How much does a Pipelayer make?
A Pipelayer earns a median annual salary of $49,000 in the United States, which works out to roughly $23.56 per hour for full-time work. Most Pipelayers earn between $37,730 at the entry level and $80,170 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $43,980 and $61,400 a year.
That is $12,390 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Pipelayer salary range by percentile
Half of all Pipelayers earn between $43,980 and $61,400 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,730 | $18.14 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $43,980 | $21.14 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $49,000 | $23.56 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $61,400 | $29.52 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $80,170 | $38.54 |
Highest-paying states for Pipelayer
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Wisconsin leads the country for Pipelayer pay at $86,870 a year, followed by Washington ($82,450) and Minnesota ($81,980). At the other end, Arkansas posts the lowest median at $37,650 — a gap of $49,220 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin | $86,870 | $41.76 | +77% |
| 2 | Washington | $82,450 | $39.64 | +68% |
| 3 | Minnesota | $81,980 | $39.41 | +67% |
| 4 | New Jersey | $78,830 | $37.90 | +61% |
| 5 | California | $76,180 | $36.63 | +55% |
Pipelayer salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 44 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 33,000 people work as Pipelayers in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $54,700 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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