Compare A Plumber ↔ B Ironworker

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Your route

1 move · -$7,600 a year, Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Ironworker: no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).

Move 1 Transfer move to the side
Plumber to Ironworker -$7,600 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Structural Iron and Steel Workers as a related occupation (Supplemental); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.86 (O*NET related occupation beyond the 6 drawn laterals).
- Gates checked: no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).

Side by side

All Structural Iron and Steel Workers: Texas median $52,240, $7,600 less a year than all Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters ($59,840), every experience level.

More than 40 hours a week: Ironworker 34%, Plumber 27%.

Occupation-wide pay all experience levels, not this level's pay; Texas median, base pay, $0 to $300k

$59,840-$7,600$52,240

Gates checked: No degree, license or hours gate on these moves in O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for each job.

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

A +8.9% Texas, 4,220 openings a year

B +3.6% Texas, 850 openings a year

Over 40 h a week

27%+7 pts34%

Physical load our index from O*NET, 1 to 5; A B; largest differences first

3.7 / 5-0.33.4 / 5

Outdoors, all weather-1.02Outdoors, all weather: A 3.89, B 2.87
Cramped space-0.85Cramped space: A 3.8, B 2.95
Climbing ladders-0.68Climbing ladders: A 3.75, B 3.07
Standing-0.32Standing: A 4.69, B 4.37
Bending or twisting+0.30Bending or twisting: A 3.83, B 4.13

Degree

A Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 0% do).

B Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 7% do).

License

A Texas: Journeyman Plumber license (TSBPE): 8,000 hours as a registered apprentice, a 48-hour course or DOL apprenticeship, and an exam. Tradesman Plumber-Limited (4,000 hours) covers 1-2 family homes.

B No license for this job title at the 8 Texas and federal licensing agencies read on 2026-10-03 (TDLR, TSBPE, TCEQ, TCFP, TEA, TBPELS, NRC and EPA).

Experience

A Most common related work experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years (O*NET: 57%).

B Most common related work experience: none (O*NET: 57%).

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 5

Active Listening
Critical Thinking
Judgment and Decision Making
Monitoring
Time Management

To build: 2

Operation and Control +0.50
Operations Monitoring +0.50

Make this your goal

Save Plumber to Ironworker as your goal. Each step then shows the hours you have logged toward it, your exam practice and your license, with the one thing to do next and the 2 skills to build as a checklist. Free with an account.