Plumbing and Related Water Supply Services
Construction Trades
Median earnings by degree level
| Degree | Median earnings | Typical range | Schools | Clear the bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $51,550 | $45,260 to $62,028 | 19 | 89% |
"Clear the bar" is the share of programs whose graduates out-earn a typical high-school graduate (the federal earnings-premium test). Typical range is the 25th to 75th percentile of program medians.
Job outlook
Projected employment growth +3% (2024 to 2034), about 125,700 openings a year across the occupations this field commonly leads to.
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth | Openings/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $78,690 | +5.3% | 74,400 |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | $62,970 | +4.5% | 44,000 |
| Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners | $49,140 | +7.6% | 2,900 |
| Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas | $59,600 | +2.9% | 1,700 |
| Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas | $65,010 | +0.2% | 1,200 |
| Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas | $62,740 | +0.5% | 1,000 |
Occupation pay and outlook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wages, Employment Projections). A field maps to several occupations, and the same occupations serve many majors, so these are the jobs this major commonly leads to, not positions reserved for its graduates; the openings should not be added up across majors.
Earnings source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (release 2026-06-10), median earnings of graduates measured up to four years after completing. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise. Method: methodology. Report an error.