SOC 47-2152

Plumber & Pipefitter Salary in Bowling Green, KY (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 + KY + Municipal
COL Index: 103.44 (+3.4% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 73.4% Realized
$47,138 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $64,260 $30.89/hr
Effective Tax Drag 20.64% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$13,266 $510.24/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 $30.89 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,856/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$463/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$5,069
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,984
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$932
Kentucky Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,997
Bowling Green occupational tax
2.00%
-$1,285
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$47,138 ($1,813.01 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Bowling Green, KY Plumber & Pipefitter Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $64,260
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $46.1k 25th $48.7k Median: $64,260 50th (Median) $64.3k 75th $88.7k 90th $93.7k You: $64,260
10th (Entry) $46,060 $22.14/hr
25th (Junior) $48,700 $23.41/hr
50th (Median) $64,260 $30.89/hr
75th (Senior) $88,650 $42.62/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $93,660 $45.03/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Plumber & Pipefitter in Bowling Green, KY
1
Plumber's Apprentice (Yr 1-2)Post-secondary certificate (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$44,519$21.40/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Plumber's Apprentice (Yr 3-5)Demonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; state journeyman license
$50,562$24.31/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman PlumberFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team; state journeyman license
$64,260$30.89/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Master PlumberOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$85,714$41.21/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Plumbing ContractorExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$109,182$52.49/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 Bowling Green, KY under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
26% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,020/month Requires minimum annual gross of $40,800
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,199/month Requires minimum annual gross of $47,960
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $22.88/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $19.67/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 Bowling Green, KY.

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$64,260-$13,266$47,138$1,813.01
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$76,309-$16,707$55,023$2,116.26
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$88,358-$20,758$62,298$2,396.07
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$100,406-$24,809$69,573$2,675.88
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$112,455-$28,860$76,848$2,955.69
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 Bowling Green, KY: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$64,260/yr
$30.89/hr · SOC 47-2152
Statutory Tax Drag
20.64% Effective
-$13,266 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
26% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,908/mo
Post-$1,020/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 Bowling Green, KY: Market Snapshot

Plumber & Pipefitter roles in Bowling Green, KY report a median annual wage of $64,260, 0.7% above the national median of $63,800. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $46,060 to $93,660, and HUD’s $1,020 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 19.0% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $22.88 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Plumber & Pipefitter

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$107,560+67.4%
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$103,380+60.9%
Bellingham, WA$102,750+59.9%
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$101,630+58.2%
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$101,010+57.2%
Kennewick-Richland, WA$97,130+51.2%
Bloomington, IN$96,980+50.9%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$96,760+50.6%
Fairbanks-College, AK$96,670+50.4%
Champaign-Urbana, IL$95,530+48.7%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Bowling Green, KY

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$164,080$78.88/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$132,540$63.72/hr
Education Administrators, Postsecondary$131,880$63.40/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$126,940$61.03/hr
Sales Managers$126,460$60.80/hr
Industrial Production Managers$125,170$60.18/hr
Financial Manager$119,110$57.26/hr
Human Resources Managers$118,420$56.93/hr
Purchasing Managers$118,400$56.92/hr
Administrative Services Managers$114,990$55.28/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 Bowling Green, KY (2026) Overview

Plumber & Pipefitter median pay in Bowling Green, KY is $64,260 a year ($30.89/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for Plumber & Pipefitter in Bowling Green, KY 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 Bowling Green, KY?

The median annual wage is $64,260 ($30.89 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $46,060 and $93,660. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Plumber & Pipefitter in Bowling Green, KY after taxes?

On the median wage of $64,260, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $50,396 a year ($4,200 a month) after $13,864 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 21.57%, using 2026 tax rules.