Plumber.
Albuquerque.
$57,000
median salary, 10% below the national average
$44,000 to $74,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Orbyt estimates Plumber pay in Albuquerque at $57,000, within a range of $44,000 to $74,000. That is 10% below the national average. Albuquerque's economy is driven by Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories, Kirtland Air Force Base, and a growing film production industry. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Plumber in Albuquerque, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $63,900 for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) in the Albuquerque, NM metropolitan area, based on 1,440 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$37,280
25th percentile
$46,800
Median
$63,900
75th percentile
$78,690
90th percentile
$87,920
Workers surveyed
1,440
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) rather than Plumber specifically. The Albuquerque range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 47-2152Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $51,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$37,000
to $46,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$48,000
to $60,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$63,000
to $74,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$71,000
to $88,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $14,000 to the total package.
Base
$57,000
Equity
$8,000
Bonus
$5,000
Signing
$1,000
Estimated total: $71,000
How Albuquerque compares.
Albuquerque, NM
$57,000
Cost of living: 12% below average
National Average
$63,000
Albuquerque is $6,000 below
Plumber salary by city.
Salary by role in Albuquerque.
What you should know.
Before you negotiate a Plumber offer in Albuquerque, understand the terrain. Albuquerque's economy is driven by Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories, Kirtland Air Force Base, and a growing film production industry. The city offers affordable living and a strong pipeline of research and engineering jobs tied to national defense and energy programs. Licensed master plumbers earn 25 to 35% more than journeymen, with commercial and industrial specialization pushing pay to the top of the range. Plumbers who handle gas line work, backflow prevention, or medical gas systems command premium rates. Union membership in major metro areas provides the strongest wage floors.
Apprentice plumbers start at $32,000 to $40,000 during their four to five year apprenticeship. Journeymen earn $46,000 to $65,000, while master plumbers reach $65,000 to $85,000. Plumbing contractors who run their own businesses can earn $90,000 to $150,000 or more. In Albuquerque, your dollars stretch further. Cost of living runs 12% below the national average, which means even a median salary buys a stronger lifestyle.
Base salary is not the full picture. Union plumbers receive health insurance, pension contributions, and annuity funds worth $15,000 to $25,000 annually on top of wages. Overtime during emergency calls can add $8,000 to $15,000 per year, especially for on-call residential specialists. And on the tax side: new Mexico's top income tax rate is 5.9%. Albuquerque has no city income tax. The moderate state rate and affordable housing create reasonable net compensation. When someone quotes you $57,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Highlight security clearance or national lab experience. Sandia and Los Alamos pay nationally competitive salaries with excellent federal benefits packages. The range for Plumbers in Albuquerque runs from $44,000 to $74,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
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- A Sales Representative in Albuquerque earns $56,000 (2% less)
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Common questions.
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Plumber Salary in Albuquerque, NM." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/plumber/albuquerque
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