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. Excludes “Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers” (51-4121).
National median · BLS
$49,000
▲ +0.6%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$54,700
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
33,050
Jobs (BLS)
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Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.
Pay range for Pipelayers
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$37,730
25th
$43,980
Median (50th)
$49,000
75th
$61,400
90th — top pay
$80,170
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Pipelayers
BLS projects employment of pipelayers to decline 3.1% from 2025 to 2035, while employment across all occupations grows 3.5%.
About 2,100 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
33,200 → 32,200
-1,000 jobs
Projected change
-3.1%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
2,100
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035
Pipelayers salaries by state
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Pipelayers salaries by metro area
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Metro area
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Skills & tools
Skills needed for Pipelayers
How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.
Top skills
Operation and Control3.1
Active Listening3.0
Coordination3.0
Critical Thinking3.0
Operations Monitoring3.0
Quality Control Analysis3.0
Speaking3.0
Judgment and Decision Making2.9
Reading Comprehension2.9
Time Management2.9
Top knowledge areas
Building and Construction3.7
Public Safety and Security3.0
Engineering and Technology3.0
Mechanical3.0
Administration and Management2.9
English Language2.8
Production and Processing2.8
Design2.8
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office software
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What pipelayers do
Grade or level trench bases, using tamping machines or hand tools.
Dig trenches to desired or required depths, by hand or using trenching tools.
Cut pipes to required lengths.
Install or use instruments such as lasers, grade rods, or transit levels.
Cover pipes with earth or other materials.
Connect pipe pieces and seal joints, using welding equipment, cement, or glue.
Install or repair sanitary or stormwater sewer structures or pipe systems.
Check slopes for conformance to requirements, using levels or lasers.
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Pipelayers, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $49,000.
