§ 03 Trade wages
Plumbers in Columbia, SC
Plumbers in the Columbia, SC metro earned a median of $25.04 an hour in May 2025 (BLS OEWS), 18% lower than the national median of $30.67. The middle half earned $22.31 to $30.90. About 1,060 people work in this occupation here. That ranks 283 of 334 metros with a reliable estimate for this trade. These are employee wages, not what a contractor bills you per hour.
BLS OEWS May 2025 · SOC 47-2152
Plumbers, Columbia, SC
25th pct$22.31per hour
Median$25.04per hour
75th pct$30.90per hour
10th pct$18.27
90th pct$36.33
Mean$26.50
Workers1,060
Your multiplier: ×2.0Median wage × multiplier: $50/hr
OEWS reports what employers pay these workers per hour. A contractor’s bill also covers the business: insurance, licensing, vehicles, tools, office staff, warranty callbacks, unbilled travel time and profit. The wage is a floor for understanding a quote, never a price. You set the multiplier; we publish no typical markup because we have no citable source for one.What else is in a bill for this trade
- Trip or after-hours charges on service calls
- Permit fees for water heaters and repiping in many cities
- Truck stock, haul-away of the old unit and code-required parts (expansion tanks, venting)
BLS OEWS May 2025 · Columbia, SC · mean RSE 3.2%Employee wages from the BLS employer survey. Not what a contractor bills.
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Water heater, replaceQuote Check, price + termsInterior water pipes, add or replaceQuote Check, price + termsPlumbing fixtures, add or replaceQuote Check, price + termsSeptic tank, add or replaceQuote Check, price + termsDishwasher or garbage disposalQuote Check, price + termsBathroom added or convertedQuote Check, price + terms