Plumbers, Pipefitters & Steamfitters salary in Bakersfield, CA
Median pay for plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters in Bakersfield, CA: $58,860/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $38,730 – $99,370 · about 860 employed locally
Below the typical metro median ($59,690) by −$830 (-1%).
What it's really worth in Bakersfield
With Bakersfield's cost of living at 102 (US=100), that $58,860 has the buying power of about $57,487 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $63,883 · median home $364,264 · median rent $1,788/mo.
How Bakersfield ranks for this job
On raw pay, Bakersfield, CA is 103rd of the 187 metros we hold plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters wages for. Once Bakersfield's cost of living is applied, it ranks 115th.
Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so Bakersfield sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.
What that salary buys in Bakersfield
A median home in Bakersfield, CA costs $364,264 — about 6.2× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is harder here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,788/mo works out at 36% of gross pay — above the conventional 30% affordability ceiling, so renting would stretch this salary.
Where plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Bakersfield.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Bakersfield | Rent vs Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | $101,560 | +73% | 1.3× |
| Kennewick, WA | $97,150 | +65% | 1× |
| Minneapolis, MN | $96,200 | +63% | 1× |
| Duluth, MN | $88,000 | +50% | 0.8× |
Same job elsewhere in CA
| Metro | Median pay | vs Bakersfield | Rent vs Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $86,370 | +47% | 2× |
| San Francisco, CA | $75,840 | +29% | 1.8× |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $64,380 | +9% | 2× |
| San Diego, CA | $64,100 | +9% | 1.7× |
Staying in CA keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters around Bakersfield
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Aera Energy · Energy
Other jobs in Bakersfield
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 187 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.