Salary Data/Plumber by State/Pacific Coast/California/San Diego

Plumber Salary in San Diego

Metro area wage data from the BLS OEWS program (May 2025), with Davis-Bacon journey-level scale from UA Local 230, effective September 2025.

How to become a plumber →

Figures come from public sources and may not match the current contract; confirm with the local before making decisions.

Market Context

UA Local 230 is the union local for plumbers in San Diego and Imperial counties, under the same Southern California Pipe Trades District Council No. 16 master agreement as Los Angeles. Plumber and pipefitter classifications share an identical rate under this agreement, which also sets a separate rate tier for military installation work. California's prevailing wage law applies to public projects. Union apprentices train at the Union Pipe Trades Training Center in Santee.

Union Scale

UA Local 230 journeyman plumber Journey-Level Rate

Journey-Level Hourly

$61.73

Effective September 2025

Base wage: $61.73/hr

Benefit contribution: $26.81/hr

Total package: $88.54/hr

Journey-Level Annual

$128,398

Based on 2,080 hrs / year

vs. BLS Area Median

+$55,888

Union scale vs. all-worker median

Union scale reflects the UA Local 230 journeyman plumber journey-level rate from the applicable Davis-Bacon wage determination. The BLS area median reflects all plumbers across all employment types and experience levels.

JATC Information

Training Center	Union Pipe Trades Training Center
Address	8616 Cuyamaca St, Santee, CA 92071
Phone	(619) 262-7589
Website	ualocal230.org
Minimum Score	Not published

Applying to UA Local 230?

Check with UA Local 230 for its current application requirements, including any aptitude test.

What to expect →

Area Wage Data

All plumbers, union and non-union, all experience levels

Median Annual

$72,510

+$8,710 vs. national

Median Hourly

$34.86

vs. California

+$5,617

vs. state average

Total Employed

5,100

In this area

Full Wage Breakdown

All plumbers, union and non-union, all experience levels. Wage figures only, employer-paid benefits, pension contributions, and health and welfare are not included.

Annual Median Wage	$72,510
Annual Mean Wage	$78,580
Hourly Median Wage	$34.86
Hourly Mean Wage	$37.78
Total Employed	5,100
Area Type	Metropolitan Area

Pre-apprenticeship programs in California

[CALPIA] Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility (RJD)
San Diego
Visit site
Able-Disabled YB (Able2Work)
San Diego
Visit site
San Diego CC Continuing Ed
San Diego
Visit site

All pre-apprenticeship options →

Other Plumber Markets in California

North Coast Region of California (Non-Metro)

North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California (Non-Metro)

View All California Data →

Union Rates in California and Within 300 Miles

Up to six other metros in California, nearest first, then metros in other states within 300 miles. Journey-level rates are sourced from Davis-Bacon wage determinations, state prevailing wage determinations, or, where a local publishes one directly, its own collective bargaining agreement.

UA Local 78

Los Angeles

$61.73/hr

Journey-level · Davis-Bacon determination

Effective September 2025

UA Local 364

Riverside

$61.73/hr

Journey-level · Davis-Bacon determination

Effective September 2025

UA Local 484

Oxnard