Pipefitting
Everything OPM FedScope (June 2026) reports about the Pipefitting occupation series (code 4204): headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison.
The verdict
Pipefitting is a smaller, specialized federal occupation: 3,398 employees (0.2% of the federal civilian workforce) in the Plumbing and Pipefitting Family family. At an average salary of $80,582 it pays below the federal average, and headcount edged down from the prior period.
- Headcount change
- -0.4%
- Pay change
- +0.1%
- Avg tenure
- 10.2 yrs
- Rank in family
- #1 of 4
FedScope read on Pipefitting (dense series)
On pay, the move between reporting periods was a small shift, within the range of normal year-to-year rounding rather than a broad pay-table change. On length of service, this series shows a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career. Headcount moved down versus the prior period, a modest but trackable signal for anyone considering this specialized federal career path.
The Plumbing and Pipefitting Family family (code 42) groups Pipefitting together with 3 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Pipefitting postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Plumbing and Pipefitting Family family. The Plumbing and Pipefitting Family family totals 4,411 employees, and Pipefitting accounts for 77.0% of them. Its average salary ranks in the bottom half (0th percentile) of pay among Plumbing and Pipefitting Family occupations.
Salary Context
How Pipefitting pay compares to the federal average
Occupation Average
$80,582
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-31.3%
Where Pipefitting ranks on federal pay
Pipefitting earns more on average than 37% of federal occupation series (198 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Pipefitting sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; the highlighted bar marks Pipefitting.
Related Occupations in Plumbing and Pipefitting Family
3 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbing | 822 | $84,050 | 10.2 yrs |
| Fuel Distribution System Mechanic | 133 | n/a | 13.4 yrs |
| Miscellaneous Plumbing and Pipefitting | 58 | $150,118 | 13.2 yrs |
Nationwide peers near this dense headcount
Two peer sets for Pipefitting outside the Plumbing and Pipefitting Family family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar dense headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (3,398 here).
Similar average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($80,582 here).
Key takeaways
- Place Pipefitting pay in context with the pay-rank chart above, then compare it with another occupation.
- Turn an average salary into a grade: the GS pay grade tables show how grades and steps map to pay.
- Browse the Plumbing and Pipefitting Family family occupations in the table above, or search current Pipefitting postings on USAJOBS.
OPM FedScope and Federal Workforce Data figures are federal civilian headcounts, average salaries, and length-of-service statistics - not job-quality scores, hiring advice, or a live vacancy listing. A larger or higher-paid agency is not a better employer.