SOC 47-2152

Plumber & Pipefitter Salary in Charleston-North Charleston, SC

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 + SC
COL Index: 136.48 (+36.5% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 76.7% Realized
$43,981 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $57,360 $27.58/hr
Effective Tax Drag 17.32% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$9,937 $382.21/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 $27.58 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,442/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$413/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,290
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,556
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$832
South Carolina Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,259
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$43,981 ($1,691.58 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Charleston-North Charleston, SC Plumber & Pipefitter Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $57,360
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $39.1k 25th $48.9k Median: $57,360 50th (Median) $57.4k 75th $64.8k 90th $74.9k You: $57,360
10th (Entry) $39,100 $18.80/hr
25th (Junior) $48,880 $23.50/hr
50th (Median) $57,360 $27.58/hr
75th (Senior) $64,780 $31.14/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $74,880 $36.00/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Plumber & Pipefitter in Charleston-North Charleston, SC
1
Plumber's Apprentice (Yr 1-2)Post-secondary certificate (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$39,738$19.10/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Plumber's Apprentice (Yr 3-5)Demonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; state journeyman license
$45,133$21.70/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman PlumberFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team; state journeyman license
$57,360$27.58/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Master PlumberOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$76,510$36.78/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Plumbing ContractorExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$97,458$46.85/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Charleston-North Charleston, SC medianView National Plumber & Pipefitter Salary Data
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 Charleston-North Charleston, SC under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
47% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,731/month Requires minimum annual gross of $69,240
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,884/month Requires minimum annual gross of $75,360
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $30.18/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $24.11/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 Charleston-North Charleston, SC.

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$57,360-$9,937$43,981$1,691.58
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$68,115-$12,644$51,384$1,976.32
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$78,870-$16,114$58,024$2,231.68
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$89,625-$19,831$64,417$2,477.56
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$100,380-$23,548$70,809$2,723.42
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 Charleston-North Charleston, SC: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$57,360/yr
$27.58/hr · SOC 47-2152
Statutory Tax Drag
17.32% Effective
-$9,937 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
47% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$1,934/mo
Post-$1,731/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 Charleston-North Charleston, SC: Market Snapshot

Plumber & Pipefitter roles in Charleston-North Charleston, SC report a median annual wage of $57,360, 10.1% below the national median of $63,800. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $39,100 to $74,880, and HUD’s $1,731 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 36.2% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $30.18 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Plumber & Pipefitter

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$107,560+87.5%
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$103,380+80.2%
Bellingham, WA$102,750+79.1%
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$101,630+77.2%
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$101,010+76.1%
Kennewick-Richland, WA$97,130+69.3%
Bloomington, IN$96,980+69.1%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$96,760+68.7%
Fairbanks-College, AK$96,670+68.5%
Champaign-Urbana, IL$95,530+66.5%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Charleston-North Charleston, SC

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$197,220$94.82/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$174,040$83.67/hr
Advertising and Promotions Managers$170,000$81.73/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$167,000$80.29/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$150,810$72.50/hr
Financial Manager$147,170$70.75/hr
Sales Managers$139,830$67.23/hr
Marketing Managers$138,790$66.73/hr
Purchasing Managers$138,340$66.51/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$132,660$63.78/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 Charleston-North Charleston, SC Overview

Plumber & Pipefitter median pay in Charleston-North Charleston, SC is $57,360 a year ($27.58/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD. Official 2026 economic data for Plumber & Pipefitter in Charleston-North Charleston, SC 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 Charleston-North Charleston, SC?

The median annual wage is $57,360 ($27.58 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $39,100 and $74,880. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Plumber & Pipefitter in Charleston-North Charleston, SC after taxes?

On the median wage of $57,360, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $46,781 a year ($3,898 a month) after $10,579 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 18.44%, using 2026 tax rules.