Plumbers, Pipefitters & Steamfitters salary in Waco, TX
Median pay for plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters in Waco, TX: $54,870/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $35,830 – $76,550 · about 460 employed locally
Below the typical metro median ($59,690) by −$4,820 (-8%).
What it's really worth in Waco
With Waco's cost of living at 91 (US=100), that $54,870 has the buying power of about $60,207 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $59,193 · median home $256,772 · median rent $1,404/mo.
How Waco ranks for this job
On raw pay, Waco, TX is 118th of the 187 metros we hold plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters wages for. Once Waco's cost of living is applied, it ranks 93rd.
Pay here goes further than the headline number suggests — Waco is one of the places where plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters gain ground in real terms, because local costs are low relative to what the job pays.
What that salary buys in Waco
A median home in Waco, TX costs $256,772 — about 4.7× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,404/mo works out at 31% 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 Waco.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Waco | Rent vs Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | $101,560 | +85% | 1.6× |
| Kennewick, WA | $97,150 | +77% | 1.2× |
| Minneapolis, MN | $96,200 | +75% | 1.2× |
| Duluth, MN | $88,000 | +60% | 1× |
Same job elsewhere in TX
| Metro | Median pay | vs Waco | Rent vs Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beaumont, TX | $62,160 | +13% | 0.9× |
| Austin, TX | $60,740 | +11% | 1.2× |
| Houston, TX | $60,490 | +10% | 1.2× |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $60,080 | +9% | 1× |
Staying in TX keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters around Waco
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Cargill Meat Solutions · Manufacturing
- Veterans Administration Medical Center · Government
Other jobs in Waco
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.