Plumber
Install and repair water, gas, and drainage systems — essential infrastructure work that will always be needed.
Salary Range
The highest-paid specialization or seniority level for plumbers.
About 1 in 33 reaches this level
About 505K plumbers; many start businesses but earning $250K+ net profit requires multiple crews.
Salary data based on 2025 BLS, Glassdoor, and industry reports. Actual compensation varies by location, experience, and employer.
How to Become One
Complete a 4–5 year plumbing apprenticeship, then pass your state’s journeyman plumber licensing exam.
For more information: United Association of Plumbers & Pipefitters ↗
AI Risk Assessment
Plumbing involves navigating unique interiors, diagnosing problems by feel and sound, and working in cramped spaces no robot can handle. BLS data shows steady demand and a persistent labor shortage as older plumbers retire faster than new ones enter. Entry-level apprenticeships are readily available.
Ratings reflect a 10-year outlook based on 2025-2026 research, weighted toward entry-level impact. Individual outcomes will vary.
Related Careers
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