How much do plumbers make in Minnesota in 2026?

The median plumber in Minnesota earns $94,410 a year, which works out to about $45.39 an hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That's the midpoint — half of all plumbers in the state earn more, half earn less. These figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025.

The 25th percentile sits at $61,150 a year, or roughly $29.40 an hour. Workers at this level are typically early in their careers — journeymen with a few years on the tools, or those working in lower-demand regions of the state. It's a solid starting point, but there's real room to climb.

The 75th percentile reaches $108,750 a year, about $52.28 an hour. Plumbers at this level have usually built up a combination of licensure, specialization, and years of experience on complex jobs. The gap between the 25th and 75th percentile — nearly $47,600 a year — tells you this trade rewards tenure and skill more than most.

Minnesota's plumbing market is shaped by a few things that push wages up. The Twin Cities metro — Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the surrounding suburbs — drives heavy demand for both residential and commercial work. Large commercial builds, healthcare facilities, and industrial projects in the metro corridor consistently pull experienced plumbers at the higher end of the scale. Duluth sees steady work tied to industrial and port infrastructure. Rochester has ongoing hospital and institutional construction that creates durable demand.

Licensing matters a lot in Minnesota. The state requires a journeyworker plumber license to work independently, and a master plumber license to pull permits and run a business. Moving from apprentice to journeyworker to master is the main path to higher pay. Masters who open their own shop or take on project management roles can earn beyond the 75th percentile figures shown here, since business income isn't fully captured in wage surveys.

Overtime is a real factor for plumbers. New construction and service-and-repair work both spike in spring and summer when building season picks up and when frozen-pipe damage gets assessed and repaired. A plumber working 10- to 12-hour days through peak season can add $10,000–$20,000 to their annual take-home without any change in hourly rate. The BLS figures reflect base wages and don't account for overtime, so actual annual earnings for full-time workers on busy crews can run higher.

Specialty work shifts pay as well. Hydronic heating systems, medical gas piping, and fire suppression installation all require additional certifications and command premium rates. A journeyworker who holds multiple certifications is harder to replace and can negotiate accordingly.

Some Minnesota plumbers work under collective bargaining agreements. If you're covered by a union contract, your actual pay and benefits are set by that agreement — check directly with your local for current scale rates, as those figures are separate from the BLS survey data shown here.

For plumbers early in their careers, the apprenticeship path is the fastest route to the high end of the scale. Minnesota's Joint Apprenticeship Training Committees run structured five-year programs that combine on-the-job hours with classroom instruction. Completing an apprenticeship and sitting for the journeyworker exam is the clearest line from entry wages to the median and beyond.

Geography within the state matters. Plumbers working in the Twin Cities metro generally see higher wages and more consistent year-round work than those in outstate Minnesota, where the pool of commercial projects is smaller. That said, rural areas can offer lower cost of living and less competition for residential service work, which matters for plumbers running their own businesses.

The bottom line: a mid-career licensed plumber in Minnesota working full-time can reasonably expect to land near that $94,410 median. Those who get licensed at the master level, pick up specialty certifications, and work where demand is highest have a clear path to $108,750 and above.