National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Plumbers earn a national median of $61,550/year vs Operations Managers at $107,580/year. Operations Managers earn 75% more nationally. The gap is $46,030 per year — or $3,836 per month.
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Plumber
$61,550
national median/year
$5,129/mo • $30/hr
VS
Operations Manager
$107,580
national median/year
$8,965/mo • $52/hr
Annual salary gap
$46,030
Operations Managers earn 75% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $521,764.
Best states for Operations Managers
vs Plumbers
Virginia+$64,260
California+$60,260
Maryland+$58,260
Massachusetts+$54,260
New York+$54,260
Best states for Plumbers
vs Operations Managers
Alaska+$-14,260
North Dakota+$-18,260
Hawaii+$-20,260
Wyoming+$-24,260
Mississippi+$-26,260
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Operations Managers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Plumbers is $61,550 versus $107,580 for Operations Managers — a difference of $46,030 per year or $3,836 per month.
The national median salary gap between Plumbers and Operations Managers is $46,030 per year. Operations Managers earn 75% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $521,764.
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 Operations Managers the highest median salary at $138,580 per year.
Salary is one factor — Operations Managers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters and General and Operations 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 Operations Managers earn approximately $52 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.
