National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Plumbers earn a national median of $61,550/year vs Social Workers at $54,150/year. Plumbers earn 12% more nationally. The gap is $7,400 per year — or $617 per month.
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Plumber
$61,550
national median/year
$5,129/mo • $30/hr
VS
Social Worker
$54,150
national median/year
$4,513/mo • $26/hr
Annual salary gap
$7,400
Plumbers earn 12% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $83,881.
Best states for Social Workers
vs Plumbers
Arizona+$-4,000
North Carolina+$-4,000
Alabama+$-6,000
Arkansas+$-6,000
Florida+$-6,000
Best states for Plumbers
vs Social Workers
Hawaii+$26,000
Alaska+$20,000
New York+$20,000
Illinois+$18,000
New Jersey+$18,000
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Plumbers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Plumbers is $61,550 versus $54,150 for Social Workers — a difference of $7,400 per year or $617 per month.
The national median salary gap between Plumbers and Social Workers is $7,400 per year. Plumbers earn 12% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $83,881.
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 Social Workers the highest median salary at $68,320 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 Child, Family, and School Social Workers 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 Social Workers earn approximately $26 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.
