National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Plumbers earn a national median of $61,550/year vs Project Managers at $98,580/year. Project Managers earn 60% more nationally. The gap is $37,030 per year — or $3,086 per month.
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Plumber
$61,550
national median/year
$5,129/mo • $30/hr
VS
Project Manager
$98,580
national median/year
$8,215/mo • $47/hr
Annual salary gap
$37,030
Project Managers earn 60% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $419,746.
Best states for Project Managers
vs Plumbers
Virginia+$50,000
California+$44,000
Maryland+$44,000
Massachusetts+$42,000
Texas+$42,000
Best states for Plumbers
vs Project Managers
Hawaii+$-6,000
Alaska+$-10,000
North Dakota+$-16,000
Wyoming+$-20,000
Iowa+$-22,000
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Project Managers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Plumbers is $61,550 versus $98,580 for Project Managers — a difference of $37,030 per year or $3,086 per month.
The national median salary gap between Plumbers and Project Managers is $37,030 per year. Project Managers earn 60% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $419,746.
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 Project Managers the highest median salary at $122,320 per year.
Salary is one factor — Project Managers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters and Project Management Specialists 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 Project Managers earn approximately $47 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.
