Plumbers, Pipefitters & Steamfitters salary in Buffalo, NY
Median pay for plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters in Buffalo, NY: $75,910/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $45,910 – $102,400 · about 1,450 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($59,690) by +$16,220 (+27%).
What it's really worth in Buffalo
With Buffalo's cost of living at 95 (US=100), that $75,910 has the buying power of about $79,972 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $67,638 · median home $288,316 · median rent $1,444/mo.
How Buffalo ranks for this job
On raw pay, Buffalo, NY is 27th of the 187 metros we hold plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters wages for. Once Buffalo's cost of living is applied, it ranks 20th.
Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so Buffalo sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.
What that salary buys in Buffalo
A median home in Buffalo, NY costs $288,316 — about 3.8× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,444/mo works out at 23% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Buffalo.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Buffalo | Rent vs Buffalo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | $101,560 | +34% | 1.6× |
| Kennewick, WA | $97,150 | +28% | 1.2× |
| Minneapolis, MN | $96,200 | +27% | 1.2× |
| Duluth, MN | $88,000 | +16% | 1× |
Same job elsewhere in NY
| Metro | Median pay | vs Buffalo | Rent vs Buffalo |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $79,190 | +4% | 2.4× |
| Albany, NY | $78,170 | +3% | 1.2× |
| Binghamton, NY | $76,290 | +1% | 0.9× |
| Rochester, NY | $65,320 | −14% | 1.1× |
Staying in NY keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters around Buffalo
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Moog Inc. · Manufacturing
Other jobs in Buffalo
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 187 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.