Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
SOC Code: 47-3015
Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters carries a 25% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk), with a median annual wage of $39,270 and +4.9% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 45,300 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 25% AI exposure, Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters sits 12 points below the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 15% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
57/100
Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage F $39,270
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth B+ +4.9%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) A 25% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in the Medium band.
Credential × growth standing
Open entry with non-declining BLS pace
Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters keeps an HS / some college bar (333 of 832) and sits in Average (378 of 832). Lower formal gates with a non-shrinking employment line - skill and AI desks matter more than credentials here.
Where Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
25% Among the lowest lower than 85% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters's Medium automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 47-3015) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Registered Apprenticeship Pathway Available
Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters is a recognized registered apprenticeship occupation under the DOL RAPIDS system. Earn while you train, apprentices typically start at ~$16/hr and reach $28–$46/hr upon completion, depending on the specific trade and region.
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Measure, cut, thread and assemble new pipe, placing the assembled pipe in hangers or other supports.
- 2. Cut or drill holes in walls or floors to accommodate the passage of pipes.
- 3. Perform rough-ins, repair and replace fixtures and water heaters, and locate, repair, or remove leaking or broken pipes.
- 4. Assist pipe fitters in the layout, assembly, and installation of piping for air, ammonia, gas, and water systems.
- 5. Install gas burners to convert furnaces from wood, coal, or oil.
- 6. Cut pipe and lift up to fitters.
- 7. Fit or assist in fitting valves, couplings, or assemblies to tanks, pumps, or systems, using hand tools.
- 8. Requisition tools and equipment, select type and size of pipe, and collect and transport materials and equipment to work site.
- 9. Mount brackets and hangers on walls and ceilings to hold pipes, and set sleeves or inserts to provide support for pipes.
- 10. Excavate and grade ditches, and lay and join pipe for water and sewer service.
Key Skills Required
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Coordination
- Active Learning
- Complex Problem Solving
- Repairing
- Speaking
- Social Perceptiveness
Knowledge Areas
- Building and Construction
- Customer and Personal Service
- Mechanical
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Administration and Management
- Design
- Engineering and Technology
- Education and Training
- Public Safety and Security
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters?
Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters has an AI exposure score of 25%, indicating a medium level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.
What is the job outlook for Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters is projected to grow by 4.9% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 45,300 workers.
What skills are needed for Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters?
Key skills for Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters include Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Monitoring, and others. Typical entry-level education is High school diploma or equivalent.
How much do Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters earn?
The median annual wage for Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters is $39,270, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters?
The typical entry-level education for Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters is High school diploma or equivalent. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Short-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters?
Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
Medium automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (25% here).
- Dermatologists · AI exposure 25%
- Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors · AI exposure 25%
- Firefighters · AI exposure 25%
- Funeral attendants · AI exposure 25%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (+4.9% here).
- Chemists · growth +4.9%
- Pest control workers · growth +4.9%
- Producers and directors · growth +4.9%
- Registered nurses · growth +4.9%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 43 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).