National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Plumbers earn a national median of $61,550/year vs Data Analysts at $102,200/year. Data Analysts earn 66% more nationally. The gap is $40,650 per year — or $3,388 per month.
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Plumber
$61,550
national median/year
$5,129/mo • $30/hr
VS
Data Analyst
$102,200
national median/year
$8,517/mo • $49/hr
Annual salary gap
$40,650
Data Analysts earn 66% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $460,780.
Best states for Data Analysts
vs Plumbers
Virginia+$54,000
California+$50,000
Maryland+$48,000
Colorado+$46,000
Massachusetts+$46,000
Best states for Plumbers
vs Data Analysts
Alaska+$-6,000
Hawaii+$-6,000
North Dakota+$-16,000
Wyoming+$-20,000
Iowa+$-22,000
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Data Analysts earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Plumbers is $61,550 versus $102,200 for Data Analysts — a difference of $40,650 per year or $3,388 per month.
The national median salary gap between Plumbers and Data Analysts is $40,650 per year. Data Analysts earn 66% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $460,780.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, Alaska pays Plumbers the highest median salary at $82,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Data Analysts the highest median salary at $128,320 per year.
Salary is one factor — Data Analysts earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters and Business Intelligence Analysts both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Plumbers earn approximately $30 per hour nationally and Data Analysts earn approximately $49 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
