Occupations · Construction and Extraction
Pipelayers
Lay pipe for storm or sanitation sewers, drains, and water mains. Perform any combination of the following tasks: grade trenches or culverts, position pipe, or seal joints.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 47-2151.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 71% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $47,240 | 1,730 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $45,590 | 1,630 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $46,780 | 1,050 |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | $48,160 | 1,010 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $47,620 | 940 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $82,660 | 820 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $49,090 | 790 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $46,640 | 660 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $56,530 | 660 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | $62,070 | 590 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $46,660 | 590 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $81,990 | 560 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: No formal educational credential · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- Grade or level trench bases, using tamping machines or hand tools.
- Dig trenches to desired or required depths, by hand or using trenching tools.
- Cut pipes to required lengths.
- Install or use instruments such as lasers, grade rods, or transit levels.
- Cover pipes with earth or other materials.
- Connect pipe pieces and seal joints, using welding equipment, cement, or glue.
- Check slopes for conformance to requirements, using levels or lasers.
- Install or repair sanitary or stormwater sewer structures or pipe systems.
- Align and position pipes to prepare them for welding or sealing.
- Lay out pipe routes, following written instructions or blueprints and coordinating layouts with supervisors.
- Tap and drill holes into pipes to introduce auxiliary lines or devices.
- Operate mechanized equipment, such as pickup trucks, rollers, tandem dump trucks, front-end loaders, or backhoes.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2025-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2025-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning.
Now listed 2
No longer listed 2
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| drainage worker | 9312.1.1 | broader |
| sewer construction worker | 7126.11 | broader |
| civil engineering worker | 9312.1 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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