Salary report · San Francisco, CA

What is the average Plumber salary in San Francisco, CA?

Plumbers in San Francisco earn a median of $87,400 per year — about 42% above the national average. Pay ranges from $62,900 (25th percentile) to $135,500 (90th percentile).

25th percentile
$62,900
Median
$87,400
75th percentile
$111,900
90th percentile
$135,500
YoY change
+4.7%

Plumber salary by experience level

Entry · 0–2 yrs
$56,800
Mid · 3–5 yrs
$87,400
Senior · 6–8 yrs
$111,900
Lead · 8+ yrs
$126,700

How San Francisco pay compares

San Francisco median$87,400
National median$61,550
Cost-of-living adjusted(COL index 244)$35,800

Cost-of-living adjusted is the San Francisco salary translated into equivalent purchasing power vs the US average (COL index 100). Useful for comparing offers across cities.

5-year salary trend

$73K
2022
$76K
2023
$80K
2024
$84K
2025
$87K
2026

Trend extrapolated from BLS May 2024 BLS OEWS OEWS data using the latest year-over-year growth rate of 4.7%.

Plumber job market in San Francisco

San Francisco offers the highest tech salaries in the country but cost of living is brutal — particularly housing. Many roles offer remote/hybrid flexibility.

An estimated 3,700 plumbers work in the San Francisco metro. Daily responsibilities typically include:

  • Install pipes and fixtures
  • Diagnose leaks
  • Repair plumbing systems
  • Read blueprints
  • Estimate jobs

Related job salaries in San Francisco

Plumber salary in other cities

FAQ

How much does a Plumber make in San Francisco, CA?+

Plumbers in San Francisco earn a median of $87,400 per year — about 42% above the national average of $61,550.

What's the entry-level Plumber salary in San Francisco?+

Entry-level Plumbers in San Francisco typically earn around $56,800 per year. Salaries scale to about $126,700 at the senior level with 8+ years of experience.

Is $87,400 a good Plumber salary in San Francisco?+

$87,400 is the median, meaning half of Plumbers in San Francisco earn more and half earn less. Adjusted for the city's cost-of-living index of 244, that's roughly $35,800 in nationally-equivalent purchasing power.

How fast is Plumber pay growing in San Francisco?+

Plumber salaries in San Francisco grew about 4.7% year-over-year in the latest BLS data. The 10-year national outlook for this role is +6%.

Where do Plumbers in San Francisco get paid the most?+

The 90th percentile Plumber salary in San Francisco is around $135,500. These typically include senior, lead, or specialist roles at major employers.

Are you being paid fairly in San Francisco?

Run a free comparison against BLS data — see if your salary is below, at, or above the San Francisco median.

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