How much do plumbers make in Tennessee in 2026?

The median plumber salary in Tennessee is $58,600 a year, which works out to about $28.17 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. If you're just starting out or working in a lower-cost region, expect pay closer to the 25th percentile of $47,260 a year (~$22.72/hr). Experienced plumbers and those in higher-demand metros land closer to the 75th percentile of $73,460 a year (~$35.32/hr).

Those three numbers — $47,260, $58,600, and $73,460 — tell you most of what you need to know about the earnings range in this state. The spread from bottom quartile to top quartile is about $26,200 a year, which is a significant gap. Where you fall within it depends heavily on years of experience, license level, employer type, and which corner of Tennessee you're working in.

License level matters a lot for plumbers specifically. Tennessee requires plumbers to hold a state-issued license, and the tier makes a real difference in what you can command. A journeyman working under a master plumber's license is in a different pay bracket than a licensed master plumber running their own jobs or managing a crew. If you haven't pursued your master's license yet, that credential alone can push your earnings toward or past the 75th percentile over time.

Geography within Tennessee creates real pay differences. The Nashville metro — which has seen sustained construction growth in residential, commercial, and infrastructure work — tends to push plumber wages above the state median. Memphis and Knoxville are also active markets. Rural counties and smaller towns generally track below the median, reflecting both lower cost of living and less project volume.

Employer type is another lever. Plumbers working for large mechanical contractors on commercial or industrial projects tend to earn more than those doing residential service and repair work. New construction, particularly in the commercial sector, tends to pay better per hour and offers more consistent hours. Specialty work — medical gas systems, fire suppression, process piping — commands a premium because fewer plumbers are certified or experienced in those areas.

Overtime is a real factor in this trade. Plumbers routinely log 45–55 hours a week during peak construction seasons, and overtime pay at 1.5x base rate can add meaningful dollars to annual take-home. A plumber earning $28/hr base who regularly pulls 10 hours of overtime per week is adding roughly $21,840 in overtime premium annually — that's not nothing. The BLS figures reflect straight-time equivalent wages and may not fully capture total compensation for workers putting in heavy hours.

Some plumbers in Tennessee work under collective bargaining agreements. If that applies to you, your actual rate and benefits are set by the agreement — check your local's contract directly for the specifics, since those terms vary and aren't reflected in the BLS figures here.

The BLS OEWS data used on this page comes from employer surveys and covers wages only — it doesn't include the value of health insurance, pension contributions, paid time off, or per diem. For plumbers with strong benefit packages, total compensation can run meaningfully higher than the wage figures suggest. Keep that in mind when comparing offers.

If you want to move your pay toward the top quartile, the path is fairly clear: get your master plumber's license, build experience in commercial or industrial work, pick up specialty certifications where you can, and position yourself in higher-volume markets like Nashville or Knoxville. None of that happens overnight, but each step has a measurable payoff.