Now is a great time to build a great career as a utility worker. Employment opportunities and wages are both on the rise. Average industry hourly wages increased nearly 25% from 2019 to 2024 alone. The industry unemployment was well below 2% as of August 2024.
Nearly 590,000 utility workers help ensure that people have the electricity, water, heat, and digital connectivity they need to live their everyday lives. Several factors fuel demand for those types of services, including population growth and new infrastructure installation, existing infrastructure replacement, and ongoing maintenance and repair. Thus, there are more employment opportunities in certain parts of the country than in others. Employment opportunities may also vary depending on which segment of the broader utility industry you’re seeking employment in.
Pipelayers lay pipe for storm and sanitation sewers, drains, and water mains. Nearly 35,000 people are employed in this profession across the country. Pipelayers can be found in a variety of utility industry sectors. The highest concentration is within utility system construction, but pipelayers are also employed by local governments, building contractors, and heavy civil firms.
Employment opportunities
The top 10 U.S. states and cities employing the most pipelayers are:
States
1. Texas
2. Florida
3. North Carolina
4. California
5. Georgia
6. Ohio
7. Arizona
8. Virginia
9. Washington
10. Colorado
Cities
1. Dallas, Texas
2. Houston, Texas
3. Austin, Texas
4. Atlanta, Georgia
5. New York City, New York
6. Seattle, Washington
7. Charlotte, North Carolina
8. Phoenix, Arizona
9. Miami, Florida
10. Los Angeles, California
Wages and compensation
The top 10 best-paying states and cities in the United States for pipelaying jobs in 2025 are:
States
Pipelayers earn $25.41 an hour as an industry average. New Jersey leads the way by paying an average of $51.37 in the building equipment contractors sector. Here’s a look at the top 10 states for pipelayer wages across all sectors:
1. New Jersey
2. New York
3. Nevada
4. Washington
5. Minnesota
6. California
7. Wisconsin
8. Oregon
9. Ohio
10. Pennsylvania
Cities
1. New York City, New York
2. Minneapolis, Minnesota
3. Madison, Wisconsin
4. Las Vegas, Nevada
5. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
6. Los Angeles, California
7. Seattle, Washington
8. Green Bay, Wisconsin
9. Riverside, California
10. Albany, New York
In conclusion
Choosing the best states to seek employment as a pipelayer largely depends on where you’d like to live and work. Yes, certain states offer more employment opportunities and higher wages. But the industry as a whole is growing, in urgent need of workers, and is paying higher wages than it has ever paid before. Now is a great time to build a great career as a pipelayer—whichever state you choose.
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