SOC 47-2152

Plumber & Pipefitter Salary in Columbia, SC (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 + SC
COL Index: 109.25 (+9.2% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 77.5% Realized
$40,340 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $52,070 $25.03/hr
Effective Tax Drag 16.53% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$8,606 $331.00/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 $25.03 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,124/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$375/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,694
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,228
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$755
South Carolina Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$929
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$40,340 ($1,551.53 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Columbia, SC Plumber & Pipefitter Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $52,070
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $38.0k 25th $46.4k Median: $52,070 50th (Median) $52.1k 75th $64.3k 90th $75.6k You: $52,070
10th (Entry) $38,010 $18.27/hr
25th (Junior) $46,400 $22.31/hr
50th (Median) $52,070 $25.03/hr
75th (Senior) $64,280 $30.90/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $75,570 $36.33/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Plumber & Pipefitter in Columbia, SC
1
Plumber's Apprentice (Yr 1-2)Post-secondary certificate (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$36,074$17.34/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Plumber's Apprentice (Yr 3-5)Demonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; state journeyman license
$40,970$19.70/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman PlumberFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team; state journeyman license
$52,070$25.03/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Master PlumberOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$69,454$33.39/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Plumbing ContractorExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$88,470$42.53/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 Columbia, SC under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
33% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,126/month Requires minimum annual gross of $45,040
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,226/month Requires minimum annual gross of $49,040
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $24.16/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $21.12/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 Columbia, 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$52,070-$8,606$40,340$1,551.53
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$61,833-$11,063$47,060$1,810.00
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$71,596-$13,600$53,701$2,065.41
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$81,359-$16,974$59,504$2,288.61
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$91,123-$20,349$65,306$2,511.78
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 Columbia, 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
$52,070/yr
$25.03/hr · SOC 47-2152
Statutory Tax Drag
16.53% Effective
-$8,606 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
33% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,236/mo
Post-$1,126/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 Columbia, SC: Market Snapshot

Plumber & Pipefitter roles in Columbia, SC report a median annual wage of $52,070, 18.4% below the national median of $63,800. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $38,010 to $75,570, and HUD’s $1,126 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 25.9% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $24.16 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Plumber & Pipefitter

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$107,560+106.6%
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$103,380+98.5%
Bellingham, WA$102,750+97.3%
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$101,630+95.2%
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$101,010+94.0%
Kennewick-Richland, WA$97,130+86.5%
Bloomington, IN$96,980+86.2%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$96,760+85.8%
Fairbanks-College, AK$96,670+85.7%
Champaign-Urbana, IL$95,530+83.5%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Columbia, SC

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$176,890$85.04/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$162,260$78.01/hr
Advertising and Promotions Managers$159,950$76.90/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$141,570$68.06/hr
Marketing Managers$136,930$65.83/hr
Data Engineer$135,790$65.28/hr
Actuary$133,060$63.97/hr
Sales Managers$128,650$61.85/hr
Industrial Production Managers$128,050$61.56/hr
Administrative Services Managers$126,680$60.90/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 Columbia, SC (2026) Overview

Plumber & Pipefitter median pay in Columbia, SC is $52,070 a year ($25.03/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 Columbia, SC?

The median annual wage is $52,070 ($25.03 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $38,010 and $75,570. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

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

On the median wage of $52,070, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $42,881 a year ($3,573 a month) after $9,189 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 17.65%, using 2026 tax rules.