National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Plumbers earn a national median of $61,550/year vs Registered Nurses at $93,600/year. Registered Nurses earn 52% more nationally. The gap is $32,050 per year — or $2,671 per month.
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Plumber
$61,550
national median/year
$5,129/mo • $30/hr
VS
Registered Nurse
$93,600
national median/year
$7,800/mo • $45/hr
Annual salary gap
$32,050
Registered Nurses earn 52% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $363,296.
Best states for Registered Nurses
vs Plumbers
California+$54,980
Oregon+$40,080
Washington+$38,080
Maryland+$34,080
Arizona+$33,080
Best states for Plumbers
vs Registered Nurses
North Dakota+$-10,880
Missouri+$-14,880
Illinois+$-15,680
Ohio+$-16,480
Iowa+$-17,280
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Registered Nurses earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Plumbers is $61,550 versus $93,600 for Registered Nurses — a difference of $32,050 per year or $2,671 per month.
The national median salary gap between Plumbers and Registered Nurses is $32,050 per year. Registered Nurses earn 52% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $363,296.
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 Registered Nurses the highest median salary at $133,300 per year.
Salary is one factor — Registered Nurses earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters and Registered Nurses 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 Registered Nurses earn approximately $45 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.
