The average salary for a Plumber in Chula Vista is 78,117 $ per year on a 40-hour full-time equivalent, or 6,510 $ gross per month and 37.56 $ gross per hour. The reported full-time salary range is 37,600 $ to 120,000 $. The analysis is based on 31 salary reports from workers and employers in Chula Vista. Part-time salaries are proportionally converted to 40 weekly hours so the values are comparable.
| Date | Job title | Weekly hours | Reported gross/year | Normalized to 40h/year | Gross/month 40h | Gross/hour 40h | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05/25/2026 | Senior Service Plumber | 40.0 h | 115,000 $ | 115,000 $ | 9,583 $ | 55.29 $ | I handle high-end service contracts and emergency response for a regional firm. I'm senior-level and this is my annual gross for a 40-hour work week in 2026. |
| 03/30/2026 | Apprentice Plumber | 35.0 h | 50,000 $ | 57,143 $ | 4,762 $ | 27.47 $ | I'm a first-year apprentice in 2026 working full-time hours at a higher entry wage due to local demand; this is my annual gross for about 35 hours/week. |
| 01/15/2026 | Journeyman Plumber | 40.0 h | 98,000 $ | 98,000 $ | 8,167 $ | 47.12 $ | I'm a journeyman focusing on high-end remodels and specialty fixtures. Demand in 2026 is strong and this is my full-time annual gross for 40 hours/week. |
| 12/01/2025 | Owner / Contractor | 40.0 h | 120,000 $ | 120,000 $ | 10,000 $ | 57.69 $ | I run a medium-sized plumbing company and take a hands-on role in estimating and jobsites. This is my annual gross income reported for a 40-hour week. |
| 09/22/2025 | Plumbing Foreman / Manager | 45.0 h | 125,000 $ | 111,111 $ | 9,259 $ | 53.42 $ | I manage multiple crews and project schedules, plus client billing oversight. I'm in a management role and that is my annual gross for roughly 45 hours/week. |
| 06/08/2025 | Senior Plumber | 40.0 h | 105,000 $ | 105,000 $ | 8,750 $ | 50.48 $ | I'm a senior plumber handling complex installs and mentoring apprentices for a well-established contractor. This is my full-time annual gross salary for a 40-hour week. |
| 03/03/2025 | Residential Plumber (Part-time) | 18.0 h | 38,000 $ | 84,444 $ | 7,037 $ | 40.60 $ | I choose to work part-time doing premium weekend service calls while I attend school. I average 18 hours per week and that is my annual gross pay. |
| 11/19/2024 | Commercial Plumbing Lead | 42.0 h | 112,000 $ | 106,667 $ | 8,889 $ | 51.28 $ | I lead commercial installation teams and handle subcontractor coordination. I'm in a senior technical/lead role and that is my reported annual gross for 42 hours/week. |
| 09/07/2024 | On-call Plumber (Part-time) | 20.0 h | 42,000 $ | 84,000 $ | 7,000 $ | 40.38 $ | I work on-call part-time handling emergency calls and after-hours service. I average about 20 hours per week and that is my annual gross reported for 2024. |
| 05/30/2024 | Journeyman Plumber | 40.0 h | 88,000 $ | 88,000 $ | 7,333 $ | 42.31 $ | I work as a journeyman on both service and remodels for a larger contractor. I have nine years in the trade and this is my full-time annual gross salary. |
| 02/11/2024 | Apprentice Plumber | 40.0 h | 46,000 $ | 46,000 $ | 3,833 $ | 22.12 $ | I'm a second-year apprentice in 2024 working full-time and attending trade school. Wages have improved; this is my annual gross for 40 hours/week. |
| 10/02/2023 | Service Technician | 40.0 h | 82,000 $ | 82,000 $ | 6,833 $ | 39.42 $ | I do advanced diagnostic and repair work on high-end residential systems for a regional company. I'm full-time with about eight years experience; this is my annual gross. |
| 06/21/2023 | Owner / Self-employed Contractor | 35.0 h | 104,000 $ | 118,857 $ | 9,905 $ | 57.14 $ | I own a small contracting business and split time between office work and the field. I typically work about 35 hours per week and that is my annual gross earned. |
| 01/09/2023 | Master Plumber (Supervisor) | 45.0 h | 118,000 $ | 104,889 $ | 8,741 $ | 50.43 $ | I supervise large commercial projects and sign permits as the master plumber. My role includes management responsibilities and this is my annual gross salary for an average 45-hour week. |
| 12/09/2022 | Lead Installer | 40.0 h | 85,000 $ | 85,000 $ | 7,083 $ | 40.87 $ | I lead installation teams for remodels and coordinate subcontractors. I'm full-time and this is my actual gross income for 40 hours/week for the 2022 year. |
| 08/14/2022 | Journeyman Plumber | 40.0 h | 78,000 $ | 78,000 $ | 6,500 $ | 37.50 $ | I've been a journeyman for six years working for a mid-sized contractor on remodels and service calls. This is my reported annual gross for full-time 40 hours/week. |
| 03/27/2022 | Residential Plumber (Part-time) | 20.0 h | 30,000 $ | 60,000 $ | 5,000 $ | 28.85 $ | I do part-time residential service work while finishing certification courses. I average 20 hours per week and that is my annual gross pay. |
| 12/18/2021 | Lead Plumber | 42.0 h | 92,000 $ | 87,619 $ | 7,302 $ | 42.12 $ | I lead a small crew and handle scheduling and client liaison in addition to field work. I'm effectively in a management role and that is my annual gross pay for about 42 hours/week. |
| 05/05/2021 | Maintenance Plumber (Large Facility) | 40.0 h | 70,000 $ | 70,000 $ | 5,833 $ | 33.65 $ | I do facilities maintenance plumbing for a large property and have seven years of experience. I'm full-time and this is my annual gross salary for a 40-hour work week. |
| 10/10/2020 | Apprentice Plumber | 40.0 h | 39,000 $ | 39,000 $ | 3,250 $ | 18.75 $ | I'm in year two of my apprenticeship and work full-time in a larger residential outfit. I attend classes one night a week; this is my annual gross for 40 hours/week. |
| 07/22/2020 | Journeyman Plumber (Part-time) | 30.0 h | 48,000 $ | 64,000 $ | 5,333 $ | 30.77 $ | During 2020 I dropped to part-time because of other obligations. I had journeyman level duties and this is my annual gross for about 30 hours a week. |
| 01/20/2020 | Pipefitter / Plumber | 40.0 h | 65,000 $ | 65,000 $ | 5,417 $ | 31.25 $ | I do pipefitting and plumbing on mechanical systems for commercial clients. I work full-time and that is my annual gross for 40 hours/week reported in 2020. |
| 11/30/2019 | Owner / Self-employed Plumber | 38.0 h | 88,000 $ | 92,632 $ | 7,719 $ | 44.53 $ | I run a small contracting business and handle estimating and field work. I work roughly 38 hours a week on average and that is my annual gross take-home before taxes. |
| 07/04/2019 | Plumbing Estimator | 40.0 h | 70,000 $ | 70,000 $ | 5,833 $ | 33.65 $ | I transitioned into estimating after years in the field and work full-time preparing bids for commercial and residential jobs. This is my annual gross for a 40-hour week reported in 2019. |
| 02/20/2019 | Master Plumber | 40.0 h | 82,000 $ | 82,000 $ | 6,833 $ | 39.42 $ | I've been a licensed master plumber for over 10 years doing both residential and small commercial work. This is my full-time annual gross salary for 40 hours/week. |
| 09/01/2018 | Commercial Plumbing Foreman | 44.0 h | 76,000 $ | 69,091 $ | 5,758 $ | 33.22 $ | I'm the foreman on commercial installs, supervising a crew of five. I work extended hours and this is my annual gross pay for an average 44-hour week. |
| 01/17/2018 | Plumbing Technician (Part-time) | 28.0 h | 34,000 $ | 48,571 $ | 4,048 $ | 23.35 $ | I work part-time (weekend and evening calls) doing repairs and replacements for a mid-size contractor. I have six years experience and that is my annual gross for 28 hours per week. |
| 06/18/2017 | Small Business Plumber | 40.0 h | 48,000 $ | 48,000 $ | 4,000 $ | 23.08 $ | I work full-time for a small local plumbing outfit and have about four years of experience. This is my reported annual gross for a 40-hour week in 2017. |
| 03/10/2017 | Service Plumber | 40.0 h | 54,000 $ | 54,000 $ | 4,500 $ | 25.96 $ | I do service work for a small plumbing company and have about four years trade experience. I'm full-time and this is what I grossed last year working 40 hours weekly. |
| 11/03/2016 | Residential Journeyman Plumber | 40.0 h | 50,000 $ | 50,000 $ | 4,167 $ | 24.04 $ | I work full-time as a journeyman on residential service calls for a local two-person crew. I have three years of experience and this is my annual gross pay for a 40-hour week. |
| 08/12/2016 | Apprentice Plumber | 25.0 h | 23,500 $ | 37,600 $ | 3,133 $ | 18.08 $ | I'm an apprentice and have been attending night classes while working part-time for a small residential shop. I do helper work and learn on the job; this is my actual annual gross pay for 25 hours per week. |
Chula Vista sits in San Diego County’s South Bay, between downtown San Diego and the U.S.–Mexico border. For plumbers, the city’s mix of established neighborhoods, fast-growing master-planned communities in Eastlake and Otay Ranch, and a major waterfront redevelopment creates steady, year-round work. As part of the San Diego–Chula Vista–Carlsbad metropolitan area, local plumbing activity is influenced by regional construction cycles, military and healthcare facilities, and ongoing water conservation requirements across California.
Residential service and light commercial work make up a large share of demand in Chula Vista. Older housing stock on the west side often needs repipes, sewer line rehabilitation, and fixture upgrades, while newer subdivisions to the east generate warranty service, remodels, and accessory dwelling unit (ADU) hookups. The Chula Vista Bayfront transformation, anchored by the Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center, adds long-term opportunities in large-scale commercial plumbing and later facilities maintenance. Local utilities such as Sweetwater Authority and Otay Water District also shape day-to-day tasks through backflow requirements, recycled water (purple pipe) connections in some neighborhoods, and strict leak prevention and water efficiency standards.
Hiring demand for plumbers in Chula Vista is generally healthy and mirrors broader San Diego County trends. Regional planners and local agencies anticipate continued residential infill, ADU construction, and commercial projects tied to logistics, healthcare, and hospitality, all of which typically require skilled plumbers. The city’s mild climate keeps construction moving most of the year, and service contractors see consistent call volume from drain issues during rainy periods and water heater replacements and fixture retrofits throughout the seasons.
California’s building codes and conservation goals also support steady retrofit work. Plumbers in Chula Vista frequently handle low-flow fixture upgrades, leak detection, and replacements of older, noncompliant fixtures. Knowledge of the California Plumbing Code (Title 24) and the City of Chula Vista’s permitting process is valuable, as is experience with CalGreen provisions, backflow prevention, and recycled water systems where applicable. Many employers in the area look for additional credentials such as medical gas brazing (NITC), backflow tester certification (AWWA/ABPA), and OSHA safety training, especially for hospital, school, and industrial projects.
Union and non-union pathways both exist locally. UA Local 230 (San Diego) offers apprenticeship and journeyperson training for plumbing and pipefitting, while open-shop contractors often recruit through trade schools and regional training centers. Because the metro area includes major federal and port facilities, some jobs may require background checks or badging to access secure sites.
Plumbers in Chula Vista find opportunities with service contractors, commercial mechanical firms, public agencies, healthcare systems, schools, and property managers. Notable employers and organizations that often engage plumbing talent include:
In Chula Vista, plumbers can build careers in several directions:
Overall, the outlook for plumbers in Chula Vista is positive. The area’s combination of housing growth, major bayfront investment, healthcare and educational facilities, and active code-driven retrofits supports consistent hiring. Professionals who keep current on California codes, water conservation practices, and safety training, and who are comfortable working across both residential and commercial settings, can generally find a steady pipeline of opportunities in Chula Vista and across the wider San Diego metro.
The average salary for a Plumber in Chula Vista is 78,117 $ per year on a 40-hour basis, or 6,510 $ gross per month.
Part-time and full-time reports are normalized to a 40-hour workweek so salary reports can be compared fairly.
You can find more comparisons on the profession overview for Plumber and the city overview for Chula Vista. They show reported cities or jobs with their difference from the average.
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