Plumber Salary in Milwaukee, WI: 2026
Plumber salary data for Milwaukee, WI, adjusted for local cost of living. Entry-level to senior pay ranges, take-home pay calculator, and local job market insights.
The median Plumber salary in Milwaukee, WI is $84,700 per year ($7,058/month, $40.72/hr). That is the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metropolitan area, which covers Milwaukee. Salario's cost-of-living model (index 90) would have estimated $57,420; the entry, senior and top tiers below are Salario estimates rescaled to the BLS median.
Also known as: Master Plumber, Pipefitter, Plumbing Technician. The estimates on this page are used for these related job titles in Milwaukee, WI, although actual pay can differ by title and scope.
Median: BLS OEWS May 2025, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152), Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Entry, senior and top earner are Salario estimates rescaled to the BLS median.
Plumber Take-Home Pay in Milwaukee
Tax Breakdown (Median Salary)
| Gross Annual | $84,700 |
| Federal Tax | -$9,804 |
| State Tax (3.7% eff.) | -$3,146 |
| FICA (SS + Medicare) | -$6,480 |
| Annual Take-Home | $65,271 |
| Monthly Take-Home | $5,439 |
Living Cost Comparison
Plumber Requirements
Key Skills
Plumber salary search terms in Milwaukee
People comparing Plumber pay in Milwaukee, WI may use related job-title wording. Salario keeps the main estimate tied to the Plumber role, then treats the terms below as comparison phrases that should be checked for licensing, employer type, seniority, and role scope.
| Comparison point | How to use it |
|---|---|
| Primary local answer | $84,700 median salary, $46,600-$117,200 modeled range, and $65,271 estimated take-home pay in Milwaukee. |
| Title variants | Master Plumber, Pipefitter, Plumbing Technician, plumbing technician, journeyman plumber, master plumber can point to similar searches, but some variants may represent a narrower specialty or a higher/lower seniority band. |
| Offer comparison | Compare base salary, hourly equivalent, take-home pay, certifications, local cost of living, and whether the job is employee, contractor, public-sector, commission-heavy, or management-level. |
Milwaukee Job Market Overview
Milwaukee, Wisconsin has a population of 577,222 and an unemployment rate of 3.8%. The top industries are Manufacturing, Healthcare, Finance. The local job growth rate is 1.2%, and the average commute time is 23minutes. These local figures come from Salario's city dataset; verify current values with BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics and Census QuickFacts.
Related Trades Salaries in Milwaukee
Salary Percentile Breakdown: Plumber in Milwaukee
Based on Salario's cost-of-living-adjusted salary tiers for Plumber in Milwaukee, WI, here is an estimated percentile breakdown:
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Hourly Equivalent | Career Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (lowest) | $46,600 | $22/hr | Entry-level, < 1 yr exp. |
| 25th | $65,650 | $32/hr | Junior, 1-3 yrs exp. |
| 50th (median) | $84,700 | $41/hr | Mid-career, 4-5 year apprenticeship |
| 75th | $117,200 | $56/hr | Senior, 5-10 yrs exp. |
| 90th (top) | $132,800 | $64/hr | Lead/Principal, 10+ yrs |
P50 is the measured BLS OEWS May 2025 metro median; P10, P25, P75 and P90 are approximations, not measured local percentiles: they map to Salario's entry, senior and top tiers rescaled to the BLS median, with P25 interpolated halfway between entry and median. Top earners (P90) typically include managers, specialists with rare skills, or those at high-paying employers in Milwaukee's Manufacturing sector.
5-Year Salary Trajectory
Salario's national dataset models approximately 15.0% salary growth for Plumbers over the past 5 years. That national assumption is applied to the Milwaukee estimate below; it is not a measured local trend, and it should be compared with cumulative CPI inflation before treating it as a real-terms gain:
Year-over-year, an average Plumber can expect a 12.2% annual increase moving from entry to senior level over 8 years in Milwaukee. Negotiation, certifications (Journeyman License, Master Plumber), and changing employers strategically can accelerate this trajectory.
Milwaukee vs National Average
The national median Plumber salary is $63,800 (BLS OEWS May 2025, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters). In the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro, the BLS median of $84,700 is 32.8% above the national figure. Milwaukee's cost of living index is 90 (lower than the national average of 100), so the wage premium and the cost premium do not necessarily cancel out.
For Plumbers, this means: rent typically consumes 19.3% of take-home pay (households spending >30% are considered affordable), and a median home in Milwaukee costs about 2.6× annual take-home. Homeownership is relatively attainable on this salary in Milwaukee.
Industry Context: Manufacturing in Milwaukee
Milwaukee's economy is anchored by Manufacturing, Healthcare, Finance, with 577,222 residents and an unemployment rate of 3.8% in Salario's city dataset. Pay for Plumbers can differ by sector, so compare Manufacturing employers with other local employers. The local job growth rate in Salario's city dataset is 1.2%, and Salario's job dataset lists a 5.0% growth outlook for Plumber roles; check the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for the official 2024-2034 projection for the closest matching occupation.
Methodology & Data Sources
How we calculate Plumber salaries in Milwaukee, WI:
- Local median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS reports by metro area, so this is a regional figure, not a Milwaukee-only wage.
- Cost-of-living adjustment is shown only for comparison ($57,420 modeled) using the Milwaukee index of 90 relative to the national baseline of 100, with local rent, home price, unemployment, and tax inputs stored separately in Salario's city dataset.
- Percentile distribution (P10-P90) estimated from the entry, median, senior, and top compensation tiers in the Salario salary model rescaled to the BLS metro median rather than claimed as exact employer payroll data.
- Take-home pay calculated using 2026 federal tax brackets (10%-37%), WI 2026 state income tax brackets after the standard deduction (top rate 7.7%), and FICA (Social Security 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%).
- Tax brackets and standard deduction ($16,100 single filer for tax year 2026) sourced from IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 and updated annually.
Authoritative data sources:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, national and metro-area salary data
- O*NET OnLine, occupation tasks, alternate job titles, skills, and SOC crosswalks
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, occupation outlook where a matching profile is available
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation data (CPI measures price changes, not city-to-city price levels)
- U.S. Census Bureau, Milwaukee QuickFacts, population and demographic data
- IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 summary, 2026 federal tax brackets and standard deductions
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, official local unemployment rates to verify the Milwaukee figure above
Last reviewed: 2026. Salario's salary dataset is refreshed periodically, not automatically; check the linked BLS releases for the latest official data. Plumber salaries can vary significantly based on employer, sector (Manufacturing vs others in Milwaukee), specific skill set (Pipe Fitting, Water Systems, Drain Cleaning), and individual negotiation. Always verify current compensation through multiple sources before making career decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average Plumber salary in Milwaukee, WI?
How much does a Plumber take home in Milwaukee after taxes?
Is Milwaukee a good city for Plumbers?
What skills are needed for a Plumber in Milwaukee?
How does Plumber salary in Milwaukee compare to the national average?
What job titles are similar to Plumber in Milwaukee?
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average Plumber salary in Milwaukee, WI?
The median Plumber salary in Milwaukee, WI is $84,700 per year: the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metropolitan area. BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city. The entry-level estimate of around $46,600 and the senior estimate of $117,200 or more are Salario tiers calibrated to that BLS median, not BLS percentiles.
How much does a Plumber take home in Milwaukee after taxes?
A Plumber earning the median salary of $84,700 in Milwaukee, WI takes home approximately $65,271 per year ($5,439/month) after federal, state, and local taxes. The effective tax rate is 22.9%.
Is Milwaukee a good city for Plumbers?
Milwaukee, WI has a cost of living index of 90 (below national average). Plumbers here earn above the city median. The local unemployment rate is 3.8% and top industries include Manufacturing, Healthcare, Finance.
What skills are needed for a Plumber in Milwaukee?
Key skills for Plumbers include Pipe Fitting, Water Systems, Drain Cleaning, Blueprint Reading, Code Compliance. Typical education requirement is High School Diploma + Apprenticeship. Valuable certifications include Journeyman License, Master Plumber, OSHA 10.
How does Plumber salary in Milwaukee compare to the national average?
The national median for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters is $63,800 (BLS OEWS May 2025). In the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro, the BLS median is $84,700, which is 32.8% higher than the national figure. For comparison, Salario's cost-of-living model (index 90) would have estimated $57,420.
What job titles are similar to Plumber in Milwaukee?
Related search terms for Plumber in Milwaukee, WI include Master Plumber, Pipefitter, Plumbing Technician, plumbing technician, journeyman plumber, master plumber. Use them as comparison terms, not always exact matches: licensing, employer type, seniority, public-sector rules, and whether the role is W-2, contractor, clinical, technical, management, or sales-focused can change the salary range.