Plumber Salary - Southeast
Large employment base across twelve right-to-work states
Wage figures on this page reflect all plumbers counted by the BLS, across union and non-union work, residential and commercial, apprentice through master. The BLS does not publish a separate journey-level tier. State figures are medians: half of workers earn more, half earn less.
The Southeast is a volume market for plumbers and pipefitters with wages consistently below the national median. Florida accounts for the bulk of employment, driven by population growth and construction demand, but pays well below the $63,800 national median. The region's right-to-work environment keeps wages lower but construction demand remains high.
UA union density is low across most of the Southeast. Non-union mechanical contractors handle most residential and light commercial work. UA locals exist in major metros, including Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville, Memphis, New Orleans, and Miami, but market share is limited. Industrial work, including refineries, power plants, and petrochemical facilities along the Gulf Coast, is more heavily unionized. For most of the Southeast, non-union contractors set the market rate.
The Southeast has a low cost of living for plumbers. Most states carry COL indices between 85 and 97. Tennessee at 88.9, Georgia at 90.6, and Arkansas at 89.1 are well below the national average. Virginia at 99.1 is near the national average, pulled higher by Northern Virginia's housing market.
- →Massive residential construction across Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas driving consistent plumbing demand
- →Petrochemical, refinery, and LNG facility construction along the Gulf Coast requiring industrial pipefitting
- →Manufacturing facility construction across Tennessee, Georgia, and the Carolinas, including automotive and EV battery plants that require complex mechanical systems
- →Healthcare and hospital construction across major Southeast metros driving commercial plumbing demand
- →Data center construction in Northern Virginia and Atlanta requiring sophisticated mechanical and process piping
The Southeast offers high work volume. Louisiana's Gulf Coast industrial work, petrochemical and refinery projects in particular, is the exception. Northern Virginia data center work has drawn mechanical contractors from across the country. For travelers prioritizing steady work over top dollar, the Southeast has consistent demand. Check RoadDog Jobs and Where2Bro for current Gulf Coast industrial opportunities.
Effective wage adjusts the BLS median for cost of living: what a paycheck buys relative to the national median.
| State | Median Annual | COL Index | Effective Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $64,160 +$360 vs. national | 92.5 | $69,362 +$5,562 vs. national |
| Louisiana | $63,680 -$120 vs. national | 91.1 | $69,901 +$6,101 vs. national |
| Virginia | $60,470 -$3,330 vs. national | 99.1 | $61,019 -$2,781 vs. national |
| Alabama | $58,670 -$5,130 vs. national | 85.0 | $69,024 +$5,224 vs. national |
| Tennessee | $58,600 -$5,200 vs. national | 88.9 | $65,917 +$2,117 vs. national |
| Georgia | $57,200 -$6,600 vs. national | 90.6 | $63,135 -$665 vs. national |
| North Carolina | $57,080 -$6,720 vs. national | 96.6 | $59,089 -$4,711 vs. national |
| West Virginia | $56,980 -$6,820 vs. national | 87.9 | $64,824 +$1,024 vs. national |
| Mississippi | $55,480 -$8,320 vs. national | 86.2 | $64,362 +$562 vs. national |
| South Carolina | $53,940 -$9,860 vs. national | 91.9 | $58,694 -$5,106 vs. national |
| Florida | $52,910 -$10,890 vs. national | 100.7 | $52,542 -$11,258 vs. national |
| Arkansas | $48,660 -$15,140 vs. national | 89.1 | $54,613 -$9,187 vs. national |
Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 - Plumbers - Cross-Industry, All Ownership
Cost of living data provided by the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC). The data has been modified for use from its original source, which is the State of Missouri. THE STATE OF MISSOURI MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTY AS TO THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS, OR CONTENT OF ANY DATA MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THIS SITE. THE STATE OF MISSOURI EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Data is subject to change as modifications and updates are complete. Use at your own risk.