Skills it runs on
The capabilities O*NET rates most important for this occupation — the human ground the work is built on.
See all skills →Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
Occupation · SOC 47-2152.00
Assemble, install, alter, and repair pipelines or pipe systems that carry water, steam, air, or other liquids or gases. May install heating and cooling equipment and mechanical control systems. Includes sprinkler fitters.
Also called: Pipefitter · Plumber · Sprinkler Fitter · Steamfitter · Drain Technician · Fire Sprinkler Service Technician · Pipe Welder · Plumbing Installer · Residential Plumber · Service Plumber · Aircraft Hydraulic Equipment Mechanic · Aircraft Hydraulic Mechanic
Job family: Construction and Extraction Occupations
Take this to your AI
A source-stamped Markdown brief of this occupation — paste it into an agent, or fetch
/roles/role-47-2152-00/context.md directly.
AI work map
A fast read on where AI already shows up in this occupation, where it stays a copilot, where humans remain in the loop, and what the labor market is doing. Built from observed Claude.ai conversations mapped to O*NET tasks and from published research — measures of usage and exposure, not advice or predictions that the job is going away.
Market signal
Independent published positions, read together — not a forecast.
- About average employment outlook (+4.5% by 2034)
- 44,000 openings/yr
- Low AI exposure
- Median pay $62,970/yr
- Work is mostly on-site (not teleworkable)
15th-percentile task overlap — yet about 44,000 openings a year (+4.5% projected, BLS) . What exposure means →
AI & job outlook
What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.
Exposure to current AI
Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.
| Measure | Rank vs all occupations | Percentile | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.) Low | 13th | -1.1 | |
| LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) Low | 21st | 0.2 | |
| AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) Low | 20th | 0.1 |
OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.0), with simple added tooling (β 0.1), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.2). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.
This job mostly cannot be done remotely (Dingel–Neiman) — its hands-on tasks sit outside what software-based AI reaches.
Historical automation estimate (2013)
A pre-LLM (2013) estimate of how automatable this job is by computerization and robotics. Shown for historical context only — it is not part of any current AI ranking.
Frey–Osborne probability 0.3 · 41st percentile among occupations · Moderate
How AI is actually used in this job
Among measured AI assistant conversations mapped to this occupation (Anthropic Economic Index, 2026-01-15), these task types came up most. These are shares of observed AI conversations — not shares of the job, of worker time, or of what could be automated.
| Plan pipe system layout, installation, or repair, according to specifications. | 0.6% | |
| Review blueprints, building codes, or specifications to determine work details or procedures. | 0.3% | |
| Maintain or repair plumbing by replacing defective washers, replacing or mending broken pipes, or opening clogged drains. | 0.3% |
Job outlook
Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.
| Outlook | About average · +4.5% by 2034 |
| Projected annual openings | 44,000 |
| Employment 2024 → 2034 | 504,500 → 527,200 |
“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.
Where this work sits on the global GenAI gradient
The ILO's 2025 global study scores generative-AI exposure on the international ISCO-08 occupation system, not US SOC. Bridged through the published (and approximate, many-to-many) IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 crosswalk, this US occupation corresponds to the international occupation below. Exposure here means how much of the work's tasks today's AI can attempt — task overlap, not automation, adoption, or jobs lost.
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters sits at the 18th percentile of 427
occupations on the global GenAI task-exposure gradient
— exposure eased from 2023 to 2025. Each dot is one occupation; the
ringed one is this work. Exposure is task overlap, not automation or jobs lost.
15% mean task exposure (2025)
18th percentile of 427 placed occupations
−1 pts shift 2023 → 2025
| International occupation (ISCO-08) | Task exposure (2025) | Most tasks fall in |
|---|---|---|
| Plumbers and Pipe Fitters · 7126 | 15% | Not exposed |
Read the whole six-band gradient on the GenAI exposure gradient page. The crosswalk is approximate: a US occupation can map to several international ones, and the ILO scores describe the international occupation, not this exact US role.
Tasks
All 30 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.
- Shut off steam, water, or other gases or liquids from pipe sections, using valve keys or wrenches. Core · importance 4.2
- Install underground storm, sanitary, or water piping systems, extending piping as needed to connect fixtures and plumbing. Core · importance 4.2
- Assemble pipe sections, tubing, or fittings, using couplings, clamps, screws, bolts, cement, plastic solvent, caulking, or soldering, brazing, or welding equipment. Core · importance 4.2
- Locate and mark the position of pipe installations, connections, passage holes, or fixtures in structures, using measuring instruments such as rulers or levels. Core · importance 4.1
- Cut, thread, or hammer pipes to specifications, using tools such as saws, cutting torches, pipe threaders, or pipe benders. Core · importance 4.1
- Lay out full scale drawings of pipe systems, supports, or related equipment, according to blueprints. Core · importance 4.1
- Plan pipe system layout, installation, or repair, according to specifications. Core · importance 4.1
- Review blueprints, building codes, or specifications to determine work details or procedures. Core · importance 4.0
- Select pipe sizes, types, or related materials, such as supports, hangers, or hydraulic cylinders, according to specifications. Core · importance 4.0
- Fill pipes or plumbing fixtures with water or air and observe pressure gauges to detect and locate leaks. Core · importance 4.0
- Direct helpers engaged in pipe cutting, preassembly, or installation of plumbing systems or components. Core · importance 4.0
- Inspect, examine, or test installed systems or pipe lines, using pressure gauge, hydrostatic testing, observation, or other methods. Core · importance 4.0
- Install pipe assemblies, fittings, valves, appliances such as dishwashers or water heaters, or fixtures such as sinks or toilets, using hand or power tools. Core · importance 4.0
- Anchor steel supports from ceiling joists to hold pipes in place. Core · importance 3.9
- Attach pipes to walls, structures, or fixtures, such as radiators or tanks, using brackets, clamps, tools, or welding equipment. Core · importance 3.9
- Modify, clean, or maintain pipe systems, units, fittings, or related machines or equipment, using hand or power tools. Core · importance 3.8
- Estimate time, material, or labor costs for use in project plans. Core · importance 3.7
- Install automatic controls to regulate pipe systems. Core · importance 3.7
- Keep records of work assignments. Core · importance 3.7
- Inspect structures to assess material or equipment needs, to establish the sequence of pipe installations, or to plan installation around obstructions, such as electrical wiring. Core · importance 3.7
- Maintain or repair plumbing by replacing defective washers, replacing or mending broken pipes, or opening clogged drains. Core · importance 3.6
- Repair or remove and replace system components. Core · importance 3.6
- Cut openings in structures to accommodate pipes or pipe fittings, using hand or power tools. Core · importance 3.6
- Inspect work sites for obstructions or holes that could cause structural weakness. Supplemental · importance 3.6
- Install pipe systems to support alternative energy-fueled systems, such as geothermal heating or cooling systems. Supplemental · importance 3.4
- Install fixtures, appliances, or equipment designed to reduce water or energy consumption. Supplemental · importance 3.3
- Repair hydraulic or air pumps. Supplemental · importance 3.2
- Install green plumbing equipment, such as faucet flow restrictors, dual-flush or pressure-assisted flush toilets, or tankless hot water heaters. Core · importance 3.1
- Weld small pipes or special piping, using specialized techniques, equipment, or materials, such as computer-assisted welding or microchip fabrication. Supplemental · importance 3.1
- Operate motorized pumps to remove water from flooded manholes, basements, or facility floors. Supplemental · importance 2.9
Work activities
- Cut metal components for installation.
- Fabricate parts or components.
- Create construction or installation diagrams.
- Inspect plumbing systems or fixtures.
- Plan layout of construction, installation, or repairs.
- Weld metal components.
- Install plumbing or piping.
- Clean equipment or facilities.
- Maintain plumbing structures or fixtures.
- Select construction materials.
- Install gauges or controls.
- Record operational or environmental data.
- Direct construction or extraction personnel.
- Measure materials or objects for installation or assembly.
- Mark reference points on construction materials.
- Review blueprints or specifications to determine work requirements.
- Estimate construction project costs.
- Estimate construction project labor requirements.
- Inspect work sites to determine condition or necessary repairs.
- Install green plumbing or water handling systems.
- Cut openings in existing structures.
- Inspect work sites to identify potential environmental or safety hazards.
- Operate pumps or compressors.
- Repair worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.
- Remove parts or components from equipment.
- Replace worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.
Knowledge, skills & abilities
O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).
Knowledge
| Building and Construction | 4.3 | |
| Mechanical | 4.3 | |
| Design | 3.8 | |
| Mathematics | 3.8 | |
| Customer and Personal Service | 3.6 | |
| Administration and Management | 3.3 | |
| Engineering and Technology | 3.2 | |
| Public Safety and Security | 3.2 | |
| Physics | 3.2 |
Abilities
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.8 | |
| Finger Dexterity | 3.6 | |
| Near Vision | 3.6 | |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.5 | |
| Manual Dexterity | 3.5 | |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.4 | |
| Trunk Strength | 3.4 | |
| Far Vision | 3.4 | |
| Oral Comprehension | 3.3 | |
| Category Flexibility | 3.3 | |
| Visualization | 3.3 | |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 3.3 | |
| Oral Expression | 3.1 | |
| Information Ordering | 3.1 | |
| Selective Attention | 3.1 | |
| Control Precision | 3.1 | |
| Multilimb Coordination | 3.1 | |
| Extent Flexibility | 3.1 | |
| Written Comprehension | 3.0 | |
| Flexibility of Closure | 3.0 |
Essential skills
| Critical Thinking | 3.5 | |
| Monitoring | 3.1 | |
| Speaking | 3.0 |
Transferable skills
| Troubleshooting | 3.3 | |
| Repairing | 3.3 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.3 | |
| Coordination | 3.0 | |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 | |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.0 | |
| Operation and Control | 3.0 | |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
Skills in demand
Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.
Tools & technology
Showing the top 40 of 41.
Work context
How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.
How to get in
- Job zone
- Zone 3 — Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement
- Related experience
- Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
- Preparation level
- SVP (6.0 to < 7.0) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.
What to study: Construction Trades . Fields of study crosswalked to this occupation (NCES CIP–SOC), not a requirement.
Education of current workers
Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 43.3% | |
| High School Diploma | 34.8% | |
| Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 9.3% | |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 7.9% | |
| Some College Courses | 4.6% |
Interests & work styles
The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.
Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)
| Realistic | 7.0 | |
| Conventional | 3.7 | |
| Investigative | 2.2 |
Interest areas
Work styles
| Dependability | 3.0 | |
| Attention to Detail | 2.2 | |
| Cautiousness | 2.0 | |
| Perseverance | 1.8 | |
| Integrity | 1.5 |
Wages & employment
U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)
| 10th percentile | $40,670 |
| 25th percentile | $48,860 |
| Median (50th) | $62,970 |
| 75th percentile | $81,900 |
| 90th percentile | $105,150 |
| People employed | 455,940 |
Industries that employ this occupation
Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.
| Industry | Workers | National median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Construction · Sector | 374,640 | $62,820 |
| Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors · National industry | 326,460 | $62,670 |
| Manufacturing · Sector | 16,330 | $61,620 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services · Sector | 14,610 | $55,560 |
| Utilities · Sector | 9,140 | $79,090 |
| Educational Services · Sector | 6,750 | $64,050 |
| Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors · National industry | 6,560 | $65,780 |
| Temporary Help Services · National industry | 5,220 | $56,250 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services · Sector | 3,290 | $63,300 |
| Wholesale Trade · Sector | 3,220 | $48,270 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance · Sector | 2,760 | $74,990 |
| Other Building Equipment Contractors · National industry | 2,030 | $70,990 |
Where this work is most concentrated
Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).
| Industry | Concentration | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors · National industry | 87.17× | 326,460 |
| Construction · Sector | 15.6× | 374,640 |
| Utilities · Sector | 5.33× | 9,140 |
| Other Building Equipment Contractors · National industry | 4.47× | 2,030 |
| Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors · National industry | 2.07× | 6,560 |
| Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction · National industry | 1.75× | 1,210 |
| Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation · National industry | 1.28× | 270 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction · Sector | 0.7× | 1,180 |
Related occupations
Part of the Construction career cluster.
- Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters · 47-3015.00 Compare →
- Boilermakers · 47-2011.00 Compare →
- Pipelayers · 47-2151.00 Compare →
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General · 49-9071.00 Compare →
- Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners · 47-4071.00 Compare →
- Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door · 49-9012.00 Compare →
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers · 49-9021.00 Compare →
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators · 51-8021.00 Compare →
- Construction Laborers · 47-2061.00 Compare →
- Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians · 47-2152.04 Compare →
- Electricians · 47-2111.00 Compare →
- Helpers--Electricians · 47-3013.00 Compare →
Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.
What you can do with this
Options the data surfaces for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.
Skills that travel
Capabilities this work builds that are used across many other occupations.
Adjacent roles
Occupations O*NET rates as related — the nearby moves on the map.
Paths in
How people typically prepare for this work.
- High school diploma or equivalent · typical entry level
- Job zone 3 — Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed · preparation tier
- Construction Trades · field of study
Zoom out
On the global GenAI exposure gradient this work sits around the 18th percentile of 427 international occupations.
Write a report on thisheadline · factoids · citation
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters show 15th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 44,000 annual U.S. openings
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters rank in the 15th percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated.Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE
- The occupation is projected to see about 44,000 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- BLS projects employment to be about average (+4.5%) from 2024 to 2034.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- Median annual pay is $62,970, across about 455,940 U.S. workers.BLS OEWS (May 2024)
Copy the whole kit
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters show 15th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 44,000 annual U.S. openings • Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters rank in the 15th percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated. (Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE) • The occupation is projected to see about 44,000 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • BLS projects employment to be about average (+4.5%) from 2024 to 2034. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • Median annual pay is $62,970, across about 455,940 U.S. workers. (BLS OEWS (May 2024)) Source: Singulariki — "Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters". https://singulariki.com/roles/role-47-2152-00 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
- BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27) Anthropic
- Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
- “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
- AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
- ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
- IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
- Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation academic
- Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic
Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.
Cite this page
Plain
Singulariki. "Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-47-2152-00
APA
Singulariki. (2026). Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/roles/role-47-2152-00
BibTeX
@misc{singulariki-role-47-2152-00,
title = {Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters},
author = {{Singulariki}},
year = {2026},
note = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
url = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-47-2152-00}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.