Skilled Wages

Plumber salary in New York

Median $37.26 an hour for 23,210 plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$37.26/hrMedian hourly wageNew York, May data
$77,490/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$22.18 – $62.7010th to 90th percentilehourly range
23,210Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Plumber pay in New York: the full range

Wage percentiles, New YorkMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60$80/hrNew York: 10th $22.18 · 25th $28.83 · median $37.26 · 75th $48.67 · 90th $62.70New York$37.26$22.18$62.70United 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: New York vs United States, May 2025.

New York ranks 13th of 51 states for median plumber pay, and 19th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $34.53). 23,210 plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$22.18 – $28.83$46,130 – $59,960roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$28.83 – $48.67$59,960 – $101,230the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$48.67 – $62.70$101,230 – $130,420the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Plumber pay by metro in New York

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrBinghamton: $42.30Binghamton$42.30Glens Falls: $39.34Glens Falls$39.34New York City: $37.79New York City$37.79Albany: $37.24Albany$37.24Rochester: $35.38Rochester$35.38Utica: $35.00Utica$35.00Buffalo: $34.73Buffalo$34.73Kingston: $33.75Kingston$33.75Syracuse: $32.23Syracuse$32.23Poughkeepsie: $31.25Poughkeepsie$31.25Elmira: $31.10Elmira$31.10Ithaca: $30.99Ithaca$30.99
Median hourly wage for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters by metro area in New York, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Binghamton$22.03$42.30$58.1328014% above
Glens Falls$21.09$39.34$60.091106% above
New York City$23.02$37.79$69.9421,0401% above
Albany$22.62$37.24$56.041,470about the same as
Rochester$20.95$35.38$48.141,4605% below
Utica$22.04$35.00$50.881406% below
Buffalo$19.38$34.73$50.021,4307% below
Kingston$21.10$33.75$62.891809% below
Syracuse$21.50$32.23$47.8184013% below
Poughkeepsie$18.22$31.25$56.6778016% below
Elmira$21.68$31.10$57.2914017% below
Ithaca$21.03$30.99$57.047017% below
Watertown$18.86$29.56$68.1810021% below

Plumber wages in New York over time

New York, 1999-2025New YorkUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$37.26New York$30.67United States
Median hourly wage for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, New York vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearNew York $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$21.50$41.55$17.4122,420
2000$22.40$41.88$18.1923,520
2001$20.22$36.76$18.6124,850
2002$23.27$41.64$19.31—
2003$25.01$43.76$19.6928,260
2004$24.69$42.08$19.8529,080
2005$27.14$44.74$20.2725,790
2006$25.47$40.67$20.5625,250
2007$26.42$41.02$21.2023,330
2008$25.92$38.76$21.9425,080
2009$26.78$40.19$22.2724,830
2010$26.99$39.85$22.4321,850
2011$30.65$43.87$22.9622,130
2012$31.66$44.39$23.6221,580
2013$32.13$44.40$24.1322,220
2014$32.15$43.72$24.3624,980
2015$31.30$42.52$24.3427,550
2016$33.12$44.43$24.7428,320
2017$34.44$45.23$25.2827,410
2018$32.27$41.37$25.9229,120
2019$31.72$39.94$26.5229,630
2020$31.39$39.05$27.0826,310
2021$36.93$43.88$28.7925,800
2022$36.88$40.57$28.8926,670
2023$37.60$39.73$29.5924,440
2024$37.72$38.71$30.2722,630
2025$37.26$37.26$30.6723,210

In today's dollars, the median plumber wage in New York changed by -12.4% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for plumbers in New York

On federally funded construction in New York, contractors must pay plumbers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 44 of the 62 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $72.00 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $65.08). 2 of the 62 counties still use a survey rate dated 2017 or earlier (for example Jefferson County at $49.75). The market median for the state is $37.26.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, NYAlbany: $63.10 (union)Allegany: $72.00 (union)Bronx: $124.60 (union)Broome: $78.22 (union)Cattaraugus: $72.00 (union)Cayuga: $65.08 (survey)Chautauqua: $72.00 (union)Chemung: $60.08 (union)Chenango: $65.08 (survey)Clinton: $65.08 (survey)Columbia: $65.08 (survey)Cortland: $65.08 (survey)Delaware: $65.08 (survey)Dutchess: $99.77 (union)Erie: $72.00 (union)Essex: $65.08 (survey)Franklin: $65.08 (survey)Fulton: $65.08 (survey)Genesee: $72.00 (union)Greene: $65.08 (survey)Hamilton: $65.08 (survey)Herkimer: $79.70 (union)Jefferson: $49.75 (survey)Kings: $124.60 (union)Lewis: $65.08 (survey)Livingston: $70.56 (union)Madison: $60.08 (union)Monroe: $70.56 (union)Montgomery: $65.08 (survey)Nassau: $71.81 (union)New York: $124.60 (union)Niagara: $72.00 (union)Oneida: $79.70 (union)Onondaga: $60.08 (union)Ontario: $70.56 (union)Orange: $99.77 (union)Orleans: $70.56 (union)Oswego: $60.08 (union)Otsego: $65.08 (survey)Putnam: $110.42 (union)Queens: $124.60 (union)Rensselaer: $63.10 (union)Richmond: $124.60 (union)Rockland: $79.37 (union)St. Lawrence: $65.08 (survey)Saratoga: $63.10 (union)Schenectady: $63.10 (union)Schoharie: $63.10 (union)Schuyler: $72.00 (union)Seneca: $72.00 (union)Steuben: $72.00 (union)Suffolk: $71.81 (union)Sullivan: $65.08 (survey)Tioga: $78.22 (union)Tompkins: $60.08 (union)Ulster: $99.77 (union)Warren: $78.48 (union)Washington: $63.10 (union)Wayne: $70.56 (union)Westchester: $110.42 (union)Wyoming: $72.00 (union)Yates: $39.62 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$63.50$65.08$72.00$79.19survey 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)$0$50$100$150/hrBronx (New York City): market median $37.79, prevailing (union) $124.60, gap +$86.81Bronx (New York City)+$86.81Dutchess (Poughkeepsie): market median $31.25, prevailing (union) $99.77, gap +$68.52Dutchess (Poughkeepsie)+$68.52Ulster (Kingston): market median $33.75, prevailing (union) $99.77, gap +$66.02Ulster (Kingston)+$66.02Herkimer (Utica): market median $35.00, prevailing (union) $79.70, gap +$44.70Herkimer (Utica)+$44.70Warren (Glens Falls): market median $39.34, prevailing (union) $78.48, gap +$39.14Warren (Glens Falls)+$39.14Erie (Buffalo): market median $34.73, prevailing (union) $72.00, gap +$37.27Erie (Buffalo)+$37.27Broome (Binghamton): market median $42.30, prevailing (union) $78.22, gap +$35.92Broome (Binghamton)+$35.92Livingston (Rochester): market median $35.38, prevailing (union) $70.56, gap +$35.18Livingston (Rochester)+$35.18Tompkins (Ithaca): market median $30.99, prevailing (union) $60.08, gap +$29.09Tompkins (Ithaca)+$29.09Chemung (Elmira): market median $31.10, prevailing (union) $60.08, gap +$28.98Chemung (Elmira)+$28.98Madison (Syracuse): market median $32.23, prevailing (union) $60.08, gap +$27.85Madison (Syracuse)+$27.85Albany (Albany): market median $37.24, prevailing (union) $63.10, gap +$25.86Albany (Albany)+$25.86Jefferson (Watertown): market median $29.56, prevailing (survey) $49.75, gap +$20.19Jefferson (Watertown)+$20.19
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for plumbers, metro counties in New York.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BronxUnion PLUM0638-001 2026-01-01$70.36$54.24$124.60NY20260003
KingsUnion PLUM0638-001 2026-01-01$70.36$54.24$124.60NY20260003
New YorkUnion PLUM0638-001 2026-01-01$70.36$54.24$124.60NY20260003
QueensUnion PLUM0638-001 2026-01-01$70.36$54.24$124.60NY20260003
RichmondUnion PLUM0638-001 2026-01-01$70.36$54.24$124.60NY20260003
PutnamUnion PLUM0021-001 2025-05-01$65.07$45.35$110.42NY20260025
WestchesterUnion PLUM0021-003 2025-05-01$65.07$45.35$110.42NY20260017
DutchessUnion PLUM0373-002 2025-05-01$53.20$46.57$99.77NY20260007
OrangeUnion PLUM0373-002 2025-05-01$53.20$46.57$99.77NY20260007
UlsterUnion PLUM0373-002 2025-05-01$53.20$46.57$99.77NY20260007
HerkimerUnion PLUM0112-003 2025-05-01$45.93$33.77$79.70NY20260031
OneidaUnion PLUM0112-005 2025-05-01$45.93$33.77$79.70NY20260013
RocklandUnion PLUM0373-001 2025-05-01$41.99$37.38$79.37NY20260020
WarrenUnion PLUM0773-003 2025-05-01$44.88$33.60$78.48NY20260039
BroomeUnion PLUM0112-010 2025-05-01$44.91$33.31$78.22NY20260004

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the New York prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in New York?

396.0kConstruction jobsNew York, 2026-08
-1.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026100k200k300k400k500k19901995200020052010201520202025396kAug 2026
Construction employment in New York (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
New York County3,359$107,414$2,066
Albany County1,938$103,719$1,995
Saratoga County883$98,334$1,891
Nassau County6,816$97,430$1,874
Queens County8,832$95,571$1,838
Erie County3,822$94,923$1,825
Westchester County4,006$93,445$1,797
Onondaga County2,080$93,044$1,789
Putnam County641$91,645$1,762
Bronx County2,664$91,381$1,757
Suffolk County7,881$87,720$1,687
Ulster County617$85,785$1,650

Keep comparing

Plumber pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in New York

Questions this page answers

How much do plumbers make in New York?

The median plumber in New York earned $37.26 an hour ($77,490 a year) in May 2025, 21% above the national median of $30.67. The middle half earn $28.83–$48.67; the top 10% earn more than $62.70.

Where does New York rank for plumber pay?

New York ranks 13th of 51 states for plumber pay, with a median of $37.26 an hour, and 19th after adjusting for New York's cost of living (BEA price parity 107.9, US = 100).

What is the union plumber rate in New York?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for plumbers in 44 counties, with a typical package of $72.00 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many plumbers work in New York?

BLS counted 23,210 plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters in New York in May 2025, 2.4 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.80; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, New York 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.