National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Plumbers earn a national median of $61,550/year vs Machine Learning Engineers at $158,000/year. Machine Learning Engineers earn 157% more nationally. The gap is $96,450 per year — or $8,038 per month.
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Plumber
$61,550
national median/year
$5,129/mo • $30/hr
VS
Machine Learning Engineer
$158,000
national median/year
$13,167/mo • $76/hr
Annual salary gap
$96,450
Machine Learning Engineers earn 157% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,093,289.
Best states for Machine Learning Engineers
vs Plumbers
California+$133,680
Virginia+$121,680
Washington+$121,680
Maryland+$107,680
Colorado+$105,680
Best states for Plumbers
vs Machine Learning Engineers
Alaska+$-49,680
North Dakota+$-51,680
Wyoming+$-55,680
Hawaii+$-57,680
Mississippi+$-57,680
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Machine Learning Engineers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Plumbers is $61,550 versus $158,000 for Machine Learning Engineers — a difference of $96,450 per year or $8,038 per month.
The national median salary gap between Plumbers and Machine Learning Engineers is $96,450 per year. Machine Learning Engineers earn 157% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,093,289.
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 Machine Learning Engineers the highest median salary at $212,000 per year.
Salary is one factor — Machine Learning Engineers 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 Research Scientists 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 Machine Learning Engineers earn approximately $76 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.
