Skilled Wages

Plumber salary in Louisiana

Median $30.62 an hour for 8,360 plumbers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$30.62/hrMedian hourly wageLouisiana, May data
$63,680/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$18.33 – $38.2410th to 90th percentilehourly range
8,360Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Plumber pay in Louisiana: the full range

Wage percentiles, LouisianaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrLouisiana: 10th $18.33 · 25th $24.40 · median $30.62 · 75th $35.99 · 90th $38.24Louisiana$30.62$18.33$38.24United States: 10th $21.22 · 25th $24.13 · median $30.67 · 75th $40.92 · 90th $52.13United States$30.67
Hourly wage percentiles for plumbers: Louisiana vs United States, May 2025.

Louisiana ranks 27th of 51 states for median plumber pay, and 17th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $34.72). 8,360 plumbers work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.1× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$18.33 – $24.40$38,120 – $50,750roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$24.40 – $35.99$50,750 – $74,870the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$35.99 – $38.24$74,870 – $79,540the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Plumber pay by metro in Louisiana

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrBaton Rouge: $35.69Baton Rouge$35.69Lake Charles: $32.69Lake Charles$32.69New Orleans: $30.03New Orleans$30.03Shreveport: $28.71Shreveport$28.71Slidell: $28.25Slidell$28.25Lafayette: $27.85Lafayette$27.85Hammond: $27.84Hammond$27.84Alexandria: $27.63Alexandria$27.63Monroe: $26.77Monroe$26.77Houma: $26.56Houma$26.56
Median hourly wage for plumbers by metro area in Louisiana, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Baton Rouge$24.00$35.69$39.31$38.972,79017% above
Lake Charles$21.97$32.69$38.06$38.775607% above
New Orleans$18.86$30.03$32.43$38.311,5102% below
Shreveport$17.71$28.71$33.86$37.136806% below
Slidell$15.40$28.25$30.47$39.513408% below
Lafayette$17.25$27.85$31.94$35.966809% below
Hammond$14.50$27.84$32.95$36.991109% below
Alexandria$17.00$27.63$32.24$36.6016010% below
Monroe$15.79$26.77$32.02$36.0424013% below
Houma$18.15$26.56$31.21$34.3346013% below

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

Plumber wages in Louisiana over time

Louisiana, 1999-2025LouisianaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$30.67United States$30.62Louisiana
Median hourly wage for plumbers, Louisiana vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearLouisiana $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$15.57$30.09$17.4110,000
2000$15.68$29.32$18.1910,360
2001$16.79$30.52$18.6111,160
2002$17.02$30.46$19.319,930
2003$17.36$30.37$19.6910,130
2004$16.96$28.90$19.8510,170
2005$18.03$29.72$20.2710,500
2006$18.87$30.13$20.5611,100
2007$20.34$31.58$21.2011,290
2008$21.06$31.49$21.9410,900
2009$20.78$31.18$22.2710,510
2010$20.50$30.27$22.438,850
2011$20.60$29.48$22.968,280
2012$21.13$29.63$23.627,130
2013$21.40$29.57$24.137,870
2014$21.85$29.71$24.368,470
2015$22.29$30.28$24.349,660
2016$23.80$31.93$24.749,980
2017$25.25$33.16$25.2810,850
2018$26.18$33.57$25.9210,360
2019$26.51$33.38$26.529,830
2020$27.55$34.27$27.088,710
2021$28.55$33.92$28.798,490
2022$29.23$32.16$28.899,230
2023$30.07$31.77$29.597,180
2024$31.12$31.94$30.279,040
2025$30.62$30.62$30.678,360

In today's dollars, the median plumber wage in Louisiana changed by +1.1% over the last ten years of data and by -8.3% since 2019.

Are there more plumber jobs in Louisiana?

-15.0%Jobs since 20199,830 then, 8,360 in 2025
-13.5%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
4.3Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.4× the US share, 1st of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of plumbers counted in Louisiana has changed by -16.4%, against +12.7% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by -15.0%.

Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters in Louisiana vs United States, 1999 = 100LouisianaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages6080100120200020052010201520202025113United States84Louisiana
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Louisiana vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearLouisiana jobsLouisiana indexUS index
199910,000100100
200010,360104106
200111,160112106
20029,93099106
200310,130101105
200410,170102103
200510,500105102
200611,100111106
200711,290113105
200810,900109106
200910,51010597
20108,8508887
20118,2808384
20127,1307182
20137,8707985
20148,4708590
20159,6609795
20169,980100100
201710,850108104
201810,360104106
20199,83098107
20208,71087101
20218,49085101
20229,23092104
20237,18072106
20249,04090110
20258,36084113

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 Louisiana

+5.9%Projected growth in Louisiana2024–2034, state agency
900Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
10,050Jobs in 202410,640 projected for 2034
+6.8%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Louisiana's labor market agency projects the number of plumbers in the state to change by +5.9% between 2024 and 2034, from 10,050 to 10,640, with about 900 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +6.8% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 8,360 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for plumbers in Louisiana

On federally funded construction in Louisiana, contractors must pay plumbers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 61 of the 64 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $46.35 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $32.02). 3 of the 64 counties still use a survey rate dated 2014 or earlier (for example Bossier County at $32.94). The market median for the state is $30.62.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, LAAcadia: $48.92 (union)Allen: $39.89 (union)Ascension: $48.92 (union)Assumption: $39.89 (union)Avoyelles: $39.89 (union)Beauregard: $39.89 (union)Bienville: $46.35 (union)Bossier: $32.94 (survey)Caddo: $46.35 (union)Calcasieu: $48.28 (union)Caldwell: $46.35 (union)Cameron: $48.28 (union)Catahoula: $46.35 (union)Claiborne: $46.35 (union)Concordia: $46.35 (union)De Soto: $46.35 (union)East Baton Rouge: $48.92 (union)East Carroll: $46.35 (union)East Feliciana: $48.92 (union)Evangeline: $39.89 (union)Franklin: $46.35 (union)Grant: $48.28 (union)Iberia: $48.92 (union)Iberville: $48.92 (union)Jackson: $46.35 (union)Jefferson: $52.66 (union)Jefferson Davis: $39.89 (union)Lafayette: $48.92 (union)Lafourche: $48.28 (union)LaSalle: $46.35 (union)Lincoln: $46.35 (union)Livingston: $48.92 (union)Madison: $46.35 (union)Morehouse: $46.35 (union)Natchitoches: $46.35 (union)Orleans: $48.28 (union)Ouachita: $32.02 (survey)Plaquemines: $48.28 (union)Pointe Coupee: $48.92 (union)Rapides: $48.28 (union)Red River: $46.35 (union)Richland: $46.35 (union)Sabine: $46.35 (union)St. Bernard: $48.28 (union)St. Charles: $48.28 (union)St. Helena: $48.92 (union)St. James: $48.28 (union)St. John the Baptist: $48.28 (union)St. Landry: $39.89 (union)St. Martin: $48.92 (union)St. Mary: $39.89 (union)St. Tammany: $48.28 (union)Tangipahoa: $48.28 (union)Tensas: $46.35 (union)Terrebonne: $48.28 (union)Union: $32.02 (survey)Vermilion: $48.92 (union)Vernon: $39.89 (union)Washington: $39.89 (union)Webster: $46.35 (union)West Baton Rouge: $48.92 (union)West Carroll: $46.35 (union)West Feliciana: $48.92 (union)Winn: $46.35 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$43.77$46.35$48.28$48.92survey 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$30$40$50$60/hrJefferson (New Orleans): market median $30.03, prevailing (union) $52.66, gap +$22.63Jefferson (New Orleans)+$22.63Lafourche (Houma): market median $26.56, prevailing (union) $48.28, gap +$21.72Lafourche (Houma)+$21.72Acadia (Lafayette): market median $27.85, prevailing (union) $48.92, gap +$21.07Acadia (Lafayette)+$21.07Grant (Alexandria): market median $27.63, prevailing (union) $48.28, gap +$20.65Grant (Alexandria)+$20.65Tangipahoa (Hammond): market median $27.84, prevailing (union) $48.28, gap +$20.44Tangipahoa (Hammond)+$20.44St. Tammany (Slidell): market median $28.25, prevailing (union) $48.28, gap +$20.03St. Tammany (Slidell)+$20.03Morehouse (Monroe): market median $26.77, prevailing (union) $46.35, gap +$19.58Morehouse (Monroe)+$19.58Caddo (Shreveport): market median $28.71, prevailing (union) $46.35, gap +$17.64Caddo (Shreveport)+$17.64Calcasieu (Lake Charles): market median $32.69, prevailing (union) $48.28, gap +$15.59Calcasieu (Lake Charles)+$15.59Ascension (Baton Rouge): market median $35.69, prevailing (union) $48.92, gap +$13.23Ascension (Baton Rouge)+$13.23
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for plumbers, metro counties in Louisiana.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
JeffersonUnion PLUM0060-010 2025-06-02$34.87$17.79$52.66LA20260038
AcadiaUnion PLUM0198-004 2022-12-08$32.42$16.50$48.92LA20260029
AscensionUnion PLUM0198-004 2022-12-08$32.42$16.50$48.92LA20260049
East Baton RougeUnion PLUM0198-004 2022-12-08$32.42$16.50$48.92LA20260035
East FelicianaUnion PLUM0198-004 2022-12-08$32.42$16.50$48.92LA20260050
IberiaUnion PLUM0198-004 2022-12-08$32.42$16.50$48.92LA20260036
IbervilleUnion PLUM0198-004 2022-12-08$32.42$16.50$48.92LA20260037
LafayetteUnion PLUM0198-004 2022-12-08$32.42$16.50$48.92LA20260039
LivingstonUnion PLUM0198-004 2022-12-08$32.42$16.50$48.92LA20260050
Pointe CoupeeUnion PLUM0198-004 2022-12-08$32.42$16.50$48.92LA20260050
St. HelenaUnion PLUM0198-004 2022-12-08$32.42$16.50$48.92LA20260049
St. MartinUnion PLUM0198-004 2022-12-08$32.42$16.50$48.92LA20260053
VermilionUnion PLUM0198-004 2022-12-08$32.42$16.50$48.92LA20260053
West Baton RougeUnion PLUM0198-004 2022-12-08$32.42$16.50$48.92LA20260050
West FelicianaUnion PLUM0198-004 2022-12-08$32.42$16.50$48.92LA20260050

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

Is construction work growing in Louisiana?

153.5kConstruction jobsLouisiana, 2026-09
+13.5%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202680k100k120k140k160k180k19901995200020052010201520202025154kSep 2026
Construction employment in Louisiana (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 51 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 67,056 in 2015 to 63,797 in 2025, -4.9%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Orleans Parish62475$308,951$5,941
Grant Parish10113$90,769$1,746
Iberville Parish9100$84,552$1,626
Jackson Parish416$72,470$1,394
East Baton Rouge Parish1962,017$71,452$1,374
Webster Parish1284$70,126$1,349
Jefferson Parish2702,598$68,997$1,327
Caddo Parish1081,288$65,766$1,265
St. Tammany Parish1841,038$64,644$1,243
Lafayette Parish1291,181$61,969$1,192
Jefferson Davis Parish1080$61,505$1,183
Tangipahoa Parish56441$60,971$1,173

Keep comparing

Plumber pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Louisiana

More on Louisiana

Questions this page answers

How much do plumbers make in Louisiana?

The median plumber in Louisiana earned $30.62 an hour ($63,680 a year) in May 2025, about the same as the national median of $30.67. The middle half earn $24.40–$35.99; the top 10% earn more than $38.24.

Where does Louisiana rank for plumber pay?

Louisiana ranks 27th of 51 states for plumber pay, with a median of $30.62 an hour, and 17th after adjusting for Louisiana's cost of living (BEA price parity 88.2, US = 100).

What is the union plumber rate in Louisiana?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for plumbers in 61 counties, with a typical package of $46.35 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many plumbers work in Louisiana?

BLS counted 8,360 plumbers in Louisiana in May 2025, 4.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.44; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is plumber work growing in Louisiana?

The BLS employer survey count of plumbers in Louisiana went from 9,660 in 2015 to 8,360 in 2025, -13.5%, and -15.0% since 2019. Louisiana's labor market agency projects +5.9% growth for plumbers between 2024 and 2034, from 10,050 to 10,640 jobs.

How many plumber openings a year are there in Louisiana?

Louisiana projects about 900 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, Louisiana 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: Louisiana labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.