46Johnson (Kansas City)+$41.46Douglas (Lawrence): market median $28.50, prevailing (union) $65.84, gap +$37.34Douglas (Lawrence)+$37.34Pottawatomie (Manhattan): market median $29.13, prevailing (union) $65.84, gap +$36.71Pottawatomie (Manhattan)+$36.71Butler (Wichita): market median $29.30, prevailing (union) $65.84, gap +$36.54Butler (Wichita)+$36.54Jackson (Topeka): market median $36.10, prevailing (union) $65.84, gap +$29.74Jackson (Topeka)+$29.74Doniphan (St. Joseph): market median $32.83, prevailing (survey) $48.65, gap +$15.82Doniphan (St. Joseph)+$15.82Cherokee (Joplin): market median $30.95, prevailing (survey) $38.64, gap +$7.69Cherokee (Joplin)+$7.69
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for plumbers, metro counties in Kansas.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
FranklinUnion PLUM0008-020 2023-06-01$54.28$23.79$78.07KS20260060
JohnsonUnion PLUM0008-020 2023-06-01$54.28$23.79$78.07KS20260052
LeavenworthUnion PLUM0008-020 2023-06-01$54.28$23.79$78.07KS20260053
LinnUnion PLUM0008-020 2023-06-01$54.28$23.79$78.07KS20260054
MiamiUnion PLUM0008-020 2023-06-01$54.28$23.79$78.07KS20260060
WyandotteUnion PLUM0008-020 2023-06-01$54.28$23.79$78.07KS20260060
ButlerUnion PLUM0441-013 2025-06-30$45.90$19.94$65.84KS20260046
DouglasUnion PLUM0441-017 2025-06-30$45.90$19.94$65.84KS20260048
HarveyUnion PLUM0441-013 2025-06-30$45.90$19.94$65.84KS20260050
JacksonUnion PLUM0441-017 2025-06-30$45.90$19.94$65.84KS20260061
JeffersonUnion PLUM0441-017 2025-06-30$45.90$19.94$65.84KS20260051
OsageUnion PLUM0441-017 2025-06-30$45.90$19.94$65.84KS20260061
PottawatomieUnion PLUM0441-017 2025-06-30$45.90$19.94$65.84KS20260055
RileyUnion PLUM0441-017 2025-06-30$45.90$19.94$65.84KS20260056
ShawneeUnion PLUM0441-017 2025-06-30$45.90$19.94$65.84KS20260058

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

Is construction work growing in Kansas?

78.5kConstruction jobsKansas, 2026-09
+5.8%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202620k40k60k80k100k1990199520002005201020152020202578kSep 2026
Construction employment in Kansas (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 64 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 36,476 in 2015 to 45,633 in 2025, +25.1%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Johnson County1854,453$103,480$1,990
Wyandotte County541,208$99,535$1,914
Shawnee County57816$79,248$1,524
Riley County18372$73,115$1,406
Sedgwick County1743,015$71,451$1,374
Saline County25374$65,690$1,263
Leavenworth County28258$63,454$1,220
Montgomery County1281$61,404$1,181
Pottawatomie County1280$59,619$1,147
Finney County14125$58,942$1,133
Douglas County40237$58,596$1,127
Ford County1257$57,505$1,106

Keep comparing

Plumber pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Kansas

More on Kansas

Questions this page answers

How much do plumbers make in Kansas?

The median plumber in Kansas earned $31.36 an hour ($65,220 a year) in May 2025, 2% above the national median of $30.67. The middle half earn $23.67–$40.80; the top 10% earn more than $52.54.

Where does Kansas rank for plumber pay?

Kansas ranks 22nd of 51 states for plumber pay, with a median of $31.36 an hour, and 16th after adjusting for Kansas's cost of living (BEA price parity 90.1, US = 100).

What is the union plumber rate in Kansas?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for plumbers in 17 counties, with a typical package of $65.84 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many plumbers work in Kansas?

BLS counted 4,590 plumbers in Kansas in May 2025, 3.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.06; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is plumber work growing in Kansas?

The BLS employer survey count of plumbers in Kansas went from 3,940 in 2015 to 4,590 in 2025, +16.5%, and +6.0% since 2019. Kansas's labor market agency projects +4.8% growth for plumbers between 2024 and 2034, from 4,480 to 4,700 jobs.

How many plumber openings a year are there in Kansas?

Kansas projects about 390 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, Kansas 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: Kansas labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.