Skilled Trades
Industrial Pipefitter
High-stakes systems need trusted hands.
AI Risk Score: 3/10
Score is our body/liability/scarcity rubric, calibrated against public AI-exposure research.
Data last reviewed: 2026-02-25
What you actually do
Build and maintain high-pressure piping systems in energy, manufacturing, and petrochemical facilities.
Why AI does not easily replace it
Precision fabrication and safety-critical site execution are difficult to automate end-to-end.
What it pays
$54,000 - $93,000
BLS OOH: Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (closest national benchmark) — Proxy benchmark used for industrial pipefitter compensation context.
Salary benchmark year: 2024
How to get in
Union apprenticeship + weld and safety certs.
Estimated time to entry: ~48 months (path-dependent).
State-by-state training and licensing links
- Apprenticeship.gov: Registered apprenticeship job finder
- U.S. DOL: State apprenticeship agencies directory
Where demand is growing
Steady in industrial regions with cyclical but resilient hiring.
Ready to explore?
Compare this career in the full directory, or run the exposure calculator against your current role.
"The moat is not a prompt. It is responsibility in the real world."