National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Plumbers earn a national median of $61,550/year vs Marketing Managers at $156,580/year. Marketing Managers earn 154% more nationally. The gap is $95,030 per year — or $7,919 per month.
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Plumber
$61,550
national median/year
$5,129/mo • $30/hr
VS
Marketing Manager
$156,580
national median/year
$13,048/mo • $75/hr
Annual salary gap
$95,030
Marketing Managers earn 154% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,077,193.
Best states for Marketing Managers
vs Plumbers
California+$110,000
New York+$106,000
Massachusetts+$102,000
Washington+$102,000
Virginia+$100,000
Best states for Plumbers
vs Marketing Managers
Alaska+$-36,000
North Dakota+$-42,000
Hawaii+$-46,000
West Virginia+$-46,000
Wyoming+$-46,000
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Marketing Managers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Plumbers is $61,550 versus $156,580 for Marketing Managers — a difference of $95,030 per year or $7,919 per month.
The national median salary gap between Plumbers and Marketing Managers is $95,030 per year. Marketing Managers earn 154% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,077,193.
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 Marketing Managers the highest median salary at $188,320 per year.
Salary is one factor — Marketing Managers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters and Marketing 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 Marketing Managers earn approximately $75 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.
