National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Plumbers earn a national median of $61,550/year vs IT Managers at $169,510/year. IT Managers earn 175% more nationally. The gap is $107,960 per year — or $8,997 per month.
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Plumber
$61,550
national median/year
$5,129/mo • $30/hr
VS
IT Manager
$169,510
national median/year
$14,126/mo • $81/hr
Annual salary gap
$107,960
IT Managers earn 175% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,223,758.
Best states for IT Managers
vs Plumbers
Virginia+$138,190
California+$134,190
Maryland+$126,190
Washington+$126,190
Massachusetts+$122,190
Best states for Plumbers
vs IT Managers
North Dakota+$-64,190
Alaska+$-66,190
Mississippi+$-68,190
West Virginia+$-68,190
Wyoming+$-68,190
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IT Managers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Plumbers is $61,550 versus $169,510 for IT Managers — a difference of $107,960 per year or $8,997 per month.
The national median salary gap between Plumbers and IT Managers is $107,960 per year. IT Managers earn 175% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,223,758.
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 IT Managers the highest median salary at $212,510 per year.
Salary is one factor — IT Managers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters and Computer and Information Systems Managers 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 IT Managers earn approximately $81 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.
