National Salary

• The mean hourly wage for plumbers, pipefitters and steamers was $23.97 and the mean annual wage, or average salary was $49,870, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2009.
  
  

Experience

• PayScale lists the median hourly rates of pipefitters based on years of experience. In October 2010, pipefitters with one to four years experience earned anywhere from between $14.84 to $21.84; five to nine years, $18.87 to $28.06; 10 to 19 years, $22.21 to $31.99; and 20 years or more, $21.98 to $30.65.
  
  

High Employment

• Building equipment contractors employed the largest number of plumbers, pipefitters and steamers with an average salary of $50,460, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2009. Other industries that employed large numbers were utility system construction, $47,910; nonresidential building construction, $49,770; the local government, $46,010; and natural gas distribution, $54,030.
  
  

Top-Paying Industries

• The glass and glass product manufacturing industry paid the highest average salary above all other industries to plumbers, pipefitters and steamers with $70,450, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2009. Other industries that offered high pay were motor vehicle manufacturing, $67,150; motor vehicle parts manufacturing, $66,400; miscellaneous manufacturing, $65,180; and museums, historical sites and similar institutions, $63,660.
  
  

Top-Paying States

• Illinois paid the highest average salary above all other states to plumbers, pipefitters and steamers with $67,610, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2009. Other locations that offered high pay were Alaska, $67,320; Massachusetts, $62,010; New Jersey, $61,640; and the District of Columbia, $60,650.