The median pay for Pipelayers is $49,000 a year ($23.56/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to fall 3.1% through 2035, with about 2,100 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
- SOC 47-2151
- Construction and Extraction
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Pipelayer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $49,000a year, or $23.56/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $38KTop 10% $80K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -3.1%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−3.1%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −3.1% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 2,10033,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202533.2K
- Projected 203532.2K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 33.2K Projected 2035 32.2K - Typical education
- No formal credentialneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school65.4%
- High school32.9%
- Certificate1.7%
Highest education held by pipelayers Segment Value Less than high school 65.4% High school 32.9% Certificate 1.7%
Also advertised as: Pipelayer, Tailman.
Pay
How much do Pipelayers make?
Every pipelayer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$49,000
Middle half earn $43,980 to $61,400
- 10th
- $37,730
- 25th
- $43,980
- 75th
- $61,400
- 90th
- $80,170
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $37,730 |
| 25th | $43,980 |
| Median | $49,000 |
| 75th | $61,400 |
| 90th | $80,170 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $49,000
- Median hourly wage
- $23.56/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $54,700
- People employed
- 33,050
Versus all US occupations
At $49,000, Pipelayers earn 4% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $1,980 a year.
Versus construction and extraction occupations
Inside the Construction and Extraction group, where the middle occupation pays $60,020, this is 18% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $80,170 or more while the bottom 10% earn $37,730, a gap of 2.1×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 20% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Wisconsin pays the most at $86,870, and still leads at $92,322 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Pipelayers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Wisconsin | $86,870 | $92,322 | 350 |
| 2Washington | $82,450 | $77,047 | 1,050 |
| 3Minnesota | $81,980 | $83,126 | 510 |
| 4New Jersey | $78,830 | $72,451 | 400 |
| 5California | $76,180 | $68,804 | 1,420 |
| 6Indiana | $73,580 | $78,839 | 800 |
| 7Massachusetts | $72,770 | $68,809 | N/A |
| 8Ohio | $71,560 | $77,134 | 1,160 |
| 9New York | $70,370 | $65,205 | 250 |
| 10Oregon | $64,230 | $62,141 | 620 |
Job outlook
Is Pipelayer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -3.1% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Pipelayers | −3.1% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Pipelayers to change -3.1% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 1,000 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 2,100 openings are projected each year, 6.3% of the 33,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Pipelayer
- 1
Typical entry-level education
No formal educational credential
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as pipelayers.
- Less than a High School Diploma65.4%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)32.9%
- Post-Secondary Certificate1.7%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Less than a High School Diploma | 65.4% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 32.9% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 1.7% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Pipelayer do?
Lay pipe for storm or sanitation sewers, drains, and water mains. Perform any combination of the following tasks: grade trenches or culverts, position pipe, or seal joints.
Day-to-day tasks
- Dig trenches to desired or required depths, by hand or using trenching tools.
- Cut pipes to required lengths.
- Install or repair sanitary or stormwater sewer structures or pipe systems.
- Grade or level trench bases, using tamping machines or hand tools.
- Connect pipe pieces and seal joints, using welding equipment, cement, or glue.
- Align and position pipes to prepare them for welding or sealing.
- Cover pipes with earth or other materials.
- Tap and drill holes into pipes to introduce auxiliary lines or devices.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayRarely works in a climate-controlled indoor space.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather at least weekly.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeOn their feet more than half the working day.
Bending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the timeRegular bending or twisting.
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Reading Comprehension2.9
- Monitoring2.6
- Learning Strategies2.1
- Writing2.0
- Mathematics2.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.9 |
| Monitoring | 2.6 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.1 |
| Writing | 2.0 |
| Mathematics | 2.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operation and Control3.1
- Coordination3.0
- Operations Monitoring3.0
- Quality Control Analysis3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9
- Time Management2.9
- Installation2.8
- Troubleshooting2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.9 |
| Time Management | 2.9 |
| Installation | 2.8 |
| Troubleshooting | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Pipelayer?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Pipelayer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic7.0
- Conventional3.5
- Investigative2.4
- Social1.3
- Enterprising1.1
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Pipelayer
O*NET related occupations
- Construction and Extraction
- Construction and Extraction
Helpers--Pipelayer, Plumber, Pipefitter, and Steamfitter
$42,360median a year
Most earn $34K to $58K
+2.4%High school - Construction and Extraction
- Construction and Extraction
Septic Tank Servicer and Sewer Pipe Cleaner
$49,880median a year
Most earn $37K to $73K
+7.8%High school - Construction and Extraction
Insulation Worker, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall
$49,120median a year
Most earn $37K to $78K
+2.4%No formal credential - Construction and Extraction
More construction and extraction careers
Median annual pay, with pipelayers highlighted
- Plumber$63,800
- Electrician$63,190
- Structural Iron and Steel Worker$62,780
- Sheet Metal Worker$61,800
- Carpenter$60,580
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator$59,850
- Roofer$55,440
- Pipelayer$49,000
- Oil and Gas Roustabout$46,960
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Plumber | $63,800 |
| Electrician | $63,190 |
| Structural Iron and Steel Worker | $62,780 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | $61,800 |
| Carpenter | $60,580 |
| Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator | $59,850 |
| Roofer | $55,440 |
| Pipelayer | $49,000 |
| Oil and Gas Roustabout | $46,960 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Pipelayer appears on
Questions
Pipelayer: frequently asked questions
How much do Pipelayers make?
Pipelayers earn a median of $49,000 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 4% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $23.56/hr. The middle half earn between $43,980 and $61,400. The top 10% earn $80,170 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Pipelayer?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement for Pipelayers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as little or no preparation. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 65.4% hold less than a high school diploma.
Is Pipelayer a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 3.1% over 2025–2035, a loss of 1,000 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 2,100 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Pipelayer do?
Lay pipe for storm or sanitation sewers, drains, and water mains. A core O*NET task: dig trenches to desired or required depths, by hand or using trenching tools. Employers most often ask for Office suite software, Spreadsheet software.
Which states pay Pipelayers the most?
The highest state medians for Pipelayers are Wisconsin ($86,870), Washington ($82,450), Minnesota ($81,980) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Pipelayer?
O*NET scores Pipelayers highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.