SOC 47-2152

Plumber & Pipefitter Salary in Auburn-Opelika, AL (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 + AL
COL Index: 103.03 (+3.0% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 75.4% Realized
$38,892 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $51,570 $24.79/hr
Effective Tax Drag 18.58% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$9,584 $368.62/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 $24.79 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,094/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$371/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,637
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,197
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$748
Alabama Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,002
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$38,892 ($1,495.83 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Auburn-Opelika, AL Plumber & Pipefitter Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $51,570
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $36.5k 25th $43.7k Median: $51,570 50th (Median) $51.6k 75th $60.9k 90th $71.5k You: $51,570
10th (Entry) $36,460 $17.53/hr
25th (Junior) $43,730 $21.02/hr
50th (Median) $51,570 $24.79/hr
75th (Senior) $60,860 $29.26/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $71,480 $34.37/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Plumber & Pipefitter in Auburn-Opelika, AL
1
Plumber's Apprentice (Yr 1-2)Post-secondary certificate (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$35,727$17.18/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Plumber's Apprentice (Yr 3-5)Demonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; state journeyman license
$40,577$19.51/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman PlumberFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team; state journeyman license
$51,570$24.79/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Master PlumberOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$68,787$33.07/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Plumbing ContractorExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$87,621$42.13/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 Auburn-Opelika, AL under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
36% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,167/month Requires minimum annual gross of $46,680
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,277/month Requires minimum annual gross of $51,080
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $22.79/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $20.74/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 Auburn-Opelika, AL.

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$51,570-$9,584$38,892$1,495.83
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$61,239-$11,814$45,751$1,759.64
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$70,909-$14,059$52,595$2,022.88
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$80,578-$17,153$58,590$2,253.47
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$90,248-$20,247$64,586$2,484.06
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 Auburn-Opelika, AL: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$51,570/yr
$24.79/hr · SOC 47-2152
Statutory Tax Drag
18.58% Effective
-$9,584 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
36% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,074/mo
Post-$1,167/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 Auburn-Opelika, AL: Market Snapshot

Plumber & Pipefitter roles in Auburn-Opelika, AL report a median annual wage of $51,570, 19.2% below the national median of $63,800. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $36,460 to $71,480, and HUD’s $1,167 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 27.2% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $22.79 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Plumber & Pipefitter

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$107,560+108.6%
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$103,380+100.5%
Bellingham, WA$102,750+99.2%
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$101,630+97.1%
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$101,010+95.9%
Kennewick-Richland, WA$97,130+88.3%
Bloomington, IN$96,980+88.1%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$96,760+87.6%
Fairbanks-College, AK$96,670+87.5%
Champaign-Urbana, IL$95,530+85.2%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Auburn-Opelika, AL

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Architectural and Engineering Managers$144,800$69.62/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$129,590$62.30/hr
Financial Manager$129,580$62.30/hr
Cybersecurity Analyst$120,950$58.15/hr
Software Engineer$120,310$57.84/hr
Sales Managers$116,000$55.77/hr
Industrial Production Managers$110,980$53.36/hr
Human Resources Managers$108,590$52.21/hr
Nurse Practitioner$108,500$52.16/hr
Administrative Services Managers$108,110$51.98/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 Auburn-Opelika, AL (2026) Overview

Plumber & Pipefitter median pay in Auburn-Opelika, AL is $51,570 a year ($24.79/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for Plumber & Pipefitter in Auburn-Opelika, AL compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a Plumber & Pipefitter in Auburn-Opelika, AL?

The median annual wage is $51,570 ($24.79 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $36,460 and $71,480. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Plumber & Pipefitter in Auburn-Opelika, AL after taxes?

On the median wage of $51,570, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $41,478 a year ($3,457 a month) after $10,092 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 19.57%, using 2026 tax rules.