Plumbing Statistics 2025–2026: Industry Size, Salary & Workforce Trends

Plumbing is a $169.8 billion US industry facing a workforce crisis that economists estimate costs the economy $33 billion a year. With a 550,000-plumber shortfall projected by 2027, apprenticeship rates down nearly 50%, and the average master plumber approaching retirement age, the plumbing statistics tell a story of strong demand chasing diminishing supply. Whether you're a plumbing contractor running your own business, a homeowner trying to understand repair costs, or an investor tracking construction sector trends, the plumbing statistics below provide current benchmarks across industry size, employment, business revenue, workforce shortage, and the water damage costs driving consistent demand for plumbing services.

Key Takeaways

• The US plumbing industry generated $169.8 billion in revenue in 2025, projected to reach $191.4 billion in 2026
• Approximately 132,000 plumbing businesses operate in the United States
• Median plumber salary: $62,970 per year ($30.27/hour) as of May 2024
• A projected 550,000-plumber shortfall is expected by 2027, costing the economy ~$33 billion annually
• 70% of contractors report difficulty finding qualified plumbers
• The average plumbing business generates $1.28 million in annual revenue
• Water damage and freezing account for 22.6% of all home insurance claims
• Plumbing supply line failures cause 48% of all interior water loss incidents

1. Plumbing Industry Statistics: Market Size & Revenue

The plumbing statistics on industry size confirm a large, stable, and growing sector driven by residential construction, infrastructure maintenance, and emergency repair demand that is largely recession-resistant.

Metric	Value	Source
US plumbing industry revenue, 2025	$169.8 billion	ServiceTitan
US plumbing market projected, 2026	$191.4 billion	ServiceTitan
5-year CAGR (plumbing), ending 2025	3.2%	ServiceTitan
Projected 5-year CAGR, 2025–2030	3.1%	Claremont Software
Plumbing's rank among US construction industries by size	7th largest	FieldCamp
Total plumbing businesses operating in the US	~132,000	Linxup
Total plumbing industry workforce, US	736,000	Simpro
Material cost increase (fixtures, fittings, trims), 2021–2025	28.4%	ServiceTitan

The plumbing statistics on market size are notably consistent across research sources: the US plumbing industry is a $170B category growing at a steady 3%+ annually. Unlike many service sectors, plumbing demand is largely non-discretionary — broken pipes, code compliance, and new construction don't pause during economic slowdowns. This non-cyclical demand profile is why plumbing companies tend to maintain revenue through recessions better than most trades.

The plumbing statistic on material cost increases (28.4% over four years) explains significant margin pressure in the sector. Plumbing businesses that haven't repriced services to match input cost inflation are operating on compressed margins — a reality that makes efficient invoicing and payment collection critical. Bulk invoicing for trade contractors managing multiple job sites helps ensure nothing falls through the cracks when billing dozens of active projects at once.

2. Plumber Employment & Salary Statistics

The BLS plumbing statistics on employment show a trade that pays well above many service occupations, with strong projected demand driven by an aging workforce creating both retirements and replacement openings.

Metric	Value	Source
Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters employed (US)	~736,000	Bureau of Labor Statistics
Projected job growth, 2024–2034	4%	Bureau of Labor Statistics
Annual job openings projected per year	44,000	Bureau of Labor Statistics
Median annual wage, plumbers (May 2024)	$62,970	Bureau of Labor Statistics
Median hourly wage	$30.27	Bureau of Labor Statistics
Entry-level plumber (10th percentile)	~$40,670/year	Bureau of Labor Statistics
Top 10% of plumbers earn	>$105,150/year	Bureau of Labor Statistics
Union premium over non-union plumber base pay	20–30% higher	FieldCamp
Projected wage increase across field service trades, 2025	~3.5%	Revenue Memo

The plumbing statistics on top-decile earnings ($105,150+) underscore the earning potential for experienced plumbers in high-demand markets or specialized roles. Master plumbers in commercial or industrial settings, or those running their own businesses, routinely exceed the BLS median significantly.

For licensed plumbers transitioning to independent contractor or self-employed status, professional invoicing is part of what makes that transition financially successful. Many plumbers price their time accurately but leave money on the table through informal billing — a missed final invoice, unclear payment terms, or no system for following up on slow-paying clients. Using an AI invoice generator designed for tradespeople takes the friction out of billing each job correctly.

3. Plumbing Business Statistics: Private Contractors & Revenue

The plumbing statistics for private contractors reveal significant variation in business performance — with a large gap between median-performing and top-performing operations.

Metric	Value	Source
Average plumbing business annual revenue (US), 2026	$1.28 million	Simpro
Typical plumbing business owner salary range	$94,000–$120,000	FieldCamp
Top-tier plumbing business owner income (first year)	$145,000+	FieldCamp
Industry-leading plumbing business net profit margin	20–35%	Revenue Memo
Median net profit margin (plumbing)	2–8%	Revenue Memo
Total plumbing businesses in the US	~132,000	Linxup

The plumbing statistics on profit margins tell a critical story: the gap between median (2–8%) and top-performing (20–35%) plumbing businesses is enormous. The difference typically comes down to pricing discipline, operational efficiency, and collections — not technical skill. Top-performing plumbing businesses tend to price for full cost recovery including labor burden, bill every job the same day it's completed, and have zero tolerance for unpaid invoices aging past 30 days.

For plumbing contractors who want to improve their financial performance, setting professional invoice payment terms is one of the highest-leverage changes available. Clear net-15 or net-30 terms on every invoice, combined with upfront deposit requirements for larger jobs, can meaningfully shift cash flow for a business operating at $1M+ annual revenue.

4. Plumber Shortage & Workforce Statistics

No section of the plumbing statistics is more consequential for the industry's future than workforce data. The talent pipeline is contracting precisely when demand is growing.

Metric	Value	Source
Projected plumber shortfall by 2027	550,000	Linxup
Annual economic cost of skilled trades shortage	$33 billion	Linxup
Contractors reporting difficulty finding qualified plumbers	70%	Milwaukee Tool / OneKey Resources
Average age of a plumber in the US	41 years	Pilot Construct
Average age of master plumbers	58 years	Pilot Construct
Plumbing workforce aged 55+	20%+	Pilot Construct
Decline in apprenticeship program enrollment, 2022 vs 2020	49% drop	FieldCamp
Years to become a licensed plumber (apprenticeship + journeyman)	4–5 years	Revenue Memo

The plumbing statistics on workforce age are alarming: the average master plumber is 58 — meaning the most experienced segment of the profession is two to five years from retirement. With apprenticeship enrollment down 49%, the pipeline to replace them is severely undersized. The plumbing statistics project a 550,000-worker shortfall by 2027, which will suppress capacity and drive up wages for employed plumbers while creating opportunities for newly licensed tradespeople in most markets.

For plumbing business owners navigating this labor environment, financial efficiency matters more than ever. When qualified labor is expensive and scarce, every dollar of administrative overhead is money that could be going into wages or equipment. Streamlining billing so that job invoices go out the same day as service completion — and payments come in faster — directly improves the cash flow that funds competitive wages.

5. Plumbing Water Damage & Demand Statistics

The plumbing statistics on water damage and leaks explain why emergency plumbing demand remains consistently high and why homeowners increasingly prioritize preventive maintenance.

Metric	Value	Source
Average cost of water damage restoration, 2025	$3,864 (range: $1,383–$6,378)	HomeAdvisor
Average cost of burst pipe water damage	>$5,000	iPropertyManagement
Average water damage insurance claim	$15,400	iPropertyManagement
Share of home insurance claims from water damage/freezing	22.6%	This Old House
Insured homeowners filing water damage claim each year	1 in 67	iPropertyManagement
Plumbing supply line failures as % of all water loss incidents	48%	HouseCashin
Water lost annually from hidden household leaks	~10,000 gallons	This Old House

The plumbing statistics on water damage costs demonstrate why the industry's revenue is structurally protected: a $15,400 average insurance claim for water damage — the most common home insurance claim category — reliably generates plumbing work. Plumbing supply line failures causing 48% of all water loss incidents means routine maintenance and proactive line replacement represent significant revenue opportunities for plumbing contractors willing to educate homeowners on risk.

Summary: Plumbing Statistics at a Glance

Category	Key Metric	Value
Market size	US plumbing industry revenue, 2025	$169.8 billion
Market size	Projected US revenue, 2026	$191.4 billion
Market size	Number of plumbing businesses (US)	~132,000
Employment	Plumbers employed in the US	~736,000
Employment	Projected job growth, 2024–2034	4%
Employment	Median annual wage (May 2024)	$62,970
Business	Average plumbing business revenue	$1.28 million/year
Business	Top-performing profit margin	20–35%
Business	Median profit margin	2–8%
Workforce	Projected shortfall by 2027	550,000 plumbers
Workforce	Contractors struggling to hire	70%
Workforce	Average master plumber age	58 years
Workforce	Apprenticeship enrollment drop (2020–2022)	49%
Water damage	Share of home insurance claims	22.6%
Water damage	Average insurance claim	$15,400
Water damage	Supply line failures as % of water incidents	48%

LSI & Related Search Terms Covered in This Article

The following related keywords were identified via Ahrefs as co-ranking terms for "plumbing statistics" and are addressed throughout this article:

• plumbing industry statistics
• plumbing industry statistics 2025
• plumber salary statistics
• plumbing contract business statistics
• plumber shortage statistics
• plumber employment statistics
• plumbing business revenue
• water damage statistics
• plumbing industry trends
• skilled trades statistics

Methodology & Sources

Plumbing statistics in this article were sourced from government labor data, construction industry reports, trade association publications, and insurance industry data published in 2024–2026. BLS figures represent the most authoritative source for employment and wage data. Industry revenue estimates are sourced from IBISWorld-citing trade publications and cross-referenced against multiple sources. All citations link to the original source.

Primary sources:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics — Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
• ServiceTitan — Top 30+ Plumbing Industry Statistics for 2026
• Linxup — 26 Plumbing Statistics and Trends for 2026
• Simpro — Plumbing Industry Statistics for 2026
• FieldCamp — Plumbing Industry Trends & Statistics 2026
• Claremont Software — Plumbing Industry Statistics 2026
• Revenue Memo — Plumbing Industry Statistics 2026
• Milwaukee Tool / OneKey Resources — Plumber Shortage
• Pilot Construct — Looming Skilled Trades Shortage
• iPropertyManagement — Water Damage Statistics
• This Old House — Water Damage Statistics
• HouseCashin — Home Water Damage Statistics 2026
• HomeAdvisor — Water Damage Restoration Cost 2025

Data compiled June 2026. Statistics reflect the most recent available figures at time of publication.