National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Plumbers earn a national median of $61,550/year vs Real Estate Agents at $61,480/year. Plumbers earn 0% more nationally. The gap is $70 per year — or $6 per month.
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Plumber
$61,550
national median/year
$5,129/mo • $30/hr
VS
Real Estate Agent
$61,480
national median/year
$5,123/mo • $30/hr
Annual salary gap
$70
Plumbers earn 0% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $793.
Best states for Real Estate Agents
vs Plumbers
Virginia+$10,160
Florida+$8,160
Maryland+$8,160
North Carolina+$8,160
Arizona+$6,160
Best states for Plumbers
vs Real Estate Agents
Alaska+$19,840
North Dakota+$15,840
Illinois+$11,840
Wyoming+$11,840
Missouri+$9,840
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Plumbers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Plumbers is $61,550 versus $61,480 for Real Estate Agents — a difference of $70 per year or $6 per month.
The national median salary gap between Plumbers and Real Estate Agents is $70 per year. Plumbers earn 0% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $793.
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 Real Estate Agents the highest median salary at $82,480 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 Real Estate Sales Agents 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 Real Estate Agents earn approximately $30 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.
