SOC 47-2152

Plumber & Pipefitter Salary in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

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 + CA
COL Index: 198.61 (+98.6% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 67.9% Realized
$73,053 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $107,560 $51.71/hr
Effective Tax Drag 26.08% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$28,054 $1,078.99/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 $51.71 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$6,454/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,420/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$13,413
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$6,669
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,560
California Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$5,014
State Disability Insurance (SDI)
Statutory Payroll Assessment
-$1,398
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$73,053 ($2,809.72 / check)
Category 2 of 6

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Plumber & Pipefitter Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $107,560
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $63.3k 25th $76.0k Median: $107,560 50th (Median) $108k 75th $156k 90th $156k You: $107,560
10th (Entry) $63,270 $30.42/hr
25th (Junior) $76,040 $36.56/hr
50th (Median) $107,560 $51.71/hr
75th (Senior) $155,600 $74.81/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $155,600 $74.81/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Plumber & Pipefitter in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
1
Plumber's Apprentice (Yr 1-2)Post-secondary certificate (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$74,516$35.83/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Plumber's Apprentice (Yr 3-5)Demonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; state journeyman license
$84,632$40.69/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman PlumberFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team; state journeyman license
$107,560$51.71/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Master PlumberOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$143,470$68.98/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Plumbing ContractorExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$182,751$87.86/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
46% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $2,778/month Requires minimum annual gross of $111,120
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $3,272/month Requires minimum annual gross of $130,880
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $43.92/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $40.18/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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA.

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$107,560-$28,054$73,053$2,809.72
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$127,728-$35,792$84,271$3,241.21
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$147,895-$43,876$95,146$3,659.45
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$168,063-$51,993$105,985$4,076.36
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$188,230-$59,880$117,056$4,502.16
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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$107,560/yr
$51.71/hr · SOC 47-2152
Statutory Tax Drag
26.08% Effective
-$28,054 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
46% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$3,310/mo
Post-$2,778/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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA: Market Snapshot

Plumber & Pipefitter roles in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA report a median annual wage of $107,560, 68.6% above the national median of $63,800. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $63,270 to $155,600, and HUD’s $2,778 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 31.0% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $43.92 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Plumber & Pipefitter

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$103,380-3.9%
Bellingham, WA$102,750-4.5%
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$101,630-5.5%
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$101,010-6.1%
Kennewick-Richland, WA$97,130-9.7%
Bloomington, IN$96,980-9.8%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$96,760-10.0%
Fairbanks-College, AK$96,670-10.1%
Champaign-Urbana, IL$95,530-11.2%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$95,230-11.5%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Computer and Information Systems Managers$291,660$140.22/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$263,810$126.83/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$234,590$112.78/hr
Nurse Practitioner$231,560$111.33/hr
Marketing Managers$231,370$111.24/hr
Training and Development Managers$230,020$110.59/hr
Financial Manager$225,280$108.31/hr
Physician Assistant$223,640$107.52/hr
Human Resources Managers$220,460$105.99/hr
Registered Nurse (RN)$216,740$104.20/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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Overview

Plumber & Pipefitter median pay in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA is $107,560 a year ($51.71/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles. Official 2026 economic data for Plumber & Pipefitter in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?

The median annual wage is $107,560 ($51.71 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $63,270 and $155,600. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Plumber & Pipefitter in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA after taxes?

On the median wage of $107,560, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $77,486 a year ($6,457 a month) after $30,074 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 27.96%, using 2026 tax rules.