When it comes to pipes, plumbers fulfill a crucial profession and you can see them crawling and hanging so as to reach the unreachable pipes and fix them.
Their duties include everything related to pipes, from unclogging a toilet to designing complex pipe plans for new construction projects.
They are responsible for keeping our clean water flowing in and our wastewater flowing out.
The highest-ranking in this industry is the master plumber.
Master Plumber Certification
Before you can become a master plumber, you must complete a plumbing apprenticeship program and get the journeyman plumber level of knowledge.
The requirements for this position vary from state to state, but usually, it takes four-years and it includes classroom and on-the-job training.
After holding the position of a journeyman for two years, (depending on state requirements), you can become a master plumber but only if you pass a state-sanctioned exam.
You will be required not only to master the trade, but also all of the laws that go along with it.
Average Wages
According to the data of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it cannot be determined a specific amount of money that master plumbers earn, so we will inform you about average wages based on the group’s data from plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters.
It can be said that apprentices typically make 30 to 50 percent less than a journeyman or master.
The average wage for all of these three trades is $22.43 per hour or $46,660 per year.
The top 10 percent plumbers earned about $79,000 per year, while the lowerest 10 percent earned only $27,000.
The average annual salary is higher than for construction trades and it has been reported that that master plumbers with five to seven years experience in Ohio can earn upwards of $100,000 per year.
Workplace Influence
How much the plumber will earn highly depends on the type of plumbing work he/she does and whether or not he/she owns the business or work for other master plumbers.
According to the Department of Labor, the highest-paid plumbers are union members.
Additionally, a master plumber can also work as a foreman, a superintendent, or a project manager, which all affect his/her salary and each of them can earn higher than the previous.
The Department of Labor also reports that 14 percent of plumbers are self-employed, and own a business which is considered quite lucrative — especially when they offer clients a chance of providing emergency service around the clock.
Last, but not least, plumbers working in more risky conditions are likely to earn more and the top-paying industry for plumbers and pipefitters are steel manufacturing.
If you are worried about job outlook, we have to mention that most jobs are available in building equipment contracting, nonresidential building construction, and utility system construction.
Geographic Influence
Another very important factor that affects the salary of a plumber is the geographic position of the city where they work.
This means that you need to think well prior that deciding where you want to do your plumber’s work.
The metro areas are with the top average annual salaries, and those are Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton, N.J., at $84,030; Nassau-Suffolk, N.Y. at $75,990; and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif. at $75,730.
The top three paying states for plumbers are Alaska, Massachusetts, and New York.
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