SOC 47-2152

Plumber & Pipefitter Salary in Burlington, 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: 100.5 (+0.5% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 76.0% Realized
$43,262 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $56,890 $27.35/hr
Effective Tax Drag 17.95% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$10,214 $392.86/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 $27.35 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,413/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$410/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,237
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,527
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$825
North Carolina Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,625
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$43,262 ($1,663.94 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Burlington, NC Plumber & Pipefitter Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $56,890
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $38.7k 25th $46.1k Median: $56,890 50th (Median) $56.9k 75th $64.0k 90th $74.0k You: $56,890
10th (Entry) $38,730 $18.62/hr
25th (Junior) $46,080 $22.15/hr
50th (Median) $56,890 $27.35/hr
75th (Senior) $63,990 $30.76/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $74,050 $35.60/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Plumber & Pipefitter in Burlington, NC
1
Plumber's Apprentice (Yr 1-2)Post-secondary certificate (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$39,413$18.95/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Plumber's Apprentice (Yr 3-5)Demonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; state journeyman license
$44,763$21.52/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman PlumberFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team; state journeyman license
$56,890$27.35/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Master PlumberOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$75,883$36.48/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Plumbing ContractorExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$96,659$46.47/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 Burlington, NC under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
34% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,238/month Requires minimum annual gross of $49,520
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,348/month Requires minimum annual gross of $53,920
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $22.23/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $19.40/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 Burlington, 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$56,890-$10,214$43,262$1,663.94
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$67,557-$12,634$50,870$1,956.53
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$78,224-$15,756$57,774$2,222.09
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$88,891-$19,178$64,379$2,476.13
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$99,558-$22,600$70,984$2,730.16
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 Burlington, 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
$56,890/yr
$27.35/hr · SOC 47-2152
Statutory Tax Drag
17.95% Effective
-$10,214 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
34% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,367/mo
Post-$1,238/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 Burlington, NC: Market Snapshot

Plumber & Pipefitter roles in Burlington, NC report a median annual wage of $56,890, 10.8% below the national median of $63,800. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $38,730 to $74,050, and HUD’s $1,238 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 26.1% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $22.23 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Plumber & Pipefitter

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$107,560+89.1%
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$103,380+81.7%
Bellingham, WA$102,750+80.6%
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$101,630+78.6%
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$101,010+77.6%
Kennewick-Richland, WA$97,130+70.7%
Bloomington, IN$96,980+70.5%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$96,760+70.1%
Fairbanks-College, AK$96,670+69.9%
Champaign-Urbana, IL$95,530+67.9%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Burlington, NC

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Computer and Information Systems Managers$165,490$79.56/hr
Marketing Managers$164,770$79.22/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$163,020$78.38/hr
Purchasing Managers$152,870$73.50/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$150,080$72.15/hr
Human Resources Managers$135,220$65.01/hr
Financial Manager$134,760$64.79/hr
Nurse Practitioner$131,980$63.45/hr
Sales Managers$129,740$62.38/hr
Software Engineer$127,570$61.33/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 Burlington, NC (2026) Overview

Plumber & Pipefitter median pay in Burlington, NC is $56,890 a year ($27.35/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 Burlington, NC?

The median annual wage is $56,890 ($27.35 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $38,730 and $74,050. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

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

On the median wage of $56,890, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $46,130 a year ($3,844 a month) after $10,760 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 18.91%, using 2026 tax rules.