2026 Edition · An annual reference on what work pays

Los Angeles vs. New York

Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters. Median, spread and buying power, side by side.

Data released May 2025 BLS OEWS · SOC 47-2152
Fig. 1 — Side by side

Both distributions, one scale

10th to 90th percentile, median struck in red
50k100k150k LOS ANGELES $71,110 NEW YORK $78,610
Table 1 — Adjusted

New York's median is 10.5% higher — but after local prices, New York still leads by 11.5%.

Los Angeles's median $71,110 buys $62,600 at national prices (price parity 113.6); New York's $78,610 buys $69,800 (112.6).

Table 2 — The figures

Point by point

Published percentiles for both metros; the last column is New York against Los Angeles.

Los AngelesNew YorkΔ
Employment15,69021,040+34.1%
10th percentile$46,090$47,870+3.9%
25th percentile$58,560$61,900+5.7%
Median$71,110$78,610+10.5%
75th percentile$101,300$107,970+6.6%
90th percentile$125,080$145,480+16.3%
Sources

How this page was made

Wage data
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release. Public domain.
Price parity
Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Full pages
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in Los Angeles · Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in New York

Percentiles are reported exactly as released. Derived (price-adjusted) figures round to the nearest hundred. We take no payment for how any figure is presented.