If you're looking for a good job that doesn't require a college degree, you should consider becoming a plumber. But how much can you earn in this profession? Is it possible to make a good living as a plumber? The answer is that your plumber salary depends on a variety of factors, including your skillset, the tools you use, and whether you work for someone else or set up your own company. Let's have a closer look.
What Is the Average Plumber Salary in the US?
According to the job platform Indeed, the average salary for a plumber in the US is $28.45 per hour. This means that plumbers who work 8-9 hours a day can earn almost $1500 per week. Because not every position is full-time, the average monthly wage for a plumber is $4,205. This is somewhat lower than the average US salary of $5,700 per month.
However, there are many ways to increase your income as a plumber, and just because you start out with a modest salary doesn't mean you won't make a lot of money later on. Often, people who open their own business can make way more than the average wage because they can keep all the revenue from clients and employ other people to work for them.
Factors Affecting Income
Various factors affect your income as a plumber. Most important is your job experience. Someone who has just completed their qualification can't expect more than $23 per hour, since they are still learning and developing their skills. On the other hand, an employee who has been working as a plumber for 10+ years can expect an hourly wage of $34.50. If they work 40 hours a week and take two weeks off a year, they can earn around $69k per year.
Another important factor is the qualifications you have. Virtually every state has some requirements that determine what it takes to become a plumber. However, you might also want to get additional qualifications or spend some time learning from master plumbers to increase your skillset. Finally, your area matters. Plumbers earn more in big cities like New York, San Diego, and Denver. However, the living costs are higher, which might cancel out the benefit.
How to Increase Your Income 
When you first become a plumber, it's likely that you will earn a below-average wage, especially if you're not employed full-time. But over time, your income can increase significantly and even exceed the national average. In fact, the best-paid 25% of plumbers make more than $75,000, and some can even make more than $100k. So, how can you become a high-earning professional?
The answer is that you'll need to optimize your qualifications and specializations and gain a lot of job experience. In many cases, setting up your own business can increase your income, especially if you make use of helpful tools like home service software and therefore provide your clients with an excellent service.
Get the Best Qualifications and Specializations Possible 
Plumbing is a very closely regulated job because it's so important that people have a functioning plumbing system. Therefore, it's likely that you will have to go to a community college or technical school for several years before you can become a fully qualified plumber. To further increase your income, you should aim to become a master plumber, which you can do by gaining some job experience and passing more exams.
In some cases, getting additional skills can increase your income. For example, the platform Indeed recommends getting training as a boiler engineer. This skill is highly sought-after and allows you to charge up to 14% more than you otherwise could. If you're not sure how to find the right training school, you should speak to some expert plumbers in your area and get recommendations.
Set Up Your Own Business 
As an employee, you can earn a steady wage, and you might even get some benefits such as 401(k) matching, medical and dental insurance, and paid time off. You should take advantage of these perks in the early years of your career because they give you some stability and allow you to focus on your work without worrying about the financial and administrative aspects of running a business.
But once you've gained some experience, setting up your own company or taking over a retired plumber's firm could be a good idea because you can earn a much higher wage when you work for yourself. You won't have to pass on any of the money from your customers to your boss, and once your business takes off, you can even hire others to do the work for you. That way, you de-couple your income from your time, and you earn money even when not at work.
Use the Right Tools 
To maximize your earning potential, you have to keep all your customers happy and find new ones on a regular basis. You can make this easier and prevent mistakes by purchasing home service software. At ServiceBox, we offer plans from $20 per user per month, so you won't have to spend much at first. Once you've installed our software, almost everything is automatic, and you'll no longer have to worry about keeping track of everything.
For example, the program can manage your customers' data. When someone gets in touch with you, you or your employees can quickly and easily find all the person's private details and the previous interactions you've had with them. Additionally, the software can help you create and edit quotes, bills, and invoices quickly. It also manages your inventory and your employees' time sheets, and it can be combined with accounting software.
As a plumber, you can expect to earn around $28 per hour, but once you've been working for many years, your income will rise to $34.50. If you set up your own firm, make use of great tools, and continuously improve your skills, you can exceed this average plumber salary and make much more. Call or message us today at ServiceBox to find out how we can help you make the most of your hard-earned qualifications and improve your business's bottom line.
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