Skilled Wages

Plumber salary in Ohio

Median $30.45 an hour for 16,390 plumbers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$30.45/hrMedian hourly wageOhio, May data
$63,330/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$21.86 – $48.7510th to 90th percentilehourly range
16,390Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Plumber pay in Ohio: the full range

Wage percentiles, OhioMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrOhio: 10th $21.86 · 25th $24.06 · median $30.45 · 75th $40.51 · 90th $48.75Ohio$30.45$21.86$48.75United States: 10th $21.22 · 25th $24.13 · median $30.67 · 75th $40.92 · 90th $52.13United States$30.67
Hourly wage percentiles for plumbers: Ohio vs United States, May 2025.

Ohio ranks 29th of 51 states for median plumber pay, and 24th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $32.81). 16,390 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$21.86 – $24.06$45,470 – $50,040roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$24.06 – $40.51$50,040 – $84,260the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$40.51 – $48.75$84,260 – $101,410the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Plumber pay by metro in Ohio

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrToledo: $32.18Toledo$32.18Sandusky: $31.63Sandusky$31.63Cincinnati: $31.33Cincinnati$31.33Weirton: $30.82Weirton$30.82Wheeling: $30.80Wheeling$30.80Akron: $30.50Akron$30.50Columbus: $30.41Columbus$30.41Cleveland: $30.30Cleveland$30.30Dayton: $30.26Dayton$30.26Huntington: $29.88Huntington$29.88Lima: $29.40Lima$29.40Canton: $28.83Canton$28.83
Median hourly wage for plumbers by metro area in Ohio, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Toledo$22.37$32.18$35.17$49.771,1006% above
Sandusky$22.78$31.63$35.42$46.351104% above
Cincinnati$22.52$31.33$32.84$48.943,6403% above
Weirton$17.99$30.82$34.63$41.261001% above
Wheeling$18.97$30.80$34.88$44.701501% above
Akron$21.53$30.50$32.66$47.941,070about the same as
Columbus$19.62$30.41$31.84$49.523,060about the same as
Cleveland$22.27$30.30$32.27$48.673,040about the same as
Dayton$22.44$30.26$32.64$47.691,1301% below
Huntington$18.76$29.88$33.80$41.754602% below
Lima$22.60$29.40$32.78$47.231703% below
Canton$18.80$28.83$32.25$43.484605% below
Mansfield$21.61$28.74$32.33$41.011206% below
Youngstown$18.84$28.69$32.83$45.374106% below
Springfield$21.83$27.91$30.84$37.82908% below

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

Plumber wages in Ohio over time

Ohio, 1999-2025OhioUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$30.67United States$30.45Ohio
Median hourly wage for plumbers, Ohio vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearOhio $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$19.82$38.30$17.4118,800
2000$20.31$37.97$18.1917,360
2001$20.47$37.21$18.6118,550
2002$20.65$36.95$19.3118,700
2003$20.77$36.34$19.6918,410
2004$21.45$36.56$19.8519,180
2005$21.89$36.08$20.2716,660
2006$22.06$35.23$20.5616,250
2007$22.39$34.77$21.2015,530
2008$22.63$33.84$21.9414,000
2009$22.80$34.21$22.2713,210
2010$21.54$31.80$22.4311,400
2011$21.74$31.12$22.9611,210
2012$22.66$31.77$23.6211,640
2013$23.55$32.55$24.1312,390
2014$25.01$34.01$24.3613,000
2015$24.90$33.82$24.3413,500
2016$25.64$34.39$24.7414,070
2017$25.15$33.03$25.2813,720
2018$26.60$34.10$25.9213,700
2019$26.58$33.47$26.5213,330
2020$28.19$35.07$27.0811,530
2021$29.65$35.23$28.7912,430
2022$30.26$33.29$28.8913,520
2023$31.27$33.04$29.5912,780
2024$30.06$30.85$30.2714,490
2025$30.45$30.45$30.6716,390

In today's dollars, the median plumber wage in Ohio changed by -10.0% over the last ten years of data and by -9.0% since 2019.

Are there more plumber jobs in Ohio?

+23.0%Jobs since 201913,330 then, 16,390 in 2025
+21.4%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
3.0Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.0× the US share, 34th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of plumbers counted in Ohio has changed by -12.8%, against +12.7% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +23.0%.

Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters in Ohio vs United States, 1999 = 100OhioUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages406080100120200020052010201520202025113United States87Ohio
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Ohio vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearOhio jobsOhio indexUS index
199918,800100100
200017,36092106
200118,55099106
200218,700100106
200318,41098105
200419,180102103
200516,66089102
200616,25086106
200715,53083105
200814,00074106
200913,2107097
201011,4006187
201111,2106084
201211,6406282
201312,3906685
201413,0006990
201513,5007295
201614,07075100
201713,72073104
201813,70073106
201913,33071107
202011,53061101
202112,43066101
202213,52072104
202312,78068106
202414,49077110
202516,39087113

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 Ohio

+3.1%Projected growth in Ohio2024–2034, state agency
1,380Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
16,140Jobs in 202416,640 projected for 2034
+6.8%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Ohio's labor market agency projects the number of plumbers in the state to change by +3.1% between 2024 and 2034, from 16,140 to 16,640, with about 1,380 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 16,390 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for plumbers in Ohio

On federally funded construction in Ohio, contractors must pay plumbers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 51 of the 88 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $72.33 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $46.77). 37 of the 88 counties still use a survey rate dated 2014 or earlier (for example Ashland County at $51.39). The market median for the state is $30.45.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, OHAdams: $67.45 (union)Allen: $73.57 (union)Ashland: $51.39 (survey)Ashtabula: $74.89 (union)Athens: $67.45 (union)Auglaize: $46.77 (survey)Belmont: $74.62 (union)Brown: $70.70 (union)Butler: $70.70 (union)Carroll: $74.62 (union)Champaign: $46.77 (survey)Clark: $39.23 (survey)Clermont: $70.70 (union)Clinton: $67.45 (union)Columbiana: $51.39 (survey)Coshocton: $72.33 (union)Crawford: $51.39 (survey)Cuyahoga: $74.89 (union)Darke: $70.23 (union)Defiance: $46.77 (survey)Delaware: $32.15 (survey)Erie: $74.89 (union)Fairfield: $32.15 (survey)Fayette: $67.45 (union)Franklin: $32.19 (survey)Fulton: $83.56 (union)Gallia: $67.45 (union)Geauga: $74.89 (union)Greene: $70.23 (union)Guernsey: $72.33 (union)Hamilton: $70.70 (union)Hancock: $46.77 (survey)Hardin: $46.77 (survey)Harrison: $72.33 (union)Henry: $46.77 (survey)Highland: $67.45 (union)Hocking: $67.45 (union)Holmes: $51.39 (survey)Huron: $51.39 (survey)Jackson: $67.45 (union)Jefferson: $74.62 (union)Knox: $51.39 (survey)Lake: $74.89 (union)Lawrence: $74.62 (union)Licking: $32.15 (survey)Logan: $47.35 (survey)Lorain: $68.47 (union)Lucas: $83.56 (union)Madison: $25.33 (survey)Mahoning: $69.80 (union)Marion: $51.39 (survey)Medina: $74.89 (union)Meigs: $67.45 (union)Mercer: $46.77 (survey)Miami: $70.23 (union)Monroe: $73.29 (union)Montgomery: $38.72 (survey)Morgan: $72.33 (union)Morrow: $32.15 (survey)Muskingum: $72.33 (union)Noble: $72.33 (union)Ottawa: $83.56 (union)Paulding: $46.77 (survey)Perry: $72.33 (union)Pickaway: $32.15 (survey)Pike: $67.45 (union)Portage: $42.28 (survey)Preble: $70.23 (union)Putnam: $46.77 (survey)Richland: $32.15 (survey)Ross: $67.45 (union)Sandusky: $51.39 (survey)Scioto: $67.45 (union)Seneca: $51.39 (survey)Shelby: $46.77 (survey)Stark: $74.62 (union)Summit: $42.28 (survey)Trumbull: $69.80 (union)Tuscarawas: $72.33 (union)Union: $32.15 (survey)Van Wert: $46.77 (survey)Vinton: $67.45 (union)Warren: $70.70 (union)Washington: $74.62 (union)Wayne: $51.39 (survey)Williams: $46.77 (survey)Wood: $83.56 (union)Wyandot: $51.39 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$46.77$51.39$69.89$72.91survey 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/hrOttawa (Sandusky): market median $31.63, prevailing (union) $83.56, gap +$51.93Ottawa (Sandusky)+$51.93Fulton (Toledo): market median $32.18, prevailing (union) $83.56, gap +$51.38Fulton (Toledo)+$51.38Carroll (Canton): market median $28.83, prevailing (union) $74.62, gap +$45.79Carroll (Canton)+$45.79Lawrence (Huntington): market median $29.88, prevailing (union) $74.62, gap +$44.74Lawrence (Huntington)+$44.74Ashtabula (Cleveland): market median $30.30, prevailing (union) $74.89, gap +$44.59Ashtabula (Cleveland)+$44.59Allen (Lima): market median $29.40, prevailing (union) $73.57, gap +$44.17Allen (Lima)+$44.17Belmont (Wheeling): market median $30.80, prevailing (union) $74.62, gap +$43.82Belmont (Wheeling)+$43.82Jefferson (Weirton): market median $30.82, prevailing (union) $74.62, gap +$43.80Jefferson (Weirton)+$43.80Perry (Columbus): market median $30.41, prevailing (union) $72.33, gap +$41.92Perry (Columbus)+$41.92Mahoning (Youngstown): market median $28.69, prevailing (union) $69.80, gap +$41.11Mahoning (Youngstown)+$41.11Greene (Dayton): market median $30.26, prevailing (union) $70.23, gap +$39.97Greene (Dayton)+$39.97Brown (Cincinnati): market median $31.33, prevailing (union) $70.70, gap +$39.37Brown (Cincinnati)+$39.37Portage (Akron): market median $30.50, prevailing (survey) $42.28, gap +$11.78Portage (Akron)+$11.78Clark (Springfield): market median $27.91, prevailing (survey) $39.23, gap +$11.32Clark (Springfield)+$11.32Richland (Mansfield): market median $28.74, prevailing (survey) $32.15, gap +$3.41Richland (Mansfield)+$3.41
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for plumbers, metro counties in Ohio.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
FultonUnion PLUM0050-013 2025-06-30$51.00$32.56$83.56OH20260079
LucasUnion PLUM0050-013 2025-06-30$51.00$32.56$83.56OH20260088
OttawaUnion PLUM0050-013 2025-06-30$51.00$32.56$83.56OH20260095
WoodUnion PLUM0050-011 2025-06-30$51.00$32.56$83.56OH20260105
AshtabulaUnion PLUM0055-002 2025-05-05$44.86$30.03$74.89OH20260032
CuyahogaUnion PLUM0055-002 2025-05-05$44.86$30.03$74.89OH20260074
ErieUnion PLUM0055-002 2025-05-05$44.86$30.03$74.89OH20260076
GeaugaUnion PLUM0055-002 2025-05-05$44.86$30.03$74.89OH20260080
LakeUnion PLUM0055-002 2025-05-05$44.86$30.03$74.89OH20260084
MedinaUnion PLUM0055-002 2025-05-05$44.86$30.03$74.89OH20260091
BelmontUnion PLUM0094-005 2025-05-01$47.48$27.14$74.62OH20260069
CarrollUnion PLUM0094-007 2025-05-01$47.48$27.14$74.62OH20260106
JeffersonUnion PLUM0094-005 2025-05-01$47.48$27.14$74.62OH20260083
LawrenceUnion PLUM0094-006 2025-05-01$47.48$27.14$74.62OH20260085
StarkUnion PLUM0094-007 2025-05-01$47.48$27.14$74.62OH20260106

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

Is construction work growing in Ohio?

285.5kConstruction jobsOhio, 2026-09
+6.2%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026100k150k200k250k300k350k19901995200020052010201520202025286kSep 2026
Construction employment in Ohio (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 85 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 125,848 in 2015 to 165,365 in 2025, +31.4%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Franklin County3036,846$94,441$1,816
Darke County17168$88,038$1,693
Hamilton County2425,951$86,254$1,659
Summit County1322,930$85,655$1,647
Cuyahoga County3504,501$85,199$1,638
Wood County41579$84,211$1,619
Butler County961,574$83,959$1,615
Sandusky County18157$83,564$1,607
Portage County37350$82,887$1,594
Shelby County15336$81,392$1,565
Fairfield County63782$80,866$1,555
Miami County47285$79,672$1,532

Keep comparing

Plumber pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Ohio

More on Ohio

Questions this page answers

How much do plumbers make in Ohio?

The median plumber in Ohio earned $30.45 an hour ($63,330 a year) in May 2025, 1% below the national median of $30.67. The middle half earn $24.06–$40.51; the top 10% earn more than $48.75.

Where does Ohio rank for plumber pay?

Ohio ranks 29th of 51 states for plumber pay, with a median of $30.45 an hour, and 24th after adjusting for Ohio's cost of living (BEA price parity 92.8, US = 100).

What is the union plumber rate in Ohio?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for plumbers in 51 counties, with a typical package of $72.33 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many plumbers work in Ohio?

BLS counted 16,390 plumbers in Ohio in May 2025, 3.0 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.99; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is plumber work growing in Ohio?

The BLS employer survey count of plumbers in Ohio went from 13,500 in 2015 to 16,390 in 2025, +21.4%, and +23.0% since 2019. Ohio's labor market agency projects +3.1% growth for plumbers between 2024 and 2034, from 16,140 to 16,640 jobs.

How many plumber openings a year are there in Ohio?

Ohio projects about 1,380 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, Ohio 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: Ohio labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.