Skilled Wages

Plumber salary in Louisiana

Median $30.62 an hour for 8,360 plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$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 2026-09-28

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, pipefitters and steamfitters: 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, pipefitters and steamfitters work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$18.33 – $24.40$38,120 – $50,750roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$24.40 – $35.99$50,750 – $74,870the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$35.99 – $38.24$74,870 – $79,540the 75th–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, pipefitters and steamfitters by metro area in Louisiana, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Baton Rouge$24.00$35.69$38.972,79017% above
Lake Charles$21.97$32.69$38.775607% above
New Orleans$18.86$30.03$38.311,5102% below
Shreveport$17.71$28.71$37.136806% below
Slidell$15.40$28.25$39.513408% below
Lafayette$17.25$27.85$35.966809% below
Hammond$14.50$27.84$36.991109% below
Alexandria$17.00$27.63$36.6016010% below
Monroe$15.79$26.77$36.0424013% below
Houma$18.15$26.56$34.3346013% below

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, pipefitters and steamfitters, 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.

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 2026-09-28. 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?

152.6kConstruction jobsLouisiana, 2026-08
+12.6%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202680k100k120k140k160k180k19901995200020052010201520202025153kAug 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.

CountyEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Orleans Parish475$308,951$5,941
Grant Parish113$90,769$1,746
Iberville Parish100$84,552$1,626
Jackson Parish16$72,470$1,394
East Baton Rouge Parish2,017$71,452$1,374
Webster Parish84$70,126$1,349
Jefferson Parish2,598$68,997$1,327
Caddo Parish1,288$65,766$1,265
St. Tammany Parish1,038$64,644$1,243
Lafayette Parish1,181$61,969$1,192
Jefferson Davis Parish80$61,505$1,183
Tangipahoa Parish441$60,971$1,173

Keep comparing

Plumber pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in 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, pipefitters and steamfitters in Louisiana in May 2025, 4.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.44; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Louisiana and metro areas, SOC 47-2152.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.