Median annual wage
$72,830
Official BLS data · Salary Explorer
Plumber, Pipefitter, and Steamfitter Salary in California
See the latest Plumber, Pipefitter, and Steamfitter salary data for California from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, including median and mean pay, wage percentiles, employment, U.S. comparison, and local-area estimates.
Mean annual wage
$82,320
Median hourly wage
$35.01
Employment
47,660
State vs. U.S.
California Salary Compared With the U.S.
The median annual wage for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in California is 14.2% higher than the national median in the same OEWS release.
California median$72,830
U.S. median$63,800
This comparison describes the reported wage difference. It does not by itself establish why the difference exists.
Wage distribution
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters Salary Range in California
Percentiles show positions in the reported wage distribution. They are not direct measures of years of experience.
10th$47,350
25th$58,980
Median$72,830
75th$100,200
90th$131,100
Visual comparison
Wage Distribution at a Glance
This chart uses the same BLS annual wage percentiles shown above. Longer bars represent higher annual wage estimates.
Local comparison
Highest-Paying Areas for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in California
These are the highest median annual wages among the 20 matching metropolitan or nonmetropolitan areas available to this page from the same BLS release.
| Area | Median annual | Mean annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $107,560 | $114,280 | 3,830 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $77,880 | $92,380 | 5,660 |
| North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $72,760 | $78,590 | 250 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $72,510 | $78,580 | 5,100 |
| Vallejo, CA | $71,560 | $78,360 | 370 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $71,110 | $80,230 | 15,690 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $70,770 | $74,590 | 210 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $68,130 | $77,730 | 350 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $66,450 | $76,110 | 960 |
| Napa, CA | $65,420 | $76,020 | 150 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $65,210 | $76,440 | 3,120 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $64,700 | $78,080 | 560 |
| Salinas, CA | $64,440 | $72,700 | 320 |
| Fresno, CA | $64,400 | $76,020 | 970 |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $64,260 | $74,540 | 200 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $63,920 | $73,670 | 4,510 |
| Modesto, CA | $63,280 | $72,600 | 470 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $63,090 | $73,350 | 320 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $62,900 | $72,060 | 690 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $62,860 | $69,500 | 110 |
#1
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
Median annual$107,560
Mean annual$114,280
Employment3,830
#2
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
Median annual$77,880
Mean annual$92,380
Employment5,660
#3
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area
Median annual$72,760
Mean annual$78,590
Employment250
#4
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Median annual$72,510
Mean annual$78,580
Employment5,100
#5
Vallejo, CA
Median annual$71,560
Mean annual$78,360
Employment370
#6
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
Median annual$71,110
Mean annual$80,230
Employment15,690
#7
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area
Median annual$70,770
Mean annual$74,590
Employment210
#8
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Median annual$68,130
Mean annual$77,730
Employment350
#9
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
Median annual$66,450
Mean annual$76,110
Employment960
#10
Napa, CA
Median annual$65,420
Mean annual$76,020
Employment150
#11
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
Median annual$65,210
Mean annual$76,440
Employment3,120
#12
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
Median annual$64,700
Mean annual$78,080
Employment560
#13
Salinas, CA
Median annual$64,440
Mean annual$72,700
Employment320
#14
Fresno, CA
Median annual$64,400
Mean annual$76,020
Employment970
#15
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area
Median annual$64,260
Mean annual$74,540
Employment200
#16
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
Median annual$63,920
Mean annual$73,670
Employment4,510
#17
Modesto, CA
Median annual$63,280
Mean annual$72,600
Employment470
#18
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
Median annual$63,090
Mean annual$73,350
Employment320
#19
Stockton-Lodi, CA
Median annual$62,900
Mean annual$72,060
Employment690
#20
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
Median annual$62,860
Mean annual$69,500
Employment110
Area estimates can include metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. Cross-state metropolitan areas may span more than one state.
How Much Do Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters Make in California?
According to the OEWS figures used on this page, the median annual wage for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in California is $72,830, while the mean annual wage is $82,320. The employment estimate is 47,660. These measures describe the occupation in the BLS dataset and should not be read as a guaranteed salary for an individual worker.
How California Compares With the U.S.
The national median in the same release is $63,800. That puts the California median about 14.2% above the U.S. median. This is a direct comparison of reported wage estimates; the data alone do not establish the reasons for the difference.
How to Read the Wage Percentiles
The annual wage distribution runs from $47,350 at the 10th percentile to $131,100 at the 90th percentile. Percentiles describe positions in the wage distribution. They should not automatically be treated as experience levels, so the 10th percentile is not necessarily an entry-level salary.
How to Use This Data
Use the state median, national comparison, wage percentiles, and local-area estimates together when researching pay. Actual compensation can vary by employer, schedule, specialty, experience, and other factors not directly measured on this page. The calculator provides a simple gross-pay conversion and is an estimate rather than a prediction of take-home pay.
Tool
Salary Calculator
Convert hourly and annual gross pay for a simple 40-hour-week benchmark. This does not estimate taxes, overtime, bonuses, benefits, or deductions.
Calculated annual equivalents may differ slightly from published BLS annual wages because hourly figures are rounded.
Quick answers
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median salary for Plumber, Pipefitter, and Steamfitter in California?
The median annual wage in the May 2025 OEWS data shown on this page is $72,830.
What is the median hourly wage?
The median hourly wage shown for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in California is $35.01.
Is the 10th percentile an entry-level salary?
No. The 10th percentile describes a point in the wage distribution; OEWS does not make it a direct measure of experience level.
How often is this page checked?
Curiworld Data checks the source on a scheduled basis and records the last successful update. New values are validated before they are approved for indexing.
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Transparency
Methodology & Sources
Primary source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS).
Data period: May 2025
Last successful update: Aug 31, 2026
How it is produced: Curiworld Data retrieves official BLS datasets, validates required fields and unexpected changes, calculates comparisons, and presents the results in a readable format. Automated refreshes do not overwrite human-edited explanatory text.