SOC 47-2152

Plumber & Pipefitter Salary in State College, PA (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 + PA + Municipal
COL Index: 118.59 (+18.6% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 73.4% Realized
$42,276 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $57,560 $27.67/hr
Effective Tax Drag 20.55% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$11,830 $455.01/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 $27.67 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,454/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$414/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,313
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,569
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$835
Pennsylvania Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,767
State College earned income tax
2.25%
-$1,347
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$42,276 ($1,626.00 / check)
Category 2 of 6

State College, PA Plumber & Pipefitter Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $57,560
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $44.6k 25th $47.3k Median: $57,560 50th (Median) $57.6k 75th $64.3k 90th $94.5k You: $57,560
10th (Entry) $44,580 $21.43/hr
25th (Junior) $47,260 $22.72/hr
50th (Median) $57,560 $27.67/hr
75th (Senior) $64,260 $30.89/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $94,510 $45.44/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Plumber & Pipefitter in State College, PA
1
Plumber's Apprentice (Yr 1-2)Post-secondary certificate (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$39,877$19.17/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Plumber's Apprentice (Yr 3-5)Demonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; state journeyman license
$45,290$21.77/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman PlumberFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team; state journeyman license
$57,560$27.67/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Master PlumberOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$76,777$36.91/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Plumbing ContractorExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$97,798$47.02/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 State College, PA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
36% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,282/month Requires minimum annual gross of $51,280
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,537/month Requires minimum annual gross of $61,480
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $26.23/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $23.63/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 State College, PA.

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$57,560-$11,830$42,276$1,626.00
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$68,353-$14,447$49,804$1,915.53
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$79,145-$17,854$56,542$2,174.69
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$89,938-$21,486$63,055$2,425.20
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$100,730-$25,118$69,569$2,675.71
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 State College, PA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$57,560/yr
$27.67/hr · SOC 47-2152
Statutory Tax Drag
20.55% Effective
-$11,830 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
36% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,241/mo
Post-$1,282/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 State College, PA: Market Snapshot

Plumber & Pipefitter roles in State College, PA report a median annual wage of $57,560, 9.8% below the national median of $63,800. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $44,580 to $94,510, and HUD’s $1,282 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 26.7% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $26.23 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Plumber & Pipefitter

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$107,560+86.9%
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$103,380+79.6%
Bellingham, WA$102,750+78.5%
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$101,630+76.6%
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$101,010+75.5%
Kennewick-Richland, WA$97,130+68.7%
Bloomington, IN$96,980+68.5%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$96,760+68.1%
Fairbanks-College, AK$96,670+67.9%
Champaign-Urbana, IL$95,530+66.0%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in State College, PA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$203,960$98.06/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$150,520$72.37/hr
Physician Assistant$128,480$61.77/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$128,410$61.74/hr
Human Resources Managers$127,570$61.33/hr
Financial Manager$125,550$60.36/hr
Nurse Practitioner$124,470$59.84/hr
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$123,640$59.44/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$122,930$59.10/hr
Marketing Managers$122,660$58.97/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 State College, PA (2026) Overview

Plumber & Pipefitter median pay in State College, PA is $57,560 a year ($27.67/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for Plumber & Pipefitter in State College, PA 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 State College, PA?

The median annual wage is $57,560 ($27.67 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $44,580 and $94,510. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Plumber & Pipefitter in State College, PA after taxes?

On the median wage of $57,560, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $45,315 a year ($3,776 a month) after $12,245 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 21.27%, using 2026 tax rules.