The average salary for a Plumber in Houston is 66,489 $ per year on a 40-hour full-time equivalent, or 5,541 $ gross per month and 31.97 $ gross per hour. The reported full-time salary range is 32,000 $ to 124,444 $. The analysis is based on 30 salary reports from workers and employers in Houston. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04/10/2026 | Senior Master Plumber (Commercial) | 40.0 h | 120,000 $ | 120,000 $ | 10,000 $ | 57.69 $ | I am a senior master plumber specializing in large commercial HVAC and plumbing systems; full-time role managing complex projects and coordinating subcontractors. |
| 01/30/2026 | Owner, Growing Plumbing Business | 45.0 h | 140,000 $ | 124,444 $ | 10,370 $ | 59.83 $ | I own a growing multi-tech plumbing company; as owner/operator I still work on high-value commercial jobs and handle business development which leads to long hours and higher revenue. |
| 11/09/2025 | Journeyman HVAC-Plumber | 40.0 h | 76,000 $ | 76,000 $ | 6,333 $ | 36.54 $ | I combined HVAC and plumbing skills and worked full-time on commercial retrofits; cross-skilled technicians were in demand which increased my pay. |
| 08/18/2025 | Apprentice (Part-time career change) | 25.0 h | 25,000 $ | 40,000 $ | 3,333 $ | 19.23 $ | I switched careers and started a part-time apprenticeship while maintaining another job; I averaged 25 hours per week learning the trade. |
| 04/01/2025 | Senior Plumbing Supervisor | 44.0 h | 115,000 $ | 104,545 $ | 8,712 $ | 50.26 $ | I was the senior supervisor overseeing multiple crews for a large regional contractor; managerial duties and on-call responsibilities pushed weekly hours to about 44. |
| 11/30/2024 | Contract Service Plumber | 35.0 h | 73,000 $ | 83,429 $ | 6,952 $ | 40.11 $ | I worked as a contract service plumber and averaged 35 hours a week; I focused on high-end residential service calls and charged premium rates which kept hours lower but pay higher. |
| 07/22/2024 | Self-employed Owner (Small Business) | 40.0 h | 95,000 $ | 95,000 $ | 7,917 $ | 45.67 $ | I run a one-owner plumbing and remodeling business; full-time hours focusing on higher-margin service and renovation projects drove this income. |
| 02/14/2024 | Master Plumber | 45.0 h | 110,000 $ | 97,778 $ | 8,148 $ | 47.01 $ | I am a licensed master plumber running a small crew and handling commercial bidding; the role includes management responsibilities and long hours running the business. |
| 09/05/2023 | Plumbing Estimator | 40.0 h | 78,000 $ | 78,000 $ | 6,500 $ | 37.50 $ | I moved into an estimating role for a regional contractor; full-time office hours with occasional site visits, and about a decade of field experience behind me. |
| 03/27/2023 | Union Journeyman Plumber | 40.0 h | 65,000 $ | 65,000 $ | 5,417 $ | 31.25 $ | I reported this as a union journeyman working on municipal projects; stable full-time hours and benefits factored into the pay. |
| 09/02/2022 | Plumbing Supervisor (Large Corporation) | 42.0 h | 99,000 $ | 94,286 $ | 7,857 $ | 45.33 $ | I supervised multiple crews for a large facilities management company; the role combined field oversight and administrative duties and averaged about 42 hours weekly. |
| 06/18/2022 | Service Technician (Part-time) | 20.0 h | 26,000 $ | 52,000 $ | 4,333 $ | 25.00 $ | I was working part-time as a service technician while finishing a trade school certificate; I averaged 20 hours per week doing service calls on evenings and Saturdays. |
| 01/12/2022 | Commercial Senior Plumber | 40.0 h | 74,000 $ | 74,000 $ | 6,167 $ | 35.58 $ | As a senior commercial plumber with about ten years' experience I handled complex installs and oversaw subcontractor coordination at a mid-size firm. |
| 11/11/2021 | Independent Contractor Owner | 40.0 h | 85,000 $ | 85,000 $ | 7,083 $ | 40.87 $ | I operate as an independent contractor focusing on mid-to-high-end residential renovations; full-time hours and owning my client book produced this income. |
| 08/30/2021 | Residential Lead Plumber | 40.0 h | 62,000 $ | 62,000 $ | 5,167 $ | 29.81 $ | I was the lead plumber for a residential service crew at a small company; I managed routes, trained newer techs, and handled larger installs as part of a full-time role. |
| 02/20/2021 | Union Apprentice | 38.0 h | 36,000 $ | 37,895 $ | 3,158 $ | 18.22 $ | I was in the union apprenticeship program and reported this salary during year two; the hours were typically 38 with some travel between job sites. |
| 10/01/2020 | Owner / Operator (Small Business) | 45.0 h | 90,000 $ | 80,000 $ | 6,667 $ | 38.46 $ | I owned and operated a two-person plumbing business; I put in long hours running the business, doing service calls, and managing billing which led to the higher annual take-home. |
| 08/20/2020 | Residential Manager / Team Lead | 40.0 h | 68,000 $ | 68,000 $ | 5,667 $ | 32.69 $ | I managed a residential service team, scheduling techs and handling escalations; full-time role with both field and administrative responsibilities. |
| 05/15/2020 | Hospital Maintenance Plumber | 40.0 h | 58,000 $ | 58,000 $ | 4,833 $ | 27.88 $ | I worked full-time in hospital facilities maintenance; duties included preventive maintenance, emergency repairs, and system troubleshooting with about eight years' experience. |
| 12/05/2019 | Emergency Repair Technician (Part-time) | 30.0 h | 37,000 $ | 49,333 $ | 4,111 $ | 23.72 $ | I worked part-time on an emergency response schedule handling after-hours calls and averaged about 30 hours a week; the premium pay for emergencies boosted annual income. |
| 09/09/2019 | Plumbing Foreman | 42.0 h | 72,000 $ | 68,571 $ | 5,714 $ | 32.97 $ | I was a foreman supervising a crew on multi-family projects for a regional contractor; I worked about 42 hours a week coordinating jobs, ordering materials, and mentoring apprentices. |
| 03/22/2019 | Journeyman Plumber | 40.0 h | 54,000 $ | 54,000 $ | 4,500 $ | 25.96 $ | I had been a journeyman for around six years when I reported this; full-time position at a small commercial contractor, primarily installs and service. |
| 11/18/2018 | Independent Contractor (Part-time) | 30.0 h | 29,500 $ | 39,333 $ | 3,278 $ | 18.91 $ | I was doing part-time contracting while keeping another job; I billed clients directly and averaged about 30 hours a week doing service and small remodel work. |
| 06/30/2018 | Service Plumber | 40.0 h | 47,000 $ | 47,000 $ | 3,917 $ | 22.60 $ | I worked full-time as a residential service plumber handling repairs and replacements; I had about five years' experience at the time and covered a lot of weekend emergency shifts. |
| 02/14/2018 | Plumbing Technician (Small Company) | 38.0 h | 52,000 $ | 54,737 $ | 4,561 $ | 26.32 $ | I was a plumbing technician at a small company with about seven years' experience; typical week was around 38 hours with occasional weekend emergency calls. |
| 12/01/2017 | Commercial Apprentice | 40.0 h | 33,000 $ | 33,000 $ | 2,750 $ | 15.87 $ | I was an apprentice on commercial projects at a mid-size contractor; full-time position with overtime occasionally, primarily assisting on new build installs. |
| 06/25/2017 | Industrial Maintenance Plumber | 40.0 h | 46,000 $ | 46,000 $ | 3,833 $ | 22.12 $ | I worked full-time in an industrial plant maintaining pumps and piping systems; basic shift schedule and overtime when systems required it. |
| 04/10/2017 | Residential Plumber (Part-time) | 24.0 h | 20,000 $ | 33,333 $ | 2,778 $ | 16.03 $ | I worked part-time doing evenings and weekends for a residential service company while attending school; the 24-hour week is accurate for that time. |
| 11/05/2016 | Junior Journeyman Plumber | 40.0 h | 42,000 $ | 42,000 $ | 3,500 $ | 20.19 $ | I was a junior journeyman with three years of experience at a local contractor when I reported this salary; full-time role, mostly service calls and smaller remodel jobs. |
| 07/20/2016 | Apprentice Plumber | 35.0 h | 28,000 $ | 32,000 $ | 2,667 $ | 15.38 $ | I'm an entry-level apprentice and have been on the crew for about a year at a small residential outfit; this was my first full-time plumbing job and I work roughly 35 hours a week doing basic installs and assisting journeymen. |
Houston’s fast-growing metro, diverse economy, and year-round construction activity create steady demand for licensed plumbers. The region’s mix of single-family developments, high-rise builds around the Inner Loop, heavy industry along the Ship Channel, and a vast healthcare cluster means plumbing work spans residential service, commercial construction, and complex facility maintenance. Population growth in suburbs like Katy, Cypress, Pearland, and The Woodlands, combined with ongoing infrastructure upgrades inside the city, typically supports a healthy pipeline of projects.
Plumbers in Houston also see work linked to weather resilience. After major storms and hard freezes, service calls and replacement projects often surge as homeowners and businesses address burst pipes, backflow issues, and drainage improvements. Flood mitigation and water/sewer system upgrades continue to be priorities across the region, and large-scale water projects can indirectly drive related building activity that needs skilled plumbing contractors.
Employers in Houston commonly hire across three main segments: residential service and remodel, new construction (multifamily, office, healthcare, logistics), and industrial/commercial maintenance. The Texas Medical Center and the Port of Houston area add specialized needs, including medical gas systems, lab plumbing, and heavy-duty drainage and water supply for large facilities. Plumbers who hold or pursue additional credentials—such as medical gas installer certifications (e.g., ASSE standards) or backflow prevention tester approvals—may find broader opportunities on hospital and campus projects.
Licensing in Texas is overseen by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE). In Houston, plumbers typically coordinate permits and inspections through the Houston Permitting Center and follow local code amendments. Many commercial sites require OSHA safety training, and industrial facilities along the Ship Channel may request a TWIC card and site-specific safety orientations through organizations such as the Houston Area Safety Council. Union and non-union paths both exist; UA Plumbers Local 68 and PHCC-affiliated programs in the Gulf Coast area offer registered apprenticeships that can help newcomers build skills while earning experience toward Journeyman and Master licenses.
Market conditions are influenced by Houston’s large pipeline of healthcare, industrial, and logistics projects, as well as cyclical homebuilding. Even when new construction slows, maintenance and service work generally continue, since hospitals, schools, refineries, airports, and high-occupancy buildings require ongoing plumbing upkeep. Major water and wastewater facility improvements in the region, including the City of Houston’s long-running plant and distribution upgrades, also reflect continued investment in critical infrastructure.
Plumbers in Houston can be employed directly by facility owners, school districts, and healthcare systems, or work for service companies and mechanical/plumbing contractors. Examples include:
Entry-level candidates often start as apprentices on residential service trucks or commercial rough-in crews, learning code compliance, brazing and soldering, PEX and copper installs, and drain/waste/vent (DWV) systems. With experience and a Journeyman license, plumbers may specialize in:
Houston’s climate and soil conditions—heat, humidity, and expansive clay—often lead to unique challenges such as slab movement and corrosion, which can increase demand for skilled troubleshooting. Bilingual communication is frequently valued on job sites, and many employers seek clean driving records and on-call availability. Overall, the outlook for plumbers in Houston is generally positive, with steady replacement work, significant institutional facilities, and periodic surges after weather events supporting ongoing hiring.
The average salary for a Plumber in Houston is 66,489 $ per year on a 40-hour basis, or 5,541 $ 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 Houston. They show reported cities or jobs with their difference from the average.
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