GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
Best States to Be a Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters salary goes furthest in Illinois — a $99,950 BLS median worth $95,184 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 139.8).
Which US states are best for a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters after cost of living and tax?
For a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Illinois #1: a $99,950 BLS median becomes $95,184 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 139.8). Florida ranks last ($51,163, index 75.2). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 51 states; re-dated annually.
Gera US Real Pay Index
Illinois ranks #1 of 51 states for a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters. Index 100 = the average state; 139.8 means pay goes 39.8% further after tax and cost of living.
How this is calculatedPlumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — real pay by state (best first)
| # | State | BLS median | State tax | Cost (RPP) | Real pay | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | $99,950 | $4,806 | 100.0 | $95,184 | 139.8 |
| 2 | Alaska | $93,920 | — | 102.4 | $91,755 | 134.8 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $94,410 | $4,931 | 98.6 | $90,730 | 133.3 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $101,020 | $5,712 | 109.9 | $86,722 | 127.4 |
| 5 | Oregon | $97,050 | $7,688 | 103.4 | $86,456 | 127.0 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $93,880 | $4,474 | 105.8 | $84,539 | 124.2 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | $81,210 | $3,152 | 94.1 | $82,957 | 121.9 |
| 8 | Montana | $79,960 | $3,579 | 94.6 | $80,702 | 118.5 |
| 9 | Michigan | $80,190 | $3,162 | 96.2 | $80,057 | 117.6 |
| 10 | Indiana | $76,320 | $2,260 | 93.3 | $79,354 | 116.6 |
| 11 | Washington | $81,030 | — | 107.0 | $75,720 | 111.2 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $76,470 | $2,268 | 102.3 | $72,548 | 106.6 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $77,280 | $2,675 | 103.6 | $72,005 | 105.8 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $63,560 | $2 | 89.0 | $71,447 | 105.0 |
| 15 | Missouri | $66,790 | $2,258 | 90.8 | $71,057 | 104.4 |
| 16 | Louisiana | $63,680 | $1,535 | 88.2 | $70,453 | 103.5 |
| 17 | Iowa | $63,890 | $2,388 | 87.8 | $70,078 | 102.9 |
| 18 | New Jersey | $78,240 | $2,794 | 108.8 | $69,341 | 101.9 |
| 19 | Kansas | $65,220 | $2,840 | 90.1 | $69,259 | 101.7 |
| 20 | Kentucky | $64,160 | $2,436 | 90.2 | $68,462 | 100.6 |
| 21 | New York | $77,490 | $3,657 | 107.9 | $68,414 | 100.5 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $68,080 | $2,090 | 97.6 | $67,632 | 99.4 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $62,410 | — | 92.7 | $67,331 | 98.9 |
| 24 | Ohio | $63,330 | $959 | 92.8 | $67,229 | 98.8 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $78,060 | $4,402 | 110.0 | $66,991 | 98.4 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $60,970 | $2,074 | 90.1 | $65,365 | 96.0 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $61,440 | $1,774 | 92.2 | $64,706 | 95.1 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | $66,810 | — | 104.2 | $64,139 | 94.2 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $58,600 | — | 91.9 | $63,786 | 93.7 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $57,970 | $2,216 | 87.8 | $63,470 | 93.2 |
| 31 | California | $72,830 | $2,694 | 110.7 | $63,345 | 93.1 |
| 32 | Maine | $64,000 | $2,705 | 97.0 | $63,158 | 92.8 |
| 33 | Alabama | $58,670 | $2,669 | 88.8 | $63,048 | 92.6 |
| 34 | Mississippi | $55,480 | $1,636 | 87.0 | $61,923 | 91.0 |
| 35 | Delaware | $64,720 | $2,931 | 99.8 | $61,908 | 90.9 |
| 36 | Vermont | $62,170 | $1,721 | 98.0 | $61,709 | 90.6 |
| 37 | Texas | $59,840 | — | 97.1 | $61,654 | 90.6 |
| 38 | Nevada | $61,610 | — | 100.0 | $61,623 | 90.5 |
| 39 | West Virginia | $56,980 | $1,831 | 89.5 | $61,621 | 90.5 |
| 40 | Arizona | $62,070 | $1,077 | 100.7 | $60,583 | 89.0 |
| 41 | Utah | $61,900 | $2,816 | 98.9 | $59,762 | 87.8 |
| 42 | Maryland | $65,400 | $2,774 | 105.0 | $59,667 | 87.6 |
| 43 | Colorado | $63,240 | $2,123 | 103.1 | $59,307 | 87.1 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $57,080 | $1,884 | 94.3 | $58,516 | 86.0 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $51,620 | — | 88.6 | $58,271 | 85.6 |
| 46 | Virginia | $60,470 | $2,677 | 101.1 | $57,162 | 84.0 |
| 47 | Georgia | $57,200 | $2,436 | 96.3 | $56,872 | 83.5 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $53,940 | $1,737 | 93.7 | $55,684 | 81.8 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $48,660 | $1,689 | 86.9 | $54,028 | 79.4 |
| 50 | Idaho | $52,380 | $1,863 | 95.5 | $52,901 | 77.7 |
| 51 | Florida | $52,910 | — | 103.4 | $51,163 | 75.2 |
"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 51 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.
Where does your salary go furthest?
Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.
In Illinois, a $99,950 salary is worth about $95,042 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $4,948 (flat 4.95%) · take-home $95,002 · BEA cost of living 100.0 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $112,828, a $17,786 gain over Illinois.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $112,828 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $110,485 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $109,914 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $109,889 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $109,560 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $109,546 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $108,795 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $108,378 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $107,831 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $106,901 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $106,425 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $106,297 | 89.5 |
Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — real pay FAQ
- What is the best state to be a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters?
- By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Illinois is the best state for a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters: a BLS median of $99,950 is worth $95,184 after the 2025 state income tax ($4,806) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 100.0), an index of 139.8 where the average state is 100.
- Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
- Not necessarily. District of Columbia has the highest headline BLS median for a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters at $101,020, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #4 of 51 on real pay (index 127.4). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
- Where does a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters salary go least far?
- Florida ranks last of 51 states for a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters: a $52,910 BLS median is worth only $51,163 after tax and cost of living (index 75.2). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.
Compare other occupations
- Home Health and Personal Care AidesWashington
- Retail SalespersonsNorth Dakota
- Fast Food and Counter WorkersCalifornia
- General and Operations ManagersSouth Dakota
- Registered NursesCalifornia
- CashiersWashington
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNorth Dakota
- Stockers and Order FillersWyoming
- Customer Service RepresentativesIowa
- Office Clerks, GeneralNorth Dakota
- Waiters and WaitressesVermont
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping CleanersWashington
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Related on GeraJobs
- Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
- Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
- Browse US jobs with salary ranges — roles hiring now.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.