Pipefitter Salary in California

$35/hr

Read California employee wage ranges alongside piping duties, overtime terms and the training needed for your next California piping assignment.

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What Pipefitters Earn in California

California employee wages span $22.76–$63.03/hr, with published annual earnings of $47,350–$131,100 a year. BLS combines plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters in one occupation. These figures exclude premium pay and benefits. For a piping offer, compare the base wage with the assigned systems, joining responsibilities and paid hours. Separate shutdown overtime from the ordinary wage when comparing positions. Ask for the working schedule, expected job duration and the location of each assignment.

Hourly rates by level in California

What each rung of the trade is paid, before overtime and per diem.

Apprentice · 0–2 yrs
$22.76–$28.36/hr
▲ 6.48% from last year
Journeyman · 4–8 yrs
$28.36–$48.17/hr
▲ 6.48% from last year
Master · 8+ yrs
$48.17–$63.03/hr
▲ 6.48% from last year

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Where do you stand?

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$/ hr

Use your base rate, not what you take home after overtime.

You're right around the middle

$28.00 is above roughly 46% of this market. The top quarter starts at $36.00, and the median sits at $29.00.

10th
$18
25th
$23
Median
$29
75th
$36
90th
$45
YOU · $28.00
Your percentile
46th
Among this market
Your annual · 40 hrs
$58,240
Before overtime and per diem
Gap to median
−$2,080
Below the median

Calculate pay with extra credentials

Pick your level, add certifications, select shift — the estimate updates live.

1Your level

2Certifications you hold

3Shift & work type

4Overtime & per diem

Weekly overtime hours8 hrs
Per diem (per day away)$0

An estimate, not an offer. Overtime is paid at time and a half past forty hours.

American RecruitsEstimate
Journeyman Pipefitter
California · Day Shift
Base rate$38.27
+ UA Local 250 Steamfitter/Pipefitter Apprenticeship (journeyperson)$6.65
+ OSHA 30-Hour Construction$1.39
+ OSHA 10-Hour Construction$0.46
Effective hourly$46.77
Straight · 40 hrs$1,871
Overtime · 8 hrs @ 1.5×$561
Weekly gross$2,432
Annualised · 50 weeks
$121,589
8 OT hrs/week · California

Who pays the most in California

These national sector figures help frame California piping offers across mechanical installation, building projects and utility construction. They cover the combined pipe-trades occupation across employers.

01 / 03$30.34/hr

Building Equipment Contractors

Mechanical contractors install building piping and equipment. Ask California employers how much time goes to fabrication, field installation and service calls. Also ask who supplies tools and how moves between jobs are scheduled.

+ Piping specialization
+ Varied systems
– Changing sites
– Shutdown schedules
02 / 03$34.24/hr

Nonresidential Building Construction

Commercial building projects connect pipe installation with other trades. Discuss drawing changes, access windows and crew coordination on the California assignment. Find out whether the job ends after installation or includes testing and turnover.

+ Complex installations
+ Team coordination
– Deadline pressure
– Trade interfaces
03 / 03$29.52/hr

Utility System Construction

Utility projects involve distribution infrastructure and related facilities. For California work, ask which piping duties, outdoor conditions and travel arrangements apply. Discuss the reporting location and whether assignments move between separate construction sites.

+ Infrastructure work
+ Defined packages
– Outdoor exposure
– Travel demands

Which states pay pipefitters the most

Median hourly across every state with a published guide for this trade. Cost of living is not netted out — compare take-home, not just the rate.

  1. 01Californiathis page$35.01/hr
  2. 02Virginia$29.07/hr

What each certification is worth

Sorted by payback speed.

CertificationRate bumpExtra / yearCostPayback
UA Local 250 Steamfitter/Pipefitter Apprenticeship (journeyperson)+$6.65$13,832$00 weeks
OSHA 30-Hour Construction+$1.39$2,891$1593 weeks
ASSE/IAPMO 6010 Medical Gas Installer Certification+$1.48$3,078$1904 weeks
OSHA 10-Hour Construction+$0.46$957$594 weeks
Aerial/Scissor Lift (MEWP) Operator+$0.12$250$5913 weeks
ASME Section IX / API 1104 Pipe Welder Qualification Test+$0.23$478$65071 weeks

What overtime actually adds

Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $35.01/hr.

40 hr week
$1,400
No OT
50 hr week
$1,926
+$26,257/yr
60 hr week
$2,451
+$52,515/yr
70 hr week
$2,976
+$78,772/yr

Questions workers ask

Can a public works contractor pay me apprentice rates before I enroll?▾
No. The Labor Commissioner's Public Works Manual allows apprentice rates only for workers enrolled in a DAS-approved apprenticeship program. Hours worked before enrollment must be paid at the higher journeyman rate. Confirm your apprenticeship agreement is signed before your first public job.
How should I compare shutdown work with a longer job?▾
Compare the base wage, expected paid hours and overtime arrangements together. IWC Wage Order 16, enforced by DIR's Labor Commissioner, generally requires overtime after eight daily or 40 weekly hours, with qualifying exceptions. Ask how the employer records preparation and cleanup.
Do refinery shutdowns pay pipefitters prevailing wage?▾
Yes, for contractor journeypersons at covered oil refineries. Health and Safety Code Section 25536.7 requires at least the applicable DIR prevailing wage rate for skilled journeypersons doing onsite construction or maintenance work.

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Current BLS California employee wages for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, SOC 47-2152; the BLS occupation combines plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, excluding premium pay and benefits.

Last updated October 23, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.