Real Salary Index

Best states for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

The best states for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters start with the national median wage of $56,980. Once federal tax, state income tax and local housing costs are applied, that salary is worth $154,670 in Puerto Rico and only $59,204 in California.

WeakestStrongest
100.0
Excellent
Puerto Rico — top ranked

After-tax income $72,033 · cost index 0.47

National median wage

$56,980

Best state

Puerto Rico

Weakest state

California

Real pay spread

$95,466

Federal effective rate

11.1%

States compared

52

Ranked

Real purchasing power for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters, by state

Median wage after federal and state income tax, divided by a local cost-of-living index built from rent and home values.

  1. 1
    Puerto Rico0.0% state tax$154,670
  2. 2
    South Dakota0.0% state tax$81,315
  3. 3
    Arkansas3.9% state tax$79,222
  4. 4
    North Dakota1.9% state tax$79,198
  5. 5
    Louisiana3.0% state tax$78,908
  6. 6
    Iowa3.8% state tax$78,570
  7. 7
    Mississippi4.7% state tax$78,462
  8. 8
    Tennessee0.0% state tax$78,408
  9. 9
    Wyoming0.0% state tax$77,713
  10. 10
    Oklahoma4.8% state tax$77,621
  11. 11
    Alabama4.7% state tax$76,810
  12. 12
    Kentucky4.0% state tax$76,301
  13. 13
    West Virginia4.8% state tax$76,123
  14. 14
    Nebraska5.2% state tax$75,269
  15. 15
    Missouri4.8% state tax$75,034
  16. 16
    Kansas5.6% state tax$74,957
  17. 17
    Indiana3.0% state tax$74,534
  18. 18
    Ohio3.5% state tax$74,587
  19. 19
    Texas0.0% state tax$74,218
  20. 20
    New Mexico4.9% state tax$73,811
  21. 21
    North Carolina4.5% state tax$72,501
  22. 22
    Nevada0.0% state tax$72,049
  23. 23
    Wisconsin5.3% state tax$71,990
  24. 24
    South Carolina6.4% state tax$71,305
  25. 25
    Michigan4.3% state tax$71,286
  26. 26
    Pennsylvania3.1% state tax$71,276
  27. 27
    Montana5.9% state tax$71,058
  28. 28
    Idaho5.8% state tax$70,511
  29. 29
    Alaska0.0% state tax$70,373
  30. 30
    Georgia5.4% state tax$70,271
  31. 31
    Florida0.0% state tax$69,655
  32. 32
    Arizona2.5% state tax$69,537
  33. 33
    Utah4.5% state tax$69,132
  34. 34
    New Hampshire0.0% state tax$69,153
  35. 35
    Maine7.2% state tax$68,253
  36. 36
    Vermont6.6% state tax$68,076
  37. 37
    Illinois5.0% state tax$68,051
  38. 38
    Delaware5.5% state tax$67,666
  39. 39
    Washington0.0% state tax$67,313
  40. 40
    Virginia5.0% state tax$67,240
  41. 41
    Minnesota7.0% state tax$67,248
  42. 42
    Rhode Island4.8% state tax$66,665
  43. 43
    Colorado4.4% state tax$66,440
  44. 44
    Connecticut5.5% state tax$65,222
  45. 45
    Maryland5.3% state tax$64,577
  46. 46
    Massachusetts5.0% state tax$64,281
  47. 47
    Oregon8.8% state tax$62,832
  48. 48
    New York6.0% state tax$62,241
  49. 49
    New Jersey5.5% state tax$62,086
  50. 50
    District of Columbia7.0% state tax$60,383
  51. 51
    Hawaii7.9% state tax$59,692
  52. 52
    California8.0% state tax$59,204

Wages are national medians: this shows where the same salary goes furthest, not where employers pay more.

How the Real Salary Index works

We start from the BLS national median wage, subtract an effective federal income tax estimate and the state's income tax rate, then divide the result by a cost-of-living index built from state median gross rent and median home value against the national average.

The output is the salary's real purchasing power, and the 0–100 RSI score simply ranks every state between the weakest and strongest result for that occupation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (national median annual wages, May 2024); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (state cost-of-living proxy); State income tax parameters, 2026 tax year.

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