Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters

Overview

Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters has a national median salary of $63,800 per year, with +6.8% projected job growth from 2025–2035. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation.

Description

Assemble, install, alter, and repair pipelines or pipe systems that carry water, steam, air, or other liquids or gases. May install heating and cooling equipment and mechanical control systems. Includes sprinkler fitters.

Work Values

• Relationships
• Independence
• Support

Work Styles

Responsibilities

Tasks

• Shut off steam, water, or other gases or liquids from pipe sections, using valve keys or wrenches.
• Install underground storm, sanitary, or water piping systems, extending piping as needed to connect fixtures and plumbing.
• Assemble pipe sections, tubing, or fittings, using couplings, clamps, screws, bolts, cement, plastic solvent, caulking, or soldering, brazing, or welding equipment.
• Locate and mark the position of pipe installations, connections, passage holes, or fixtures in structures, using measuring instruments such as rulers or levels.
• Cut, thread, or hammer pipes to specifications, using tools such as saws, cutting torches, pipe threaders, or pipe benders.

Work Activities

• Getting Information
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Performing General Physical Activities
• Handling and Moving Objects
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Controlling Machines and Processes

Detailed Work Activities

• Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
• Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
• Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).

T-A-S-K

Technology, Abilities, Skills & Knowledge

Education

Education Levels of Current Workers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation. The chart below shows the highest level of education held by people already working in this field, ages 25 and older. It includes workers who earned more education than the job requires and workers who entered the field under earlier requirements, so the largest bar is not the entry requirement. For example, if someone finished an associate's degree and then started working in this field, they are counted under “Associate's degree” here, but the job itself typically asks for a high school diploma or equivalent.

Certificates

Certifications applicable to Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters:

Video Resources