Running a plumbing business in Washington, DC
The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area has about 9,420 plumbers. The median wage is $34.55 an hour, so half earn more and half earn less. That's 29% below the District of Columbia median of $48.57. Nationally, the median is $30.67, so Washington pays 13% more.
Market snapshot
- Plumbers employed in the metro area
- 9,420
- Median hourly wage
- $34.55
- Middle 50% earn
- $26.82 to $45.22 an hour
- Median annual wage
- $71,860
- District of Columbia median hourly wage
- $48.57
- U.S. median hourly wage
- $30.67
- Job concentration
- 1.00× the national share
- Plumbing, heating and AC contractors in the metro area
- 1,639
- Washington population
- 681,294
- Median year homes were built in Washington
- 1958
Job concentration compares the share of local jobs held by plumbers with the share nationwide. Above 1 means the trade is more concentrated here than average.
Plumbing in nearby cities
| City | Workers in the metro | Median hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore, MD | 5,220 | $30.38 |
| Lexington Park, MD | 260 | $27.74 |
| Hagerstown, MD | 250 | $26.50 |
| Winchester, VA | 160 | $27.77 |
| Gettysburg, PA | 50 | $29.63 |
| York, PA | 420 | $33.70 |
How Tradesman helps plumbing businesses in Washington
See the problem before you roll
Customers attach photos when they request service, so you know whether it's a cartridge swap or a slab leak before anyone loads the truck.
Give tank and tankless options
Put a standard tank, a high-efficiency tank and a tankless install on one estimate as options. The customer picks one and approves it online.
Price the 2 a.m. call correctly
After-hours and holiday multipliers apply to labor lines automatically, so emergency calls are billed the way you priced them.
Questions about plumbing in Washington
How much do plumbers make in Washington?
In May 2025, the median wage for plumbers in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area was $34.55 an hour. The middle half earned between $26.82 and $45.22 an hour.
How many plumbers work in Washington?
About 9,420 plumbers worked in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
How many plumbing, heating and AC contractors are in Washington?
The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area had 1,639 establishments classified as plumbing, heating and AC contractors in 2023, according to the Census Bureau's County Business Patterns.
Sources
Figures cover the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area unless they name Washington. Wages are for employees, not business owners.
Run your plumbing business in Washington from one place.
Estimates, scheduling, dispatch and payments in one app. Setup takes about five minutes.