Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters

What Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters do

You work at a plumber's side, cutting and carrying pipe, learning the trade with your hands while someone experienced shows you how.

Helpers work alongside plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (workers who install pipe that carries gas, air, or steam), and pipelayers (workers who lay pipe in trenches underground). You measure and cut pipe, thread the ends so pieces screw together, and hand it up to the skilled worker you assist. You bolt brackets and hangers to walls and ceilings to hold pipe, drill holes through walls and floors, pull out worn sections, help replace fixtures such as sinks, toilets, and taps, plus water heaters, and keep tools and the work area clean.

Most people start with a high school diploma or the equivalent and learn on the job in a short time. It is a common way into the plumbing trades, which is why the job is sometimes called a plumbing apprentice. Pay nationally runs about $42,360 a year.

A day in the life

You load tools and pipe into the truck and head to the site. Some days you are inside a half-built house, some days outdoors in cold or rain. You are on your feet most of the day, in boots, gloves, eye protection, and a hard hat. A pipefitter calls out a measurement, you cut the pipe, cut grooves in the end so it screws together, and lift it up to them. You set hangers overhead so the pipe has support. When a leak turns up, you help find it and pull the bad section out. You talk with the crew all day, and often with the homeowner or the supervisor in charge of the job site. Before you leave, you clean the machines and sweep the work area.

How people get in

1. 1Finish high school or earn an equivalent diploma, and take shop or math classes if your school offers them.
2. 2Get comfortable with basic hand tools and simple measuring and math, since you will be cutting pipe to size all day.
3. 3Apply for a helper position with companies that install plumbing, heating, and piping systems; many hire people with no experience and train them in a short time on the job.
4. 4Show up ready to work safely: sturdy boots, gloves, and a willingness to wear a hard hat and eye protection all day.
5. 5Learn from the plumbers and pipefitters you assist, asking questions and picking up more of the work as you prove yourself.
6. 6If you want to go further, look into a formal apprenticeship or licensing path to become a plumber, pipefitter, or steamfitter.

Who tends to enjoy it

Official task list

Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters help plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters, or pipelayers by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment. (O*NET)

• Fit or assist in fitting valves, couplings, or assemblies to tanks, pumps, or systems, using hand tools.
• Mount brackets and hangers on walls and ceilings to hold pipes, and set sleeves or inserts to provide support for pipes.
• Perform rough-ins, repair and replace fixtures and water heaters, and locate, repair, or remove leaking or broken pipes.
• Cut pipe and lift up to fitters.
• Measure, cut, thread and assemble new pipe, placing the assembled pipe in hangers or other supports.
• Assist pipe fitters in the layout, assembly, and installation of piping for air, ammonia, gas, and water systems.
• Requisition tools and equipment, select type and size of pipe, and collect and transport materials and equipment to work site.
• Disassemble and remove damaged or worn pipe.

A typical day involves

How much Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters make

The median pay for Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in the U.S. is $42,360 a year ($20.36 an hour). Most earn between $33,590 and $57,780. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025)

Pay depends a lot on where you live: the median is highest in Washington ($56,140) and lowest in Puerto Rico ($25,560).

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