SalaryExplorer

SOC 47-3015 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS

Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — Stockton

Stockton-Lodi, CA · 7 metro areas compared

$40,300 /year
$19.38per hour
50jobs in area
−4.9%vs US median

The median wage for Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in Stockton, CA is $40,300 per year, close to the national median of $42,360 for the same occupation.

Wage distribution · annual

Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners

US MEDIAN $42,36010TH$37,080MEDIAN$40,30075TH$45,84090TH$55,280

How pay has moved

The next ten years

Projected to grow about as fast as average

Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
+4.9%
Openings per year
4,900
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training

Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.

Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Stockton-Lodi, CA.

Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.

Salary overview

The median wage for Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in Stockton, CA is $40,300 per year, close to the national median of $42,360 for the same occupation. Pay ranges from under $37,080 at the tenth percentile to more than $55,280 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $38,520 to $45,840.

The area has 50 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 0.2 of every thousand jobs. Santa Maria leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $63,210. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 388th of 441 by median pay.

Percentile breakdown

Annual wages by percentile · Stockton-Lodi, CA · May 2025
PercentileAnnualvs US median
10th$37,080−12.5%
25th$38,520−9.1%
Median (50th)$40,300−4.9%
75th$45,840+8.2%
90th$55,280+30.5%
Mean$44,120+4.2%

Why the average earner is usually not a typical earner

Other metro areas in California

Median annual wage for Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, by metro area
#Metro areaMedianJobsRelative
1Santa Maria$63,21090
2San Francisco$51,350430
3San Diego$46,940—
4Los Angeles$46,780640
5Oxnard$46,010100
6Fresno$44,19070
7Bakersfield$39,080110

What the pay is worth locally

Prices in Stockton run 5.1% above the national average, so the median of $40,300 buys what $38,344 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 9.5% below the national median in real terms.

Published median

$40,300as reported by BLS

Local price level

105.1US average = 100 · BEA 2024

Adjusted for local prices

$38,344US average = 100 · BEA 2024

Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest

Key takeaways

  • Median pay is $40,300 a year, 4.9% below the national median.
  • Published pay spans $37,080 to $55,280 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
  • The area has 50 jobs in this occupation.
  • The highest-paying metro area covered is Santa Maria, at $63,210.

Frequently asked questions

What is the median wage for Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in Stockton, CA?

The median annual wage is $40,300, or $19.38 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.

Is that higher than the national average?

The national median for this occupation is $42,360, so pay in Stockton, CA is 4.9% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.

What do the top earners make?

The top tenth of this occupation in Stockton, CA earns more than $55,280 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.

What is the starting range?

The tenth percentile wage is $37,080 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.

Which area nearby pays the most?

The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Santa Maria, at $63,210 per year.

How many jobs are there in this occupation here?

The survey estimates 50 jobs in this occupation in Stockton, CA. Self-employed workers are not included.

Source and methodology

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.