Home › Trades › Plumbers and pipefitters › Florida
Plumbers and pipefitters in Florida: what they earn
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in Florida earned a median $52,910 a year in May 2025, $25.44 an hour. 29,260 people held the job, 2.9 for every 1,000 jobs in the state. That median is 17% below the national figure of $63,800, and Florida ranks 48 of 51 by pay for this trade.
How to become a plumber in Florida — license tiers, required hours, exam and fees, sourced from Florida DBPR, Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB). ↓
The full wage spread in Florida
| Point | Hourly | Annual | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $18.72 | $38,940 | A tenth of the workforce earns less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $22.70 | $47,220 | A quarter earn less. |
| Median | $25.44 | $52,910 | Half earn less, half earn more. |
| 75th percentile | $30.20 | $62,820 | A quarter earn more. |
| 90th percentile | $35.39 | $73,610 | A tenth earn more than this. |
| Mean | $26.94 | $56,030 | The average. Pulled up by the top earners. |
Annual figures are the hourly rate times 2,080 hours, BLS's full-time year. Overtime is inside the survey's earnings but not separated out.
Florida against its neighbors on the pay ladder
| # | State | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | West Virginia | $56,980 | 1,830 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $55,480 | 3,360 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $53,940 | 5,770 |
| 48 | Florida | $52,910 | 29,260 |
| 49 | Idaho | $52,380 | 3,090 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $51,620 | 1,760 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $48,660 | 3,370 |
The complete ranking is on the Plumbers and pipefitters page.
Against the national figure
| Florida | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $52,910 | $63,800 |
| Median hourly | $25.44 | $30.67 |
| 10th percentile, annual | $38,940 | $44,150 |
| 90th percentile, annual | $73,610 | $108,420 |
| Employed | 29,260 | 465,840 |
Other trades in Florida
Electricians ($57,250) · HVAC technicians ($56,670) · Welders ($50,640) · Truck drivers (CDL) ($50,640)
See all five ranked by pay in Florida.
How to become a plumber in Florida
Florida licenses plumbing contractors through the DBPR as either Certified (statewide, via the state exam) or Registered (local license first, limited to that area). Individual journeyman plumbers are not state-licensed — counties issue those. The licensing authority is Florida DBPR, Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB).
| License | What it takes | Experience | Exam | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certified Plumbing Contractor (statewide) | Four years' field experience (one supervisory), pass the state construction exam, and show a 660+ credit score or complete a 14-hour financial responsibility course. | — | Florida State Construction Exam (business & finance plus plumbing trade) | $245 |
| Registered Plumbing Contractor (local) | Hold a local county or city plumbing license, then register with the state; works only in that jurisdiction and adjoining areas that accept the registration. | — | — | — |
| Journeyman Plumber (county Certificate of Competency) | Not a state credential; each county examines and issues its own, and the holder works under a licensed plumbing contractor. | — | — | — |
Reciprocity. Since June 1, 2021, a contractor licensed in a state with a Florida Construction Licensing Board reciprocity agreement can apply by reciprocity.
Renewal. Biennial (renews August 31 of every even-numbered year), with 14 hours of continuing education.
Licensing sources: DBPR Construction Industry FAQs (retrieved 2026-09-16) · Hillsborough County journeyman certificate (retrieved 2026-09-16). Requirements change — confirm with Florida DBPR, Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) before you act.
Compare the time and cost to get licensed across trades and states →
Common questions
Do you need a license to work as a plumber in Florida?
Florida licenses plumbing contractors through the DBPR as either Certified (statewide, via the state exam) or Registered (local license first, limited to that area). Individual journeyman plumbers are not state-licensed — counties issue those.
What does it cost to get licensed as a plumber in Florida?
The main application or license fee is $245; separate exam or endorsement fees can apply, as noted in the table above.
How long does it take to become a plumber in Florida?
It depends on which credential you need and the training and testing each step takes — the full path is in the table above.
The pay and employment figures above are the May 2025 BLS estimates; the licensing detail is sourced separately from the state authority and dated inline. See how the numbers are built.