Pipelayers
SOC 47-2151 • View wages by state
The median annual wage for Pipelayers is $47,330, based on BLS OEWS 2023 data. The mean annual wage is $52,840, and an estimated 34,840 workers are employed in this occupation nationally. Between 2020 and 2023, pay rose +16.9% while consumer prices rose 17.7% — a real change of -0.7% (pay did not keep up with inflation). BLS projects employment will shrink 4.1% between 2024 and 2034.
Wage Trend & Inflation Adjustment
How the national median wage for Pipelayers has moved across BLS OEWS release years, and what each year's wage is worth in 2023 dollars after adjusting for CPI inflation. "Real" change strips out inflation — the truest measure of whether pay is actually rising.
| Year | Median (nominal) | In 2023 $ (real) | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $47,330 | $47,330 | 34,840 |
| 2022 | $45,990 | $47,883 | 36,070 |
| 2021 | $45,980 | $51,704 | 33,330 |
| 2020 | $40,480 | $47,658 | 33,950 |
Nominal change
+16.9%
Inflation (CPI)
+17.7%
Real change
-0.7%
Job Outlook (2024–2034 BLS projection)
The BLS Employment Projections program estimates how each occupation's employment will change over the coming decade, and how many job openings to expect each year (from both growth and the need to replace workers who leave).
Projected Growth
-4.1%
Declining
Employment 2024
34,400
Projected 2034
32,900
Annual Openings
2,400
Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
Highest-Paying Areas (2023)
Where Pipelayers earn the most, and how each area's median compares to the national median of $47,330. A positive premium means the area pays above the national rate.
| Area | Median Annual | vs National | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $85,650 | +81% | 1,050 |
| Minnesota | $82,040 | +73.3% | 610 |
| Wisconsin | $77,760 | +64.3% | 560 |
| California | $76,900 | +62.5% | 1,750 |
| Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $75,970 | +60.5% | 50 |
| South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $75,560 | +59.6% | 50 |
| Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $75,500 | +59.5% | 40 |
| New York | $73,130 | +54.5% | 240 |
| North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $72,810 | +53.8% | 70 |
| Nevada | $72,650 | +53.5% | 500 |
Wage Distribution (National, 2023)
10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages from BLS OEWS — the full spread, not just an average.
10th Pct
$35,820
25th Pct
$39,660
Median
$47,330
75th Pct
$60,480
90th Pct
$79,150
Related Occupations in Construction & Extraction
Other occupations in the same SOC major group, ranked by national median wage.