Mapped: The economic impact of the U.S. plumbing industry

A new study highlights the American plumbing industry’s scale and resilience amid an uncertain economic environment. 

What’s happening: The total economic impact of residential and commercial plumbers in the U.S., including direct and indirect wages and spending, totals $313.5 billion, according to trade association Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI).

• The industry also supports 547,697 jobs and over $46 billion in direct wages nationwide.

State of play: By comparison, the U.S. wine industry generated a similar $323.5 billion in total economic activity in 2025, according to the research firm used in PMI’s study.

Of note: The per-state impacts largely correlate with population; however, Massachusetts has an outsized plumbing industry relative to its size, per the data. 

• The median annual wage for plumbers in the East Coast state is nearly $94,000, compared to roughly $64,000 in the rest of the United States, according to O*NET.

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