These workers may spend a lot of time traveling between work sites. Many plumbers and pipe fitters are members of a union. Wages vary with level of training, experience and location. Entry level wages may be lower. The plumbers who work with motor vehicles earn more than those who work for the local government.
Plumbers can lose work time because of downturns in construction activity.
Thus, their overall earnings may be lower than these wages suggest. Pay varies by area of the country. For example, wages tend to be higher in the Midwest and West than in the Northeast and South. Apprentices generally earn about half the wage of skilled workers. As apprentices gain experience and skills, they receive higher pay.