Skilled Wages

Plumber salary in Tennessee

Median $28.17 an hour for 9,270 plumbers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$28.17/hrMedian hourly wageTennessee, May data
$58,600/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$18.52 – $39.4310th to 90th percentilehourly range
9,270Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Plumber pay in Tennessee: the full range

Wage percentiles, TennesseeMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrTennessee: 10th $18.52 · 25th $22.72 · median $28.17 · 75th $35.32 · 90th $39.43Tennessee$28.17$18.52$39.43United States: 10th $21.22 · 25th $24.13 · median $30.67 · 75th $40.92 · 90th $52.13United States$30.67
Hourly wage percentiles for plumbers: Tennessee vs United States, May 2025.

Tennessee ranks 41st of 51 states for median plumber pay, and 35th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $30.65). 9,270 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$18.52 – $22.72$38,520 – $47,260roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$22.72 – $35.32$47,260 – $73,460the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$35.32 – $39.43$73,460 – $82,020the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Plumber pay by metro in Tennessee

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrNashville: $28.90Nashville$28.90Knoxville: $28.78Knoxville$28.78Kingsport: $28.54Kingsport$28.54Clarksville: $28.33Clarksville$28.33Chattanooga: $28.23Chattanooga$28.23Memphis: $28.22Memphis$28.22Cleveland: $26.51Cleveland$26.51Morristown: $25.86Morristown$25.86Jackson: $25.30Jackson$25.30Johnson City: $23.31Johnson City$23.31
Median hourly wage for plumbers by metro area in Tennessee, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Nashville$20.51$28.90$30.01$40.232,7603% above
Knoxville$18.72$28.78$31.08$38.251,7002% above
Kingsport$18.37$28.54$33.03$37.202901% above
Clarksville$18.26$28.33$31.17$53.202801% above
Chattanooga$18.11$28.23$30.85$37.92860about the same as
Memphis$18.05$28.22$30.61$39.431,920about the same as
Cleveland$17.71$26.51$30.09$35.34806% below
Morristown$17.47$25.86$29.93$35.55708% below
Jackson$18.01$25.30$29.59$36.7726010% below
Johnson City$17.32$23.31$26.52$34.5821017% below

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

Plumber wages in Tennessee over time

Tennessee, 1999-2025TennesseeUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$30.67United States$28.17Tennessee
Median hourly wage for plumbers, Tennessee vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearTennessee $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$15.48$29.91$17.417,150
2000$16.48$30.81$18.198,510
2001$17.02$30.94$18.618,170
2002$17.08$30.57$19.318,730
2003$16.95$29.66$19.698,210
2004$17.07$29.09$19.856,670
2005$16.71$27.55$20.276,260
2006$17.38$27.75$20.567,860
2007$17.48$27.14$21.207,680
2008$17.26$25.81$21.947,950
2009$17.67$26.52$22.276,630
2010$17.10$25.25$22.436,800
2011$17.72$25.36$22.966,570
2012$18.22$25.55$23.626,560
2013$20.34$28.11$24.135,900
2014$22.05$29.99$24.365,970
2015$22.14$30.07$24.346,070
2016$22.36$29.99$24.746,650
2017$22.56$29.63$25.286,380
2018$22.68$29.08$25.926,520
2019$23.07$29.05$26.526,390
2020$22.43$27.90$27.087,290
2021$23.36$27.75$28.797,750
2022$24.35$26.79$28.896,860
2023$24.48$25.87$29.598,920
2024$27.76$28.49$30.278,810
2025$28.17$28.17$30.679,270

In today's dollars, the median plumber wage in Tennessee changed by -6.3% over the last ten years of data and by -3.0% since 2019.

Are there more plumber jobs in Tennessee?

+45.1%Jobs since 20196,390 then, 9,270 in 2025
+52.7%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
2.8Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.9× the US share, 40th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of plumbers counted in Tennessee has changed by +29.7%, against +12.7% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +45.1%.

Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters in Tennessee vs United States, 1999 = 100TennesseeUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages6080100120140200020052010201520202025130Tennessee113United States
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Tennessee vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearTennessee jobsTennessee indexUS index
19997,150100100
20008,510119106
20018,170114106
20028,730122106
20038,210115105
20046,67093103
20056,26088102
20067,860110106
20077,680107105
20087,950111106
20096,6309397
20106,8009587
20116,5709284
20126,5609282
20135,9008285
20145,9708490
20156,0708595
20166,65093100
20176,38089104
20186,52091106
20196,39089107
20207,290102101
20217,750108101
20226,86096104
20238,920125106
20248,810123110
20259,270130113

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 Tennessee

+17.7%Projected growth in Tennessee2024–2034, state agency
1,110Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
10,520Jobs in 202412,380 projected for 2034
+6.8%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Tennessee's labor market agency projects the number of plumbers in the state to change by +17.7% between 2024 and 2034, from 10,520 to 12,380, with about 1,110 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +6.8% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 9,270 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for plumbers in Tennessee

On federally funded construction in Tennessee, contractors must pay plumbers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 15 of the 95 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $65.65 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $21.81). The market median for the state is $28.17.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, TNAnderson: $28.79 (survey)Bedford: $21.81 (survey)Benton: $21.81 (survey)Bledsoe: $18.96 (survey)Blount: $28.79 (survey)Bradley: $37.26 (survey)Campbell: $28.79 (survey)Cannon: $65.65 (union)Carroll: $21.81 (survey)Carter: $28.79 (survey)Cheatham: $65.65 (union)Chester: $37.26 (survey)Claiborne: $18.96 (survey)Clay: $18.96 (survey)Cocke: $18.96 (survey)Coffee: $21.81 (survey)Crockett: $37.26 (survey)Cumberland: $18.96 (survey)Davidson: $65.65 (union)Decatur: $21.81 (survey)DeKalb: $18.96 (survey)Dickson: $65.65 (union)Dyer: $21.81 (survey)Fayette: $37.26 (survey)Fentress: $18.96 (survey)Franklin: $21.81 (survey)Gibson: $21.81 (survey)Giles: $21.81 (survey)Grainger: $28.79 (survey)Greene: $18.96 (survey)Grundy: $21.81 (survey)Hamblen: $28.79 (survey)Hamilton: $37.26 (survey)Hancock: $18.96 (survey)Hardeman: $21.81 (survey)Hardin: $21.81 (survey)Hawkins: $28.79 (survey)Haywood: $21.81 (survey)Henderson: $21.81 (survey)Henry: $21.81 (survey)Hickman: $65.65 (union)Houston: $21.81 (survey)Humphreys: $21.81 (survey)Jackson: $18.96 (survey)Jefferson: $28.79 (survey)Johnson: $18.96 (survey)Knox: $28.79 (survey)Lake: $21.81 (survey)Lauderdale: $21.81 (survey)Lawrence: $21.81 (survey)Lewis: $21.81 (survey)Lincoln: $21.81 (survey)Loudon: $28.79 (survey)McMinn: $18.96 (survey)McNairy: $21.81 (survey)Macon: $65.65 (union)Madison: $37.26 (survey)Marion: $37.26 (survey)Marshall: $21.81 (survey)Maury: $65.65 (union)Meigs: $18.96 (survey)Monroe: $18.96 (survey)Montgomery: $65.65 (union)Moore: $21.81 (survey)Morgan: $28.79 (survey)Obion: $21.81 (survey)Overton: $18.96 (survey)Perry: $21.81 (survey)Pickett: $18.96 (survey)Polk: $37.26 (survey)Putnam: $18.96 (survey)Rhea: $18.96 (survey)Roane: $28.79 (survey)Robertson: $65.65 (union)Rutherford: $65.65 (union)Scott: $18.96 (survey)Sequatchie: $37.26 (survey)Sevier: $18.96 (survey)Shelby: $37.26 (survey)Smith: $65.65 (union)Stewart: $21.81 (survey)Sullivan: $28.79 (survey)Sumner: $65.65 (union)Tipton: $37.26 (survey)Trousdale: $65.65 (union)Unicoi: $28.79 (survey)Union: $28.79 (survey)Van Buren: $18.96 (survey)Warren: $18.96 (survey)Washington: $28.79 (survey)Wayne: $21.81 (survey)Weakley: $21.81 (survey)White: $18.96 (survey)Williamson: $65.65 (union)Wilson: $65.65 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$21.81$28.79$37.26survey 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$20$40$60$80/hrMontgomery (Clarksville): market median $28.33, prevailing (union) $65.65, gap +$37.32Montgomery (Clarksville)+$37.32Cannon (Nashville): market median $28.90, prevailing (union) $65.65, gap +$36.75Cannon (Nashville)+$36.75Chester (Jackson): market median $25.30, prevailing (survey) $37.26, gap +$11.96Chester (Jackson)+$11.96Bradley (Cleveland): market median $26.51, prevailing (survey) $37.26, gap +$10.75Bradley (Cleveland)+$10.75Fayette (Memphis): market median $28.22, prevailing (survey) $37.26, gap +$9.04Fayette (Memphis)+$9.04Hamilton (Chattanooga): market median $28.23, prevailing (survey) $37.26, gap +$9.03Hamilton (Chattanooga)+$9.03Carter (Johnson City): market median $23.31, prevailing (survey) $28.79, gap +$5.48Carter (Johnson City)+$5.48Hamblen (Morristown): market median $25.86, prevailing (survey) $28.79, gap +$2.93Hamblen (Morristown)+$2.93Hawkins (Kingsport): market median $28.54, prevailing (survey) $28.79, gap +$0.25Hawkins (Kingsport)+$0.25Anderson (Knoxville): market median $28.78, prevailing (survey) $28.79, gap +$0.01Anderson (Knoxville)+$0.01
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for plumbers, metro counties in Tennessee.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
CannonUnion PLUM0572-001 2025-05-01$46.02$19.63$65.65TN20260196
CheathamUnion PLUM0572-001 2025-05-01$46.02$19.63$65.65TN20260196
DavidsonUnion PLUM0572-001 2025-05-01$46.02$19.63$65.65TN20260178
DicksonUnion PLUM0572-001 2025-05-01$46.02$19.63$65.65TN20260199
HickmanUnion PLUM0572-001 2025-05-01$46.02$19.63$65.65TN20260199
MaconUnion PLUM0572-001 2025-05-01$46.02$19.63$65.65TN20260203
MauryUnion PLUM0572-001 2025-05-01$46.02$19.63$65.65TN20260203
MontgomeryUnion PLUM0572-001 2025-05-01$46.02$19.63$65.65TN20260185
RobertsonUnion PLUM0572-001 2025-05-01$46.02$19.63$65.65TN20260204
RutherfordUnion PLUM0572-001 2025-05-01$46.02$19.63$65.65TN20260187
SmithUnion PLUM0572-001 2025-05-01$46.02$19.63$65.65TN20260204
SumnerUnion PLUM0572-001 2025-05-01$46.02$19.63$65.65TN20260205
TrousdaleUnion PLUM0572-001 2025-05-01$46.02$19.63$65.65TN20260205
WilliamsonUnion PLUM0572-001 2025-05-01$46.02$19.63$65.65TN20260192
WilsonUnion PLUM0572-001 2025-05-01$46.02$19.63$65.65TN20260193

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

Is construction work growing in Tennessee?

169.4kConstruction jobsTennessee, 2026-09
+0.8%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025169kSep 2026
Construction employment in Tennessee (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 80 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 69,010 in 2015 to 102,706 in 2025, +48.8%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Franklin County1048$103,237$1,985
White County1075$101,432$1,951
Roane County17380$100,694$1,936
Davidson County2306,042$91,416$1,758
Anderson County28634$89,688$1,725
Williamson County712,100$89,570$1,722
Shelby County2464,074$81,642$1,570
Rutherford County103992$78,290$1,506
Hamilton County1491,992$77,306$1,487
Cocke County842$76,788$1,477
Madison County31631$76,592$1,473
Knox County1953,146$76,431$1,470

Keep comparing

Plumber pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Tennessee

More on Tennessee

Questions this page answers

How much do plumbers make in Tennessee?

The median plumber in Tennessee earned $28.17 an hour ($58,600 a year) in May 2025, 8% below the national median of $30.67. The middle half earn $22.72–$35.32; the top 10% earn more than $39.43.

Where does Tennessee rank for plumber pay?

Tennessee ranks 41st of 51 states for plumber pay, with a median of $28.17 an hour, and 35th after adjusting for Tennessee's cost of living (BEA price parity 91.9, US = 100).

What is the union plumber rate in Tennessee?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for plumbers in 15 counties, with a typical package of $65.65 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many plumbers work in Tennessee?

BLS counted 9,270 plumbers in Tennessee in May 2025, 2.8 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.94; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is plumber work growing in Tennessee?

The BLS employer survey count of plumbers in Tennessee went from 6,070 in 2015 to 9,270 in 2025, +52.7%, and +45.1% since 2019. Tennessee's labor market agency projects +17.7% growth for plumbers between 2024 and 2034, from 10,520 to 12,380 jobs.

How many plumber openings a year are there in Tennessee?

Tennessee projects about 1,110 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, Tennessee 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: Tennessee labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.