SOC 47-2152

Plumber & Pipefitter Salary in Bellingham, WA (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 + WA
COL Index: 119.03 (+19.0% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 74.3% Realized
$76,306 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $102,750 $49.40/hr
Effective Tax Drag 19.74% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$20,279 $779.96/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 $49.40 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$6,165/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,356/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$12,419
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$6,371
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,490
Washington Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$0
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$76,306 ($2,934.84 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Bellingham, WA Plumber & Pipefitter Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $102,750
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $49.6k 25th $63.5k Median: $102,750 50th (Median) $103k 75th $145k 90th $145k You: $102,750
10th (Entry) $49,620 $23.86/hr
25th (Junior) $63,500 $30.53/hr
50th (Median) $102,750 $49.40/hr
75th (Senior) $144,540 $69.49/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $144,540 $69.49/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Plumber & Pipefitter in Bellingham, WA
1
Plumber's Apprentice (Yr 1-2)Post-secondary certificate (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$71,184$34.22/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Plumber's Apprentice (Yr 3-5)Demonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; state journeyman license
$80,847$38.87/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman PlumberFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team; state journeyman license
$102,750$49.40/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Master PlumberOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$137,054$65.89/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Plumbing ContractorExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$174,578$83.93/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 Bellingham, WA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
24% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,529/month Requires minimum annual gross of $61,160
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,872/month Requires minimum annual gross of $74,880
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $26.32/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $24.60/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 Bellingham, WA.

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$102,750-$20,279$76,306$2,934.84
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$122,016-$25,737$88,958$3,421.45
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$141,281-$31,415$101,389$3,899.59
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$160,547-$37,235$113,679$4,372.26
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$179,813-$43,055$125,968$4,844.94
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 Bellingham, WA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$102,750/yr
$49.40/hr · SOC 47-2152
Statutory Tax Drag
19.74% Effective
-$20,279 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
24% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$4,830/mo
Post-$1,529/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 Bellingham, WA: Market Snapshot

Plumber & Pipefitter roles in Bellingham, WA report a median annual wage of $102,750, 61.1% above the national median of $63,800. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $49,620 to $144,540, and HUD’s $1,529 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 17.9% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $26.32 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Plumber & Pipefitter

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$107,560+4.7%
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$103,380+0.6%
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$101,630-1.1%
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$101,010-1.7%
Kennewick-Richland, WA$97,130-5.5%
Bloomington, IN$96,980-5.6%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$96,760-5.8%
Fairbanks-College, AK$96,670-5.9%
Champaign-Urbana, IL$95,530-7.0%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$95,230-7.3%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Bellingham, WA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$236,930$113.91/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$193,360$92.96/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$169,640$81.56/hr
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$169,470$81.48/hr
Physician Assistant$161,260$77.53/hr
Financial Manager$158,960$76.42/hr
Construction Managers$156,580$75.28/hr
Industrial Production Managers$150,800$72.50/hr
Nurse Practitioner$147,890$71.10/hr
Marketing Managers$143,450$68.97/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 Bellingham, WA (2026) Overview

Plumber & Pipefitter median pay in Bellingham, WA is $102,750 a year ($49.40/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 Bellingham, WA?

The median annual wage is $102,750 ($49.40 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $49,620 and $144,540. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

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

On the median wage of $102,750, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $81,115 a year ($6,760 a month) after $21,635 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 21.06%, using 2026 tax rules.