Have you ever wondered where plumbers make the most money? These workers fall under the Canadian national occupation classification code (NOC) of 7251. But being in the same NOC does not mean they all make the same amount of money. Someone you call a plumber may actually have a different title around their coworkers, such as:
- Plumbing mechanic
- Plumbing maintenance
- Pipefitter
- Repair plumber
- Gasfitter
- Sanitary plumber
- Irrigation plumber
However, the job title is not the only variation in determining how much money a plumber makes. Their income can vary according to where they live and work, too. Below, we look more deeply at plumber wages and salaries across the country.
Provincial and Territorial Plumber Wages
Calgary, Alberta, is home to the most highly paid plumbing professionals, according to the latest statistics. In this region, they typically earn an average of $39.98 per hour. In Prince Edward Island, you can find the lowest average wages at $20.00 per hour. This means the average full-time salary for a plumber falls between $45,000 and $70,000 per year.
According to government reports, there is no expectation of a qualified candidate shortage in the near future. This means enough people are choosing to enter this field to meet the needs of supply and demand.
According to the latest government figures, average hourly plumbing wages for each part of Canada include:
- Calgary, Alberta – $39.98
- Edmonton, Alberta – $33.93
- Vancouver/Lower Mainland, British Columbia – $26.00
- Winnipeg, Manitoba – $31.50
- Fredericton/Oromocto, New Brunswick – $23.00
- Halifax, Nova Scotia – $23.00
- Toronto, Ontario – $28.00
- Ottawa, Ontario – $30.00
- Windsor/Sarnia, Ontario – $27.50
- Kitchener/Waterloo/Barrie, Ontario – $27.50
- Prince Edward Island – $20.00
- Montreal, Quebec – $34.00
- Saskatoon/Biggar, Saskatchewan – $30.00
The above earnings relate to multiple types of duties performed on the job during a typical workday. These duties include installing, repairing and maintaining plumbing systems and fixtures. Examples of these fixtures and systems include sewage pipes, water pipes and taps. Other typical duties involve unblocking drains, water pipes and sewer pipes. A plumber also spends some of his or her workday measuring, bending, cutting, and threading pipes.
How do age and experience affect a plumber’s paycheck?
If you want to make the most money among your peers, doing so often relies on achieving a certain level of experience. A plumber cannot just walk onto the job on their first day and expect to compete with the highest salaries in their province or territory. In fact, experience is the most influential factor in how much you earn. Simply put, wages increase as you acquire experience.
Below are some examples of annual salaries for differing levels of experience in the plumbing field:
- Under two years of experience typically brings a plumber a salary of $23,700 per year
- A plumber with two to five years of experience earns about $31,400 per year
- With five to 10 years of experience, a plumber earns about $42,000 per year
- At 10 to 15 years of experience, you can expect a plumbing salary of $50,100
- For those with 15 to 20 years of experience, wages average $54,100
- Over 20 years’ experience brings a salary of about $58,000 on average
Generally speaking, you can expect your salary as a plumber with ten years of experience to be double the salary in your first year.
Other factors affecting a plumber’s income include education and time within a specific company. Plumbers are typically rewarded for pursuing higher education in this field, like any other. They are also rewarded for being loyal, dependable and reliable within a specific plumbing organization. Many are elevated to supervisory or leadership roles, other advancements that affect income.