Skilled Wages

Plumber salary in Wisconsin

Median $39.04 an hour for 10,210 plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$39.04/hrMedian hourly wageWisconsin, May data
$81,210/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$24.05 – $57.7210th to 90th percentilehourly range
10,210Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Plumber pay in Wisconsin: the full range

Wage percentiles, WisconsinMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60$80/hrWisconsin: 10th $24.05 · 25th $29.53 · median $39.04 · 75th $49.79 · 90th $57.72Wisconsin$39.04$24.05$57.72United 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: Wisconsin vs United States, May 2025.

Wisconsin ranks 7th of 51 states for median plumber pay, and 7th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $41.49). 10,210 plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$24.05 – $29.53$50,020 – $61,430roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$29.53 – $49.79$61,430 – $103,560the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$49.79 – $57.72$103,560 – $120,070the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Plumber pay by metro in Wisconsin

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrMinneapolis: $48.86Minneapolis$48.86Eau Claire: $44.58Eau Claire$44.58Appleton: $44.11Appleton$44.11Sheboygan: $44.01Sheboygan$44.01Green Bay: $43.54Green Bay$43.54Wausau: $41.71Wausau$41.71Oshkosh: $41.50Oshkosh$41.50Madison: $40.94Madison$40.94Duluth: $40.89Duluth$40.89Milwaukee: $40.72Milwaukee$40.72La Crosse: $39.72La Crosse$39.72Janesville: $38.01Janesville$38.01
Median hourly wage for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters by metro area in Wisconsin, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Minneapolis$24.70$48.86$58.526,73025% above
Eau Claire$24.64$44.58$49.5921014% above
Appleton$25.44$44.11$57.6389013% above
Sheboygan$23.54$44.01$52.8615013% above
Green Bay$25.77$43.54$57.7273012% above
Wausau$24.22$41.71$49.732607% above
Oshkosh$25.64$41.50$53.322306% above
Madison$23.23$40.94$59.261,5905% above
Duluth$22.26$40.89$52.574205% above
Milwaukee$27.18$40.72$59.842,7604% above
La Crosse$23.93$39.72$50.772802% above
Janesville$22.93$38.01$51.931403% below
Kenosha$24.73$37.18$54.211505% below
Fond du Lac$22.65$37.17$59.962805% below
Racine$24.07$37.05$55.882405% below

Plumber wages in Wisconsin over time

Wisconsin, 1999-2025WisconsinUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40$50200020052010201520202025$39.04Wisconsin$30.67United States
Median hourly wage for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, Wisconsin vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearWisconsin $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$22.59$43.65$17.417,400
2000$20.83$38.94$18.198,980
2001$21.09$38.34$18.618,980
2002$21.31$38.14$19.318,990
2003$21.97$38.44$19.699,760
2004$23.86$40.66$19.859,200
2005$25.93$42.74$20.278,700
2006$26.98$43.09$20.569,790
2007$27.91$43.34$21.209,430
2008$28.98$43.33$21.948,710
2009$29.94$44.93$22.277,690
2010$31.40$46.36$22.436,600
2011$31.27$44.76$22.966,530
2012$31.33$43.93$23.626,420
2013$32.44$44.83$24.136,750
2014$32.81$44.62$24.366,980
2015$32.80$44.55$24.346,960
2016$32.65$43.80$24.746,460
2017$32.33$42.46$25.287,300
2018$32.61$41.81$25.927,940
2019$32.44$40.85$26.528,210
2020$31.52$39.21$27.087,970
2021$34.46$40.94$28.798,920
2022$32.80$36.08$28.896,890
2023$36.86$38.95$29.596,860
2024$37.75$38.74$30.279,120
2025$39.04$39.04$30.6710,210

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for plumbers in Wisconsin

On federally funded construction in Wisconsin, contractors must pay plumbers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 72 of the 72 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $87.91 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $39.04.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, WIAdams: $87.91 (union)Ashland: $87.91 (union)Barron: $87.91 (union)Bayfield: $87.91 (union)Brown: $76.63 (union)Buffalo: $87.91 (union)Burnett: $87.91 (union)Calumet: $76.63 (union)Chippewa: $76.92 (union)Clark: $87.91 (union)Columbia: $87.91 (union)Crawford: $87.91 (union)Dane: $87.91 (union)Dodge: $87.91 (union)Door: $87.91 (union)Douglas: $79.80 (union)Dunn: $87.91 (union)Eau Claire: $76.92 (union)Florence: $87.91 (union)Fond du Lac: $87.91 (union)Forest: $87.91 (union)Grant: $87.91 (union)Green: $87.91 (union)Green Lake: $87.91 (union)Iowa: $87.91 (union)Iron: $87.91 (union)Jackson: $87.91 (union)Jefferson: $87.91 (union)Juneau: $87.91 (union)Kenosha: $86.72 (union)Kewaunee: $87.91 (union)La Crosse: $76.92 (union)Lafayette: $87.91 (union)Langlade: $87.91 (union)Lincoln: $87.91 (union)Manitowoc: $87.91 (union)Marathon: $76.92 (union)Marinette: $87.91 (union)Marquette: $87.91 (union)Menominee: $87.91 (union)Milwaukee: $87.95 (union)Monroe: $87.91 (union)Oconto: $87.91 (union)Oneida: $87.91 (union)Outagamie: $76.63 (union)Ozaukee: $87.95 (union)Pepin: $87.91 (union)Pierce: $76.92 (union)Polk: $87.91 (union)Portage: $87.91 (union)Price: $87.91 (union)Racine: $86.72 (union)Richland: $87.91 (union)Rock: $87.95 (union)Rusk: $87.91 (union)St. Croix: $76.92 (union)Sauk: $87.91 (union)Sawyer: $87.91 (union)Shawano: $87.91 (union)Sheboygan: $76.63 (union)Taylor: $87.91 (union)Trempealeau: $87.91 (union)Vernon: $87.91 (union)Vilas: $87.91 (union)Walworth: $87.91 (union)Washburn: $87.91 (union)Washington: $87.95 (union)Waukesha: $87.95 (union)Waupaca: $87.91 (union)Waushara: $87.91 (union)Winnebago: $76.63 (union)Wood: $87.91 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$87.91
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$40$60$80$100/hrFond du Lac (Fond du Lac): market median $37.17, prevailing (union) $87.91, gap +$50.74Fond du Lac (Fond du Lac)+$50.74Rock (Janesville): market median $38.01, prevailing (union) $87.95, gap +$49.94Rock (Janesville)+$49.94Racine (Racine): market median $37.05, prevailing (union) $86.72, gap +$49.67Racine (Racine)+$49.67Kenosha (Kenosha): market median $37.18, prevailing (union) $86.72, gap +$49.54Kenosha (Kenosha)+$49.54Vernon (La Crosse): market median $39.72, prevailing (union) $87.91, gap +$48.19Vernon (La Crosse)+$48.19Milwaukee (Milwaukee): market median $40.72, prevailing (union) $87.95, gap +$47.23Milwaukee (Milwaukee)+$47.23Columbia (Madison): market median $40.94, prevailing (union) $87.91, gap +$46.97Columbia (Madison)+$46.97Kewaunee (Green Bay): market median $43.54, prevailing (union) $87.91, gap +$44.37Kewaunee (Green Bay)+$44.37Douglas (Duluth): market median $40.89, prevailing (union) $79.80, gap +$38.91Douglas (Duluth)+$38.91Marathon (Wausau): market median $41.71, prevailing (union) $76.92, gap +$35.21Marathon (Wausau)+$35.21Winnebago (Oshkosh): market median $41.50, prevailing (union) $76.63, gap +$35.13Winnebago (Oshkosh)+$35.13Sheboygan (Sheboygan): market median $44.01, prevailing (union) $76.63, gap +$32.62Sheboygan (Sheboygan)+$32.62Calumet (Appleton): market median $44.11, prevailing (union) $76.63, gap +$32.52Calumet (Appleton)+$32.52Chippewa (Eau Claire): market median $44.58, prevailing (union) $76.92, gap +$32.34Chippewa (Eau Claire)+$32.34Pierce (Minneapolis): market median $48.86, prevailing (union) $76.92, gap +$28.06Pierce (Minneapolis)+$28.06
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for plumbers, metro counties in Wisconsin.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
MilwaukeeUnion PLUM0075-001 2025-06-01$60.05$27.90$87.95WI20260001
OzaukeeUnion PLUM0075-001 2025-06-01$60.05$27.90$87.95WI20260001
RockUnion PLUM0075-003 2025-06-01$60.05$27.90$87.95WI20260012
WashingtonUnion PLUM0075-001 2025-06-01$60.05$27.90$87.95WI20260001
WaukeshaUnion PLUM0075-001 2025-06-01$60.05$27.90$87.95WI20260001
AdamsUnion PLUM0075-008 2025-06-01$60.57$27.34$87.91WI20260011
AshlandUnion PLUM0075-008 2025-06-01$60.57$27.34$87.91WI20260011
BarronUnion PLUM0075-008 2025-06-01$60.57$27.34$87.91WI20260011
BayfieldUnion PLUM0075-008 2025-06-01$60.57$27.34$87.91WI20260011
BuffaloUnion PLUM0075-008 2025-06-01$60.57$27.34$87.91WI20260011
BurnettUnion PLUM0075-008 2025-06-01$60.57$27.34$87.91WI20260011
ClarkUnion PLUM0075-008 2025-06-01$60.57$27.34$87.91WI20260011
ColumbiaUnion PLUM0075-008 2025-06-01$60.57$27.34$87.91WI20260011
CrawfordUnion PLUM0075-008 2025-06-01$60.57$27.34$87.91WI20260011
DaneUnion PLUM0075-007 2025-06-01$60.57$27.34$87.91WI20260005

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

Is construction work growing in Wisconsin?

167.3kConstruction jobsWisconsin, 2026-08
+7.5%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025167kAug 2026
Construction employment in Wisconsin (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
Racine County976$119,609$2,300
Milwaukee County3,403$105,764$2,034
Fond du Lac County860$102,582$1,973
Outagamie County2,339$96,114$1,848
Wood County482$92,321$1,775
Waukesha County3,235$91,995$1,769
Dane County3,440$89,652$1,724
Dunn County284$89,438$1,720
Ozaukee County282$87,660$1,686
Chippewa County258$85,901$1,652
Pierce County106$85,759$1,649
Brown County1,713$84,854$1,632

Keep comparing

Plumber pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Wisconsin

Questions this page answers

How much do plumbers make in Wisconsin?

The median plumber in Wisconsin earned $39.04 an hour ($81,210 a year) in May 2025, 27% above the national median of $30.67. The middle half earn $29.53–$49.79; the top 10% earn more than $57.72.

Where does Wisconsin rank for plumber pay?

Wisconsin ranks 7th of 51 states for plumber pay, with a median of $39.04 an hour, and 7th after adjusting for Wisconsin's cost of living (BEA price parity 94.1, US = 100).

What is the union plumber rate in Wisconsin?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for plumbers in 72 counties, with a typical package of $87.91 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many plumbers work in Wisconsin?

BLS counted 10,210 plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters in Wisconsin in May 2025, 3.5 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.16; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Wisconsin 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.