How Much Do Gas Fitters Make?
National median $62,970/yr ($30.27/hr)
The federal government counts gas fitters inside the skilled-trade group "plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters" (SOC 47-2152). As of May 2024, that group had a median wage of $62,970 a year, or $30.27 an hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Half of all workers earned more than that and half earned less.
Pay runs wide. The bottom 10 percent, mostly new apprentices and helpers, earned under $40,670 a year. The top 10 percent, licensed journeymen and industrial hands working overtime, earned over $105,150. That is a spread of roughly $19.55 to $50.55 an hour for the same trade.
What pushes a gas fitter toward the top of that range is straightforward: a union card and its scale, industrial and utility gas work instead of residential service calls, travel jobs that pay per diem, heavy overtime on plant shutdowns and turnarounds, and living in a high-wage state like Illinois or Alaska. The work is also steady. BLS projects 6 percent job growth from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average job, with about 43,300 openings a year as older tradespeople retire.
Pay by experience
Highest-paying paths
In strong locals the journeyman package runs past $50 to $60 an hour with health and pension on top. UA Local 350's journeyman package was reported near $53.80 total.
Refineries, power plants, and natural gas distribution utilities pay well above residential service, commonly $40 or more an hour plus full benefits.
Pipeline and shutdown jobs add roughly $100 to $150 a day in per diem, often tax-advantaged, on top of the hourly rate.
Time-and-a-half and double-time during plant turnarounds can push a strong year past $130,000 to $150,000.
Illinois leads on the strength of union-heavy Chicago, with Alaska, Delaware, Oregon, and Washington all averaging over $80,000 a year.
How to earn more
- Get your gas fitter or master plumber license. A license moves you off helper pay, lets you pull permits, and lets you run your own jobs.
- Join a UA apprenticeship. Union scale, benefits, and guaranteed step raises tend to beat non-union residential pay over a full career.
- Move from residential service into industrial or utility gas work. Refineries, power plants, and gas distribution utilities pay the highest hourly rates in the trade.
- Chase travel and shutdown work. Turnarounds pay per diem plus heavy overtime, and a few big jobs a year can add tens of thousands to your income.
- Add welding and pipe fabrication skills. Certified welders on gas systems command a premium over fitters who cannot weld.
- Work in a high-wage metro or state. The same license is worth more in Chicago, Seattle, or Anchorage than in a low-cost rural market.
See who's hiring
Browse Gas Fitter jobs with pay shown upfront, or read the full Gas Fitter career guide.
Gas Fitter pay: common questions
How much do gas fitters make?
The median is $62,970 a year, about $30.27 an hour, as of May 2024 (BLS). Most gas fitters earn between roughly $40,670 and $105,150 a year depending on license, union status, and the type of work.
Do gas fitters make good money?
Yes, and with no college debt. A licensed gas fitter clears the U.S. median wage, and union or industrial hands with overtime routinely top $90,000 to $100,000 a year.
What are the highest paying gas fitter jobs?
Union pipefitting, industrial and utility gas distribution, and travel shutdown work pay the most. Add a welding certification and per diem, and the top 10 percent earn over $105,150 a year.
What is a gas fitter's salary per hour?
The median is $30.27 an hour. Entry apprentices start near $19 to $22, licensed journeymen run $28 to $40, and top earners make over $50 an hour before overtime.
Can you make $100,000 as a gas fitter?
Yes. It usually takes a license plus industrial, union, or travel work with overtime. The top 10 percent of the trade already earn more than $105,150 a year.