Plumbers, Pipefitters & Steamfitters salary in Sacramento, CA
Median pay for plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters in Sacramento, CA: $61,610/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $44,720 – $125,370 · about 3,040 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($59,690) by +$1,920 (+3%).
What it's really worth in Sacramento
With Sacramento's cost of living at 109 (US=100), that $61,610 has the buying power of about $56,476 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $89,227 · median home $582,707 · median rent $2,283/mo.
How Sacramento ranks for this job
On raw pay, Sacramento, CA is 72nd of the 187 metros we hold plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters wages for. Once Sacramento's cost of living is applied, it ranks 122nd.
The headline number flatters Sacramento. Once housing and everyday costs are taken into account, plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters here keep less of what they earn than the raw salary implies.
What that salary buys in Sacramento
A median home in Sacramento, CA costs $582,707 — about 9.5× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is harder here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $2,283/mo works out at 44% of gross pay — above the conventional 30% affordability ceiling, so renting would stretch this salary.
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 Sacramento.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Sacramento | Rent vs Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | $101,560 | +65% | 1× |
| Kennewick, WA | $97,150 | +58% | 0.8× |
| Minneapolis, MN | $96,200 | +56% | 0.8× |
| Duluth, MN | $88,000 | +43% | 0.6× |
Same job elsewhere in CA
| Metro | Median pay | vs Sacramento | Rent vs Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $86,370 | +40% | 1.6× |
| San Francisco, CA | $75,840 | +23% | 1.4× |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $64,380 | +4% | 1.6× |
| San Diego, CA | $64,100 | +4% | 1.3× |
Staying in CA keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters around Sacramento
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- California Department of Transportation · Government
- State of California · Government
Other jobs in Sacramento
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.