Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$38,230
- 25th Percentile — Junior$45,610
- 50th Percentile — Median$53,340
- 75th Percentile — Senior$64,720
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$92,230
The top 10% of Pipelayers earn $92,230 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $38,230, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $96,920 | +64.3% |
| California | $94,440 | +60.1% |
| Washington | $90,790 | +53.9% |
| Alaska | $83,530 | +41.6% |
| District of Columbia | $80,320 | +36.1% |
| Connecticut | $77,210 | +30.9% |
| Illinois | $77,180 | +30.8% |
| Idaho | $76,060 | +28.9% |
| New York | $72,330 | +22.6% |
| Minnesota | $71,850 | +21.8% |
| Missouri | $70,190 | +19.0% |
| Oregon | $69,920 | +18.5% |
| Wisconsin | $68,570 | +16.2% |
| Rhode Island | $67,140 | +13.8% |
| Massachusetts | $64,620 | +9.5% |
| New Hampshire | $64,440 | +9.2% |
| Maryland | $64,370 | +9.1% |
| Ohio | $63,010 | +6.8% |
| South Dakota | $61,370 | +4.0% |
| Maine | $61,100 | +3.6% |
| Iowa | $60,140 | +1.9% |
| Arizona | $59,760 | +1.3% |
| Wyoming | $59,120 | +0.2% |
| Montana | $58,300 | -1.2% |
| Indiana | $57,670 | -2.3% |
| Nevada | $57,210 | -3.0% |
| Colorado | $57,140 | -3.2% |
| Vermont | $56,820 | -3.7% |
| Pennsylvania | $56,370 | -4.5% |
| New Jersey | $56,050 | -5.0% |
| West Virginia | $55,160 | -6.5% |
| Michigan | $54,880 | -7.0% |
| Utah | $54,760 | -7.2% |
| Kansas | $54,410 | -7.8% |
| North Dakota (est.) | $54,280 | -8.0% |
| Louisiana | $53,140 | -9.9% |
| Delaware | $51,570 | -12.6% |
| Nebraska | $49,810 | -15.6% |
| Virginia | $49,640 | -15.9% |
| North Carolina | $49,230 | -16.6% |
| Texas | $48,940 | -17.1% |
| Florida | $48,530 | -17.7% |
| Oklahoma | $48,050 | -18.6% |
| Kentucky | $47,810 | -19.0% |
| New Mexico | $47,700 | -19.2% |
| Georgia | $47,540 | -19.4% |
| South Carolina | $47,340 | -19.8% |
| Tennessee | $45,850 | -22.3% |
| Arkansas | $44,060 | -25.3% |
| Alabama | $43,370 | -26.5% |
| Mississippi | $40,780 | -30.9% |
What Factors Affect Pipelayers Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Pipelayers is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Hawaii pays an average of $96,920, while Mississippi pays $40,780 — a gap of $56,140 per year.
The middle half of Pipelayers earn between $45,610 and $64,720 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $38,230, while the top 10% earn more than $92,230.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Pipelayers?
The average salary for Pipelayers in the United States is $59,000 per year, with a median of $53,340.
What is the starting salary for Pipelayers?
Entry-level Pipelayers typically earn between $38,230 and $45,610 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Pipelayers the most?
Hawaii pays Pipelayers the most at $96,920 per year on average, followed by California ($94,440) and Washington ($90,790).
How much do Pipelayers make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $59,000, Pipelayers earn approximately $28.37 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Pipelayers a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 41,820 Pipelayers jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $59,000 and a median of $53,340 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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