Do electricians make more than plumbers?

Nationally, plumbers earn more: a median of $63,800 a year vs $63,190 for electricians, a gap of $610 (about 1%) (BLS OEWS May 2025).

What is the pay range for electricians vs plumbers?

Electricians earn $49,430 to $83,940 a year between the 25th and 75th percentiles, with a median of $63,190. Plumbers earn $50,190 to $85,110, with a median of $63,800 (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Where do electricians and plumbers earn the most?

Among the states TradesPays covers, electricians earn the highest median in Illinois ($99,560 a year) and plumbers in Illinois ($99,950) (BLS OEWS May 2025).

How do union scales compare for electricians and plumbers?

The highest verified union journeyman scale on file for electricians is IBEW Local 3 (New York) journeyman scale at $122,720 a year; for plumbers it is UA Local 38 (San Francisco) journeyman scale at $131,040 (2024 CBA base scales; BLS medians blend union and non-union pay).

Which trade employs more people, electricians or plumbers?

BLS counts 757,220 electricians nationwide vs 465,840 plumbers (OEWS May 2025).

Which trade pays more in my state?

It varies by state. The Electrician and Plumber pay-by-state tables on TradesPays list the median in every covered state, and the compare tool at tradespays.com/compare puts both trades side by side in any state.

Electrician vs Plumber: which trade pays more?

Both trades side by side on the same BLS OEWS May 2025 data: national percentiles, union scales where a local publishes one, and the metros where both are measured.

In 2026, plumbers out-earn electricians nationally: the median is $63,800 a year for plumbers vs $63,190 for electricians, a gap of $610 (about 1%) (BLS OEWS May 2025). Last updated June 2026.

Electrician vs Plumber pay, nationally

Measure	Electrician	Plumber
Median pay	$63,190/yr	$63,800/yr
25th percentile	$49,430	$50,190
75th percentile	$83,940	$85,110
Workers nationwide (BLS)	757,220	465,840
Highest-paying state	Illinois ($99,560)	Illinois ($99,950)

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Wages are nominal, not cost-of-living adjusted.

Union scales, where a local publishes one

Verified journeyman base scales (2024 CBA) next to the BLS all-worker median, which blends union and non-union pay. Overtime and the benefits package sit on top of the base scale.

Electrician union scales on file

State · Local	Union scale	BLS median	Gap
New York · IBEW Local 3 (New York) journeyman scale	$122,720	$78,750	+$43,970/yr
Pennsylvania · IBEW Local 98 (Philadelphia) journeyman scale	$108,160	$67,600	+$40,560/yr
California · IBEW Local 11 (Los Angeles) journeyman scale	$107,120	$76,160	+$30,960/yr
Texas · IBEW Local 716 (Houston) journeyman scale	$83,200	$58,570	+$24,630/yr
Michigan · IBEW Local 58 (Detroit) journeyman scale	$91,520	$76,270	+$15,250/yr

Plumber union scales on file

State · Local	Union scale	BLS median	Gap
California · UA Local 38 (San Francisco) journeyman scale	$131,040	$72,830	+$58,210/yr
New York · UA Local 1 (New York) journeyman scale	$120,640	$77,490	+$43,150/yr
Massachusetts · UA Local 12 (Boston) journeyman scale	$112,320	$93,880	+$18,440/yr
Illinois · UA Local 130 (Chicago) journeyman scale	$108,160	$99,950	+$8,210/yr

Where both trades are measured: metro by metro

Metros where BLS publishes a median for both trades, ranked by combined employment. Gap is the electrician median minus the plumber median: positive means electricians earn more in that metro.

Metro	Electrician	Plumber	Gap
New York, NY	$79,020	$78,610	+$410/yr
Los Angeles, CA	$73,810	$71,110	+$2,700/yr
Dallas, TX	$59,010	$61,250	−$2,240/yr
Houston, TX	$59,180	$61,300	−$2,120/yr
Chicago, IL	$102,350	$103,380	−$1,030/yr
Phoenix, AZ	$61,210	$63,750	−$2,540/yr

Compare by state

National medians hide big state swings. Every covered state's median for each trade is on its hub, and the compare tool puts both trades side by side in any state.

Electrician pay by state →Plumber pay by state →Pick a state and compare →

Electrician vs Plumber: FAQ

Do electricians make more than plumbers?: Nationally, plumbers earn more: a median of $63,800 a year vs $63,190 for electricians, a gap of $610 (about 1%) (BLS OEWS May 2025).
What is the pay range for electricians vs plumbers?: Electricians earn $49,430 to $83,940 a year between the 25th and 75th percentiles, with a median of $63,190. Plumbers earn $50,190 to $85,110, with a median of $63,800 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Where do electricians and plumbers earn the most?: Among the states TradesPays covers, electricians earn the highest median in Illinois ($99,560 a year) and plumbers in Illinois ($99,950) (BLS OEWS May 2025).
How do union scales compare for electricians and plumbers?: The highest verified union journeyman scale on file for electricians is IBEW Local 3 (New York) journeyman scale at $122,720 a year; for plumbers it is UA Local 38 (San Francisco) journeyman scale at $131,040 (2024 CBA base scales; BLS medians blend union and non-union pay).
Which trade employs more people, electricians or plumbers?: BLS counts 757,220 electricians nationwide vs 465,840 plumbers (OEWS May 2025).
Which trade pays more in my state?: It varies by state. The Electrician and Plumber pay-by-state tables on TradesPays list the median in every covered state, and the compare tool at tradespays.com/compare puts both trades side by side in any state.

Already in one of these trades?

The negotiation kit is built per trade and state. Below is each trade's highest-paying covered state; for your own state, start from the pay-by-state list on the trade's page above.

Electricians earn the most in Illinois ($99,560 median).

Want the whole play, not just the number?

The full electrician kit for Illinois: pay by metro, the union scale where one is public, three ready scripts, and answers to the pushback you will hear. $19, one time.

Get the full kit for $19

Plumbers earn the most in Illinois ($99,950 median).

Want the whole play, not just the number?

The full plumber kit for Illinois: pay by metro, the union scale where one is public, three ready scripts, and answers to the pushback you will hear. $19, one time.

Get the full kit for $19

Other trade matchups

The amount and bar show each matchup's national median pay gap (BLS OEWS May 2025).