Plumbers, Pipefitters & Steamfitters salary in Fort Wayne, IN
Median pay for plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters in Fort Wayne, IN: $75,590/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $43,970 – $95,480 · about 1,080 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($59,690) by +$15,900 (+27%).
What it's really worth in Fort Wayne
With Fort Wayne's cost of living at 90 (US=100), that $75,590 has the buying power of about $84,225 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $66,758 · median home $259,816 · median rent $1,264/mo.
How Fort Wayne ranks for this job
On raw pay, Fort Wayne, IN is 29th of the 187 metros we hold plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters wages for. Once Fort Wayne's cost of living is applied, it ranks 11th.
Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so Fort Wayne sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.
What that salary buys in Fort Wayne
A median home in Fort Wayne, IN costs $259,816 — about 3.4× 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 $1,264/mo works out at 20% 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 Fort Wayne.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Fort Wayne | Rent vs Fort Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | $101,560 | +34% | 1.8× |
| Kennewick, WA | $97,150 | +29% | 1.4× |
| Minneapolis, MN | $96,200 | +27% | 1.4× |
| Duluth, MN | $88,000 | +16% | 1.1× |
Same job elsewhere in IN
| Metro | Median pay | vs Fort Wayne | Rent vs Fort Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis, IN | $67,420 | −11% | 1.2× |
| South Bend, IN | $66,150 | −12% | 1.1× |
| Evansville, IN | $59,530 | −21% | 0.9× |
Staying in IN keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters around Fort Wayne
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- GE Power Conversion · Manufacturing
- Sweetwater Sound · Manufacturing
Other jobs in Fort Wayne
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.