How to hire plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Assemble pipe sections, tubing, or fittings, using couplings, clamps, screws, bolts, cement, plastic solvent, caulking, or soldering, brazing, or welding equipment. • Cut, thread, or hammer pipes to specifications, using tools such as saws, cutting torches, pipe threaders, or pipe benders. • Install underground storm, sanitary, or water piping systems, extending piping as needed to connect fixtures and plumbing. • Lay out full scale drawings of pipe systems, supports, or related equipment, according to blueprints. • Locate and mark the position of pipe installations, connections, passage holes, or fixtures in structures, using measuring instruments such as rulers or levels. • Plan pipe system layout, installation, or repair, according to specifications. • Review blueprints, building codes, or specifications to determine work details or procedures. • Shut off steam, water, or other gases or liquids from pipe sections, using valve keys or wrenches. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: High school diploma or equivalent] • Strong critical thinking, reading comprehension, active listening, monitoring, speaking and active learning skills • Working knowledge of mechanical, building and construction, customer and personal service and English Language • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $30.67 an hour ($63,800 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to assemble pipe sections, tubing, or fittings, using couplings, clamps, screws, bolts, cement, plastic solvent, caulking, or soldering, brazing, or welding equipment. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to cut, thread, or hammer pipes to specifications, using tools such as saws, cutting torches, pipe threaders, or pipe benders. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to install underground storm, sanitary, or water piping systems, extending piping as needed to connect fixtures and plumbing. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to lay out full scale drawings of pipe systems, supports, or related equipment, according to blueprints. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- Tell me about written instructions, a policy or a manual you had to follow closely. How did you make sure you followed it correctly?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters do
- Assemble pipe sections, tubing, or fittings, using couplings, clamps, screws, bolts, cement, plastic solvent, caulking, or soldering, brazing, or welding equipment.
- Cut, thread, or hammer pipes to specifications, using tools such as saws, cutting torches, pipe threaders, or pipe benders.
- Install underground storm, sanitary, or water piping systems, extending piping as needed to connect fixtures and plumbing.
- Lay out full scale drawings of pipe systems, supports, or related equipment, according to blueprints.
- Locate and mark the position of pipe installations, connections, passage holes, or fixtures in structures, using measuring instruments such as rulers or levels.
- Plan pipe system layout, installation, or repair, according to specifications.
- Review blueprints, building codes, or specifications to determine work details or procedures.
- Shut off steam, water, or other gases or liquids from pipe sections, using valve keys or wrenches.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 4 to 6 years (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Apprenticeship (BLS)
- Job outlook: +6.8% over ten years, faster than average · about 42,000 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $101,020 |
| Illinois | $99,950 |
| Oregon | $97,050 |
| Minnesota | $94,410 |
| Alaska | $93,920 |
| Idaho | $52,380 |
| South Dakota | $51,620 |
| Arkansas | $48,660 |
See plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters pay in every state
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Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.