Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors
National industry · NAICS 238220
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Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors is a U.S. industry in the NAICS classification. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates about 1,266,510 workers across 190 detailed occupations in it. A typical worker earns around $63,658 a year (Singulariki estimate, see below).
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in installing and servicing plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning equipment. Contractors in this industry may provide both parts and labor when performing work. The work performed may include new work, additions, alterations, maintenance, and repairs. Illustrative Examples: Cooling tower installation Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) contractors Duct work (e.g., cooling, dust collection, exhaust, heating, ventilation) installation Lawn sprinkler system installation Fire sprinkler system installation Mechanical contractors Fireplace, natural gas, installation Refrigeration system (e.g., commercial, industrial, scientific) installation Furnace installation Sewer hookup and connection, building Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in--
Employment is national May 2024 OEWS. "Typical pay" is Singulariki's own figure — the employment-weighted average of each occupation's national median wage — a rough center of the industry, not an official BLS number.
How exposed this industry is to AI
Weighting every occupation in this industry by its employment and its unified AI-exposure index (the OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" human-rated task overlap folded with the Felten/Raj/Seamans AIOE index), this industry sits in the Low band — 23rd percentile across all industries.
Exposure measures how much of the work overlaps with what today's AI can do, not a prediction of automation; high-exposure industries are where AI is most likely to reshape tasks. Employment-weighted across 152 occupations that carry an exposure score. Compare every industry on the AI exposure hub.
How AI is actually used in this industry
Among measured Claude.ai (Free and Pro) conversations mapped to O*NET task statements (Anthropic Economic Index, 2026-01-15), these patterns are most associated with the occupations in this industry, weighted by its employment mix. They are shares of observed AI conversations — not of worker time, revenue, or what could be automated — and reflect one AI assistant's consumer sample, not all AI.
| Signal coverage | 84.3% of employment · 97/162 occupations have AEI task data |
| Augmentation vs. automation | 37.4% working with AI · 26.9% handed to AI |
| Most common pattern | Directive · AI does it; you give the instruction |
| Typical AI autonomy | 3.3 / 5 · higher = AI acts more independently |
Tasks driving the signal
The task families that account for the most AI activity across this industry's occupations (employment × observed usage), each attributed to the occupation it comes from.
| Task | Occupation | How | Share of signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Troubleshoot problems involving office equipment, such as computer hardware and software. | Office Clerks, General | Feedback loop | 49.5% |
| Use computers for various applications, such as database management or word processing. | Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | Directive | 4.6% |
| Conduct searches to find needed information, using such sources as the Internet. | Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | Directive | 4.3% |
| Maintain or repair plumbing by replacing defective washers, replacing or mending broken pipes, or opening clogged drains. | Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | none | 3.3% |
| Develop or maintain internal or external company Web sites. | Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | Directive | 3.2% |
| Prepare cost estimates for clients. | Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | Directive | 2.1% |
| Process and prepare documents, such as business or government forms and expense reports. | Office Clerks, General | Directive | 2.0% |
| Study blueprints, design specifications, or manufacturers' recommendations to ascertain the configuration of heating or cooling equipment components and to ensure the proper installation of components. | Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | Iteration | 1.8% |
| Participate in the work of subordinates to facilitate productivity or to overcome difficult aspects of work. | First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | Iteration | 1.7% |
| Plan pipe system layout, installation, or repair, according to specifications. | Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | Learning | 1.7% |
| Review blueprints, building codes, or specifications to determine work details or procedures. | Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | Directive | 1.4% |
| Insulate shells and cabinets of systems. | Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | Learning | 1.3% |
Occupations behind the signal
The occupations whose AI-touched tasks contribute most to this industry's signal, by employment here.
| Occupation | Workers | Share | How they use AI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | 326,460 | 25.8% | Directive |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | 290,620 | 22.9% | Learning |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | 54,060 | 4.3% | Directive |
| Office Clerks, General | 53,720 | 4.2% | Feedback loop |
| Sheet Metal Workers | 48,420 | 3.8% | Directive |
| General and Operations Managers | 43,110 | 3.4% | Iteration |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | 27,660 | 2.2% | Directive |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 23,060 | 1.8% | Directive |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 22,280 | 1.8% | Directive |
| Construction Managers | 18,550 | 1.5% | Iteration |
| Electricians | 15,600 | 1.2% | Feedback loop |
| Cost Estimators | 13,820 | 1.1% | Iteration |
This rollup is only as complete as the occupation-task matches available for the industry; the coverage figure above is shown so sparse industries do not look falsely precise. AI exposure is not the same as replacement.
Skill & tool metabolism
What this industry's work actually runs on. Each figure is the share of the industry's workers in occupations that significantly rely on a skill, knowledge area, or ability (O*NET importance ≥ 3 of 5), or that use a tool category — its employment reach. This is a measure of how widespread a requirement is across the workforce, not how intensively any one worker uses it. Shares are independent and need not add to 100%.
Based on 95.7% of this industry's employment that maps to a detailed occupation with an O*NET skill profile.
Skills
| Skill | Employment reach | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 91.7% | 1,161,250 |
| Speaking | 90.1% | 1,140,730 |
| Critical Thinking | 88.8% | 1,124,590 |
| Reading Comprehension | 86.1% | 1,090,580 |
| Monitoring | 84.3% | 1,067,380 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 77.0% | 974,760 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 72.5% | 918,610 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 63.8% | 808,030 |
| Time Management | 62.7% | 794,670 |
| Operations Monitoring | 59.4% | 752,240 |
| Coordination | 59.0% | 747,310 |
| Troubleshooting | 56.8% | 719,980 |
Knowledge areas
| Knowledge area | Employment reach | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 91.2% | 1,154,900 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 87.2% | 1,104,430 |
| Administration and Management | 85.2% | 1,078,750 |
| Mathematics | 80.7% | 1,021,550 |
| Mechanical | 73.3% | 927,800 |
| Building and Construction | 70.0% | 886,920 |
| Design | 65.4% | 828,170 |
| Public Safety and Security | 64.2% | 812,660 |
| Engineering and Technology | 60.5% | 765,770 |
| Education and Training | 58.2% | 737,160 |
| Computers and Electronics | 40.8% | 516,110 |
| Production and Processing | 40.6% | 514,560 |
Abilities
| Abilitie | Employment reach | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Near Vision | 95.7% | 1,211,990 |
| Oral Comprehension | 95.5% | 1,208,960 |
| Oral Expression | 94.9% | 1,202,550 |
| Information Ordering | 94.2% | 1,192,790 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 94.2% | 1,193,170 |
| Speech Recognition | 93.2% | 1,180,090 |
| Deductive Reasoning | 90.6% | 1,146,840 |
| Speech Clarity | 88.3% | 1,118,330 |
| Category Flexibility | 86.5% | 1,095,740 |
| Written Comprehension | 86.1% | 1,090,130 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 85.6% | 1,084,750 |
| Manual Dexterity | 73.1% | 926,270 |
Tool categories
| Tool category | Employment reach | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Spreadsheet software | 98.8% | 1,250,740 |
| Office suite software | 98.6% | 1,249,160 |
| Word processing software | 97.3% | 1,232,220 |
| Electronic mail software | 91.2% | 1,154,610 |
| Data base user interface and query software | 86.2% | 1,091,880 |
| Presentation software | 84.5% | 1,070,650 |
| Computer aided design CAD software | 77.4% | 980,910 |
| Customer relationship management CRM software | 76.0% | 962,400 |
| Graphics or photo imaging software | 74.0% | 936,630 |
| Enterprise resource planning ERP software | 61.0% | 772,160 |
| Project management software | 60.6% | 767,650 |
| Facilities management software | 57.4% | 727,410 |
| Document management software | 53.8% | 681,550 |
| Accounting software | 51.3% | 649,370 |
| Analytical or scientific software | 48.9% | 619,710 |
Reach = share of industry employment in occupations where the requirement is significant; it is not a per-worker usage or proficiency measure. Skill, knowledge, and ability importance is from O*NET; tool use is reported presence of a technology category.
Largest occupations
The occupations that employ the most people in this industry, with their share of the industry's workforce and national median pay for the occupation (not industry-specific pay).
Showing the top 40 of 190 occupations by employment.
Most distinctive occupations
The occupations most unusually concentrated in this industry compared with the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more common an occupation is here versus its economy-wide share (a value of 5 means five times as concentrated).
Write a report on thisheadline · factoids · citation
The Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors workforce sits at the 23rd percentile of AI task overlap — 1,266,510 U.S. workers
- Weighting every occupation by its real share of Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors employment, the industry's workforce ranks in the 23rd percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap — overlap with what AI can attempt, not a measure of jobs at risk.Eloundou et al. + Felten AIOE, weighted by BLS OEWS
- The industry employs about 1,266,510 U.S. workers across 190 occupations.BLS OEWS (May 2024)
- Employment-weighted typical annual pay is about $63,658.BLS OEWS (May 2024)
- Of AI use observed across this industry's occupations, 37% looks like augmentation rather than automation — from a Claude.ai sample, not a census.Anthropic Economic Index
The Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors workforce sits at the 23rd percentile of AI task overlap — 1,266,510 U.S. workers • Weighting every occupation by its real share of Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors employment, the industry's workforce ranks in the 23rd percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap — overlap with what AI can attempt, not a measure of jobs at risk. (Eloundou et al. + Felten AIOE, weighted by BLS OEWS) • The industry employs about 1,266,510 U.S. workers across 190 occupations. (BLS OEWS (May 2024)) • Employment-weighted typical annual pay is about $63,658. (BLS OEWS (May 2024)) • Of AI use observed across this industry's occupations, 37% looks like augmentation rather than automation — from a Claude.ai sample, not a census. (Anthropic Economic Index) Source: Singulariki — "Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors". https://singulariki.com/industries/238220 Note: AI task overlap measures what today's AI can attempt, not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
AssetsShare imageMethodology & sourcesPress & newsroomThe newsroom
Every line is built only from figures this page already shows and cites. AI task overlap means what today's AI can attempt — not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
Sources for this page
Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.
- O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Census NAICS 2022 U.S. Census Bureau
- Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27) Anthropic
- “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
- AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
Data compiled June 3, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.
Cite this page
Singulariki. "Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; Census NAICS 2022; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/industries/238220
Singulariki. (2026). Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/industries/238220
@misc{singulariki-238220,
title = {Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors},
author = {{Singulariki}},
year = {2026},
note = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; Census NAICS 2022; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans. Accessed June 7, 2026},
url = {https://singulariki.com/industries/238220}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.