Traveling Pipefitter (Per Diem) Salary
This is the Data Center Headhunters salary guide.
BLS does not measure Traveling Pipefitter (Per Diem) as its own occupation, so this page uses Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152, closest proxy). The median annual wage in the United States was $63,800 (BLS, May 2025), and the middle half earned $50,190 to $85,110.
This is what we do all day: recruit data center professionals.
Closest proxy
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters is the closest occupational proxy based on the work described, not a separate data center wage series. BLS does not distinguish this title, experience level, shift, credentials or data center employers. Confirm the actual duties before using this comparison.
National pay range
| Point | Annual wage | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $44,150 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $50,190 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median | $63,800 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $85,110 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $108,420 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $72,170 | Average wage. |
| Point | Hourly wage | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $21.22 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $24.13 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median | $30.67 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $40.92 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $52.13 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $34.7 | Average wage. |
What BLS wages cover: OEWS includes base rates, guaranteed pay, commissions and production incentives. It excludes on-call waiting or availability pay, overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits. The on-call exclusion covers time awaiting a call to work, not ordinary wages for hours actually worked. These are straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. Discuss per diem, travel and relocation separately. BLS pay-term definitions.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 47-2152 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, United States. Download national data (ZIP).
Pay relative to all occupations
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| This occupation, median | $63,800 |
| All occupations (SOC 00-0000), median | $50,980 |
| Relative wage | 1.25 times |
A ratio of 1.00 means the same median as all workers in the area. It is arithmetic on two BLS medians, not a BLS statistic.
Pay in industries that hire this occupation
| Industry (BLS name) | NAICS | Employment | Share of occupation | Median | P25 to P75 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building Equipment Contractors | 238200 | 340,140 | 73.0% | $63,110 | $49,680 to $84,010 |
| Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors | 238220 | 330,570 | 71.0% | $63,010 | $49,650 to $83,730 |
| Utility System Construction | 237100 | 14,960 | 3.2% | $61,400 | $48,600 to $75,470 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | 236200 | 10,790 | 2.3% | $71,220 | $59,390 to $87,700 |
| Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors | 238210 | 6,640 | 1.4% | $64,420 | $50,360 to $92,360 |
| Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction | 237130 | 1,530 | 0.3% | $63,590 | $53,460 to $91,100 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 221100 | 1,370 | 0.3% | $115,310 | $91,270 to $124,120 |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | 811300 | 1,340 | 0.3% | $68,110 | $60,380 to $79,980 |
| Facilities Support Services | 561200 | 1,000 | 0.2% | $74,760 | $61,340 to $87,350 |
| Testing Laboratories and Services | 541380 | 40 | 0.0% | $49,350 | $47,580 to $52,120 |
| Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 335900 | 40 | 0.0% | $88,260 | $78,200 to $97,570 |
These national industry rows cover privately owned establishments. Industry names are exact BLS NAICS titles. Industries overlap, so shares do not sum to 100%. An industry row does not mean the employer runs data centers.
Pay in target metros
| Metro area | Median | P25 to P75 | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $71,860 | $55,780 to $94,050 | 9,420 | 1 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $61,250 | $47,910 to $75,290 | 11,980 | 0.99 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $63,750 | $54,430 to $90,470 | 9,270 | 1.3 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $58,380 | $45,950 to $71,950 | 5,470 | 0.63 |
| Columbus, OH | $63,260 | $49,340 to $85,370 | 3,060 | 0.93 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $103,380 | $74,300 to $122,540 | 12,750 | 0.94 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $107,560 | $76,040 to $155,600 | 3,830 | 1.13 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $101,010 | $72,440 to $128,360 | 4,600 | 1.27 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Highest and lowest paying metros
Ranked by published median annual wage among 388 metro areas with an exact median.
| Rank | Metro area | Median | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $107,560 | 3,830 | 1.13 |
| 2 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $103,380 | 12,750 | 0.94 |
| 3 | Bellingham, WA | $102,750 | 540 | 1.97 |
| 4 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $101,630 | 6,730 | 1.15 |
| 5 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $101,010 | 4,600 | 1.27 |
| 6 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $97,130 | 840 | 2.18 |
| 7 | Bloomington, IN | $96,980 | 320 | 1.45 |
| 8 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $96,760 | 9,200 | 1.14 |
| 9 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $96,670 | 200 | 1.85 |
| 10 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $95,530 | 390 | 1.24 |
| Rank | Metro area | Median | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 379 | Jonesboro, AR | $47,030 | 160 | 0.89 |
| 380 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $46,850 | 250 | 0.53 |
| 381 | Hot Springs, AR | $46,820 | 140 | 1.18 |
| 382 | Laredo, TX | $46,350 | 120 | 0.37 |
| 383 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $46,110 | 360 | 0.41 |
| 384 | Valdosta, GA | $46,070 | 80 | 0.5 |
| 385 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $32,300 | 800 | 0.39 |
| 386 | Aguadilla, PR | $31,660 | 40 | 0.26 |
| 387 | Mayaguez, PR | $30,120 | 30 | 0.21 |
| 388 | Ponce, PR | $29,690 | 40 | 0.23 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Where pay is highest relative to local wages
This compares the occupation's median with the all-occupations median in the same metro and on the same annual basis. It does not adjust for living costs. Only exact published medians are ranked. A top-coded lower bound cannot establish an exact rank.
| Metro | Occupation median | All-occupations median | Ratio | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington, IN | $96,980 | $47,660 | 2.03 times | 320 | 1.45 |
| Terre Haute, IN | $90,250 | $44,870 | 2.01 times | 420 | 2.18 |
| Rockford, IL | $94,230 | $47,120 | 2.00 times | 440 | 1.08 |
| Eau Claire, WI | $92,720 | $48,100 | 1.93 times | 210 | 0.81 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $103,380 | $54,720 | 1.89 times | 12,750 | 0.94 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $95,530 | $50,700 | 1.88 times | 390 | 1.24 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $90,730 | $48,510 | 1.87 times | 870 | 2.38 |
| Kokomo, IN | $91,470 | $48,980 | 1.87 times | 400 | 3.77 |
| Appleton, WI | $91,750 | $49,910 | 1.84 times | 890 | 2.39 |
| Green Bay, WI | $90,570 | $49,940 | 1.81 times | 730 | 1.4 |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $82,200 | $45,540 | 1.81 times | 90 | 0.7 |
| Springfield, IL | $94,370 | $52,670 | 1.79 times | 220 | 0.72 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $82,120 | $45,860 | 1.79 times | 380 | 2.5 |
| Kankakee, IL | $81,620 | $45,830 | 1.78 times | 110 | 0.88 |
| Binghamton, NY | $87,990 | $49,460 | 1.78 times | 280 | 0.95 |
| Wausau, WI | $86,750 | $48,790 | 1.78 times | 260 | 1.25 |
| Bellingham, WA | $102,750 | $57,820 | 1.78 times | 540 | 1.97 |
| St. Cloud, MN | $90,230 | $50,840 | 1.77 times | 830 | 2.66 |
| Springfield, MA | $92,080 | $51,930 | 1.77 times | 670 | 1.1 |
| Columbus, IN | $85,930 | $48,470 | 1.77 times | 100 | 0.65 |
| Sheboygan, WI | $91,530 | $51,890 | 1.76 times | 150 | 0.8 |
| Flint, MI | $80,510 | $45,880 | 1.75 times | 790 | 1.95 |
| Monroe, MI | $80,700 | $46,240 | 1.75 times | 250 | 2.04 |
| Saginaw, MI | $80,440 | $46,200 | 1.74 times | 260 | 1.09 |
| Peoria, IL | $85,090 | $49,590 | 1.72 times | 560 | 1.12 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Source: BLS OEWS BLS, May 2025, SOC 47-2152 and SOC 00-0000, matching metro areas. The ratio is our arithmetic on those published medians, not a BLS statistic.
Change since the prior BLS release
| Reference period | Median |
|---|---|
| May 2024 | $62,970 |
| May 2025 | $63,800 |
| Difference | +$830 (+1.3%) |
Two published BLS values, shown as released. Not annualized, not adjusted for inflation, and BLS metro boundaries and survey panels can differ between releases.
Levels above and below this title
These are different jobs, not experience bands within one occupation. The figures are not a promised raise.
Journeyman Pipefitter map to the same BLS occupation, so BLS shows one set of figures for the whole ladder. Level is not a BLS dimension.
What is inside the BLS pay figure
For construction and commissioning hires, separate expense reimbursements and overtime from straight-time pay. Check a project bonus on its actual terms. Guaranteed pay and production incentives count in BLS wages; discretionary nonproduction bonuses do not.
| Component | In the BLS figure? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Base rate and guaranteed pay | Included | BLS counts the "base rate" and "guaranteed pay". |
| Production and incentive pay | Included | BLS counts "incentive pay including commissions and production bonuses". |
| On-call waiting or availability pay | Left out | BLS excludes payment for time spent awaiting a call to work, not ordinary wages for hours actually worked. BLS on-call pay definition. |
| Overtime pay matters here | Left out | BLS excludes "overtime pay". Straight-time pay only. |
| Shift differentials | Left out | BLS excludes "shift differentials", so night and weekend premiums are not in the figure. |
| Project-completion and discretionary bonuses matters here | Depends on the terms | Guaranteed pay and production incentives are included. Discretionary nonproduction bonuses are excluded. Check how the payment is defined. |
| Per diem, travel and relocation matters here | Left out | BLS does not name these as wages. They are expense reimbursements and are not in the figure. |
| Benefits and employer costs | Left out | BLS excludes "employer costs for supplementary benefits". |
Recruiter's read
Qualitative, not from BLS data.
Traveling Pipefitter (Per Diem) candidates are usually screened on chilled water and liquid cooling installs draw journeyman pipefitters who travel on per diem.
We usually find them through [supported-related-title] Related live posting observed: Journeyman & Helper Pipefitters (workperdiem.net job 2862, posted Aug 12, Richmond VA), stating a data center environment, local and traveling candidates, and per diem. Travel and per diem scope is supported; the page title Traveling Pipefitter (Per Diem) is our descriptive title, not the posted wording. Trade reporting (finance.yahoo.com) is corroboration only. We contact working people directly rather than relying on job applications.
Questions
What is the median pay for Traveling Pipefitter (Per Diem)?
The BLS median annual wage for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters nationally is $63,800 (BLS, May 2025).
What range do most Traveling Pipefitter (Per Diem) earn?
Per BLS, the middle half earned $50,190 to $85,110, and 10% earned less than $44,150.
Is this the exact job title?
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters is the closest occupational proxy based on the work described, not a separate data center wage series. BLS does not distinguish this title, experience level, shift, credentials or data center employers. Confirm the actual duties before using this comparison.
How many people are employed in this occupation?
BLS estimates 465,840 jobs nationally in Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters across all industries.
What do BLS wages leave out?
OEWS includes base rates, guaranteed pay, commissions and production incentives. It excludes on-call waiting or availability pay, overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits. The on-call exclusion covers time awaiting a call to work, not ordinary wages for hours actually worked. Discuss per diem, travel and relocation separately.
Hiring Market Brief
A one-page brief for Traveling Pipefitter (Per Diem): BLS pay, mapping and caveats.
Hiring Traveling Pipefitter (Per Diem)?
Pay is one input. Scope, license and travel decide whether the person says yes.
Related
What the published rows say about Traveling Pipefitter (Per Diem) pay in the United States
Traveling Pipefitter (Per Diem) maps to Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, SOC 47-2152. For the United States, the May 2025 OEWS annual median is $63,800; the middle half runs from $50,190 to $85,110. This is a proxy, not a separate wage estimate for this exact job. BLS does not separate seniority titles that share this row. Before setting an offer, pin down who owns the field decisions and whether the hire travels. A shared occupation median cannot price that scope for you.
The middle-half spread is $34,920: $13,610 from the 25th percentile to the median and $21,310 from the median to the 75th. The upper interval is wider. Use these points to compare an offer, not to price a junior or senior hire. Percentiles are not experience bands, and this distribution alone does not explain why individual workers earn different amounts.
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ reports a annual median of $78,610 for this occupation in May 2025. This metro is selected by published occupation employment, not geographic proximity to a national point. That is $14,810 above the United States's median.
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA reports a annual median of $71,110 for this occupation in May 2025. This metro is selected by published occupation employment, not geographic proximity to a national point. That is $7,310 above the United States's median.
The highest exact national industry medians in the loaded SOC 47-2152 rows are Hydroelectric Power Generation at $128,380 and Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution at $115,310. These are May 2025 national occupation estimates, not local data center pay. The loaded data has no local industry-by-occupation breakdown, so it cannot rank industries within the United States.
The matched median moved from $62,970 in May 2024 to $63,800 in May 2025: $830 higher. Both rows use SOC 47-2152, area 99 and the same annual basis. This is not adjusted for inflation or annualized, and it does not attribute the change to a particular employer.
OEWS includes base rates, guaranteed pay, commissions and production incentives. It excludes on-call waiting or availability pay, overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits. The on-call exclusion covers time awaiting a call to work, not ordinary wages for hours actually worked. This is neither pure base salary nor total compensation. Agree travel, per diem and relocation terms separately. No verified Traveling Pipefitter (Per Diem)-specific allowance is in this occupation row, so none is added to the figures.
Questions about Traveling Pipefitter (Per Diem) pay in the United States
Which BLS row supports Traveling Pipefitter (Per Diem) pay in the United States?
Traveling Pipefitter (Per Diem) maps to SOC 47-2152, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters. The May 2025 annual median for the United States is $63,800. The proxy mapping is not a separate survey of this niche title.
Does the figure cover the whole offer for Traveling Pipefitter (Per Diem)?
OEWS includes base rates, guaranteed pay, commissions and production incentives. It excludes on-call waiting or availability pay, overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits. The on-call exclusion covers time awaiting a call to work, not ordinary wages for hours actually worked. Travel and relocation terms still need their own discussion; this row supplies no separate allowance.
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- methodology
Nearest-area selection uses Census Gazetteer internal points, not road distance. Source: 2025 Census Gazetteer.