SOC 47-2152

Plumber & Pipefitter Salary in Asheville, NC (2026)

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + NC
COL Index: 124.12 (+24.1% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 75.9% Realized
$44,910 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $59,200 $28.46/hr
Effective Tax Drag 18.14% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$10,738 $413.01/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $28.46 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,552/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$426/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,498
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,670
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$858
North Carolina Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,712
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$44,910 ($1,727.30 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Asheville, NC Plumber & Pipefitter Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $59,200
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $39.5k 25th $46.5k Median: $59,200 50th (Median) $59.2k 75th $62.0k 90th $73.8k You: $59,200
10th (Entry) $39,550 $19.01/hr
25th (Junior) $46,540 $22.38/hr
50th (Median) $59,200 $28.46/hr
75th (Senior) $61,950 $29.78/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $73,760 $35.46/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Plumber & Pipefitter in Asheville, NC
1
Plumber's Apprentice (Yr 1-2)Post-secondary certificate (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$41,013$19.72/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Plumber's Apprentice (Yr 3-5)Demonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; state journeyman license
$46,581$22.39/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman PlumberFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team; state journeyman license
$59,200$28.46/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Master PlumberOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$78,964$37.96/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Plumbing ContractorExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$100,584$48.36/hr · 12+ Years
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters-$21,440/yr
National median: $42,360
Skill overlap: 89%
Boilermakers+$12,610/yr
National median: $76,410
Skill overlap: 88%
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General-$14,210/yr
National median: $49,590
Skill overlap: 88%
Pipelayers-$14,800/yr
National median: $49,000
Skill overlap: 86%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Asheville, NC under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
46% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,714/month Requires minimum annual gross of $68,560
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,866/month Requires minimum annual gross of $74,640
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $27.45/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $23.32/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Asheville, NC.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$59,200-$10,738$44,910$1,727.30
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$70,300-$13,256$52,826$2,031.78
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$81,400-$16,775$59,741$2,297.74
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$92,500-$20,336$66,614$2,562.08
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$103,600-$23,897$73,487$2,826.43
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Plumber & Pipefitter in Asheville, NC: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and North Carolina tax codes.

Market Baseline
$59,200/yr
$28.46/hr · SOC 47-2152
Statutory Tax Drag
18.14% Effective
-$10,738 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
46% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,028/mo
Post-$1,714/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 47-2152
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Plumber & Pipefitter in Asheville, NC: Market Snapshot

Plumber & Pipefitter roles in Asheville, NC report a median annual wage of $59,200, 7.2% below the national median of $63,800. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $39,550 to $73,760, and HUD’s $1,714 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 34.7% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $27.45 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Plumber & Pipefitter

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$107,560+81.7%
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$103,380+74.6%
Bellingham, WA$102,750+73.6%
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$101,630+71.7%
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$101,010+70.6%
Kennewick-Richland, WA$97,130+64.1%
Bloomington, IN$96,980+63.8%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$96,760+63.4%
Fairbanks-College, AK$96,670+63.3%
Champaign-Urbana, IL$95,530+61.4%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Asheville, NC

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$270,520$130.06/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$163,290$78.50/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$160,140$76.99/hr
Financial Manager$152,270$73.21/hr
Marketing Managers$150,610$72.41/hr
Cybersecurity Analyst$149,350$71.80/hr
Software Engineer$134,350$64.59/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$133,470$64.17/hr
Physician Assistant$131,260$63.11/hr
Nurse Practitioner$127,770$61.43/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 388 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Plumber & Pipefitter Salary in Asheville, NC (2026) Overview

Plumber & Pipefitter median pay in Asheville, NC is $59,200 a year ($28.46/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a Plumber & Pipefitter in Asheville, NC?

The median annual wage is $59,200 ($28.46 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $39,550 and $73,760. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Plumber & Pipefitter in Asheville, NC after taxes?

On the median wage of $59,200, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $47,894 a year ($3,991 a month) after $11,306 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 19.1%, using 2026 tax rules.