FederalPay.org
Plumber - Federal Salaries of 2022
Pay Rates for "Plumber"
How much does a Plumber in the federal government get paid? $71,397.84* *Based on the 2022 average.Plumber was the 269th most popular job in the U.S. Government in 2022, with 351 employed. The most common payscale was the supervisory pay schedules - federal wage system payscale.
In 2022, the Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System hired the most employees titled Plumbing, with an average salary of $76,936.
Government Plumbing jobs are classified under the Federal Wage Schedule, Wage Grade (FWS) payscale. The minimum paygrade for a Plumbing job is FWS-7, and the highest paygrade that can be attained within this job series is FWS-9. Remember that the starting and maximum yearly pay listed above reflect base pay only - your actual salary will be higher based on the Locality Pay Adjustment for the area in which you work.
This standard is used to grade all nonsupervisory jobs involved in the installation, modification, and repair of utility, supply, and disposal systems, fixtures, fittings, and equipment such as sewage, water, gas, and oil lines, compressed air, vacuum, and acid systems, water closets, water heaters, hydrants, valves, and pumps.
Agencies that have hired a Plumber
| Agency | Employees Hired | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System | 184 | $76,936.35 |
| Veterans Health Administration | 97 | $57,992.10 |
| National Park Service | 16 | $69,013.75 |
| Presidio Trust | 9 | $108,440.44 |
| Federal Emergency Management Agency | 9 | $76,878.22 |
| Bureau of Engraving and Printing | 7 | $99,698.57 |
| National Cemetery Administration | 6 | $51,166.33 |
| John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts | 5 | $72,068.40 |
| U.S. Coast Guard | 5 | $58,068.60 |
| Indian Health Service | 4 | $57,689.00 |
| National Institute of Standards and Technology | 2 | $59,829.50 |
| National Gallery of Art | 2 | $71,814.00 |
| Department of Energy | 1 | $118,393.00 |
| Indian Affairs | 1 | $61,733.00 |
| Agricultural Research Service | 1 | $70,269.00 |
| Forest Service | 1 | $47,834.00 |
| Bureau of the Census | 1 | $59,187.00 |
Plumber Pay Distribution
The average pay for a Plumber is $71,397.84. The highest paid Plumber made $136,740 in 2022.
Common Plumber Payscales
| Payscale | Number of Plumbing Employees |
|---|---|
| WS - Supervisory Pay Schedules - Federal Wage System | 191 |
| WG - Nonsupervisory Pay Schedules - Federal Wage System | 140 |
| AD - Administratively Determined Rates, Not Elsewhere Specified | 9 |
| WE - Currency Manufacturing | 7 |
| BB - Nonsupervisory - Negotiated Pay Employees | 2 |
| WL - Leader Pay Schedule - Federal Wage System | 1 |
| XA - Special Overlap Area Rate Schedule - Nonsupervisory - Federal Wage System | 1 |
| Starting Paygrade: | $10.20 to $26.59 / hour at paygrade FWS-7 |
| Maximum Paygrade: | $11.13 to $30.53 / hour at paygrade FWS-9 |
| Occupation Family: | PLUMBING AND PIPEFITTING FAMILY |
Other Jobs at the FWS-7 Paygrade
FWS-7 is the starting paygrade for Plumbing jobs. Here are some other Federal Government jobs that can be held by employees at the FWS-7 paygrade.
| Occupation | Starting Paygrade | Maximum Paygrade |
|---|---|---|
| Railroad Repairing | FWS-5 | FWS-8 |
| Water Treatment Plant Operating | FWS-7 | FWS-9 |
| Motor Vehicle Operating | FWS-4 | FWS-8 |
| Roofing | FWS-7 | FWS-9 |
| Electroplating | FWS-7 | FWS-9 |
Average Plumbing Pay Trend from 2004 to 2022
In 2004, the average pay for a Plumber was $49,949. Since then, the average pay has increased to $71,398 in 2022.
Data Sources
The information provided on these pages is sourced from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) 
Enterprise Human Resources Integration (EHRI) dataset. Postal Service data is managed exclusively by the USPS . All information is displayed unmodified and as provided by the source agency.
Federal employee salaries are public information under open government laws (5 U.S.C. § 552). FederalPay provides this data in the interest of government transparency — employee data may not be used for commercial soliciting or vending of any kind. Learn more about the FederalPay Employees Dataset here.
The series code of this occupation is 4206.