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Pipelayer

Pipelayer

B-03

B Other Construction electrical jobs · Start level · O*NET 47-2151.00

Texas median
whole occupation, 2025
$45,620
work over
40 h a week
17%
load index
from O*NET data
3.1/5
Texas jobs
2024 to 2034
+0.2%

Pay

This level's pay

No published pay record names this level: no public record found in sources S1-S7 that names this rung. The occupation-wide figure below is for all experience levels.

Whole occupation: all Pipelayers, Texas
BLS OEWS May 2025
  • Series OEUS480000000000047215113 (median), Texas, May 2025, read 2026-10-03
  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Base pay (straight-time, excludes overtime).
  • Based on an estimated 5,010 jobs in Texas (series OEUS480000000000047215101).

Half of all Pipelayers in Texas earn more than $45,620; the bottom 10% earned less than $37,030 and the top 10% more than $56,730 (May 2025, base pay, about 5,010 jobs). U.S. median $49,000.

Outlook 2024 to 2034, all Pipelayers, not level-specific
TWC, BLS

Texas
+0.2% jobs · about 480 openings a year (6,240 jobs in 2024)
United States
-4.4% jobs · about 2,400 openings a year (34,400 jobs in 2024)

Openings include people retiring or changing jobs, not only growth.

Hours
O*NET 31.0
  • Duration of Typical Work Week (4.C.3.d.8), O*NET Work Context, data 08/2025, n = 14 respondents, O*NET OnLine

About 1 in 5 work more than 40 hours a week (17%).

Schedule: regular 52% · irregular 45% · seasonal 3%

Striped: O*NET marks the estimate "Recommend suppress" (low precision).

Physical load 3.1 of 5, our index from O*NET
Method
  • Engineer Tsai index (et_physical_v1): mean of a body index (3.17, 6 measures) and an exposure index (3.1, 7 measures), built from O*NET Work Context means, 1 to 5: Spend Time Standing; Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles; Spend Time Walking or Running; Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling; Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance; Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body; Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions; Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures; Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions; Exposed to High Places; Exposed to Hazardous Conditions; Exposed to Hazardous Equipment; Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection.
  • O*NET OnLine

Body

  • Standing4.37
  • Bending or twisting3.77
  • Walking or running3.31
  • Kneeling or crawling2.89
  • Climbing ladders2.57
  • Keeping balance2.13

Exposure

  • Outdoors, all weather4.9
  • Very hot or cold4.17
  • Cramped space3.42
  • Hazardous equipment3.18
  • Protective gear2.6
  • Hazardous conditions2.14
  • High places1.31
Body 3.17 · exposure 3.1. O*NET Work Context means, 1 = never, 5 = continually or every day.

Getting in

License
Texas: yard water lines and building sewers for 1-2 family homes are plumbing (TSBPE Residential Utilities Installer registration). Utility mains and most private site mains are exempt (1301.053, 1301.059).
Degree
0% hold a bachelor's or higher; most common: Less than a High School Diploma
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years of related experience is the most common answer (19% of workers).
O*NET
Preparation
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Why this level
Start: O*NET Job Zone 2 (1-2 start, 3-4 skilled, 5 senior).

Moves to the side 6

  • B Plumber O*NET lists Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.80. License gate: Journeyman Plumber (TSBPE), Tradesman Plumber-Limited (TSBPE).
  • B Plumber Helper O*NET lists Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.78. License gate: Plumber's Apprentice registration (TSBPE).
  • B Construction Laborer O*NET lists Construction Laborers as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.78.
  • B Sheet Metal Worker O*NET lists Sheet Metal Workers as a related occupation (Primary-Long); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.79.
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What the work is 6 core tasks

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.

  1. Grade or level trench bases, using tamping machines or hand tools.
  2. Dig trenches to desired or required depths, by hand or using trenching tools.
  3. Cut pipes to required lengths.
  4. Install or use instruments such as lasers, grade rods, or transit levels.
  5. Cover pipes with earth or other materials.
  6. Connect pipe pieces and seal joints, using welding equipment, cement, or glue.

Core tasks ranked by O*NET task Importance (IM, 1-5), top 6.

Top skills

  • Operation and Control
  • Active Listening
  • Coordination
  • Critical Thinking
  • Operations Monitoring
  • Quality Control Analysis
  • Speaking
  • Judgment and Decision Making
Sources (4)

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Engineer Tsai has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 · O*NET license

Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Base pay; excludes overtime. Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034 (United States) and Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections 2024-2034, read through Projections Central.

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Not a licensed Professional Engineer in Texas or any U.S. state. Does not offer engineering services. Exam-prep education only.