National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
Compare a different job:
VS
QUICK ANSWER
Plumbers earn a national median of $61,550/year vs Paralegals at $59,200/year. Plumbers earn 4% more nationally. The gap is $2,350 per year — or $196 per month.
Built by Pierre — MBA, Business Strategist & AI Consultant, Founder of DayblipAbout the author →
Plumber
$61,550
national median/year
$5,129/mo • $30/hr
VS
Paralegal
$59,200
national median/year
$4,933/mo • $28/hr
Annual salary gap
$2,350
Plumbers earn 4% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $26,638.
Best states for Paralegals
vs Plumbers
Virginia+$5,880
Maryland+$3,880
North Carolina+$3,880
Florida+$1,880
Georgia+$1,880
Best states for Plumbers
vs Paralegals
Alaska+$26,120
Hawaii+$20,120
North Dakota+$18,120
Wyoming+$14,120
Illinois+$12,120
Share Your Result
Surprised by this number? Share it with friends and family
Plumbers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Plumbers is $61,550 versus $59,200 for Paralegals — a difference of $2,350 per year or $196 per month.
The national median salary gap between Plumbers and Paralegals is $2,350 per year. Plumbers earn 4% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $26,638.
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 Paralegals the highest median salary at $76,200 per year.
Salary is one factor — Plumbers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters and Paralegals and Legal Assistants 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 Paralegals earn approximately $28 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.
