Also called: Plumber Helpers
Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters build judgment and decision making, coordination and complex problem solving skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers (84%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers | 84% | $39,630 | −6% | None |
| 2 | Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | 82% | $63,800 | +51% | Certificate or associate |
| 3 | Pipelayers | 82% | $49,000 | +16% | None |
| 4 | Carpenters | 81% | $60,580 | +43% | None |
| 5 | Helpers--Extraction Workers | 79% | $47,730 | +13% | None |
| 6 | Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall | 79% | $49,120 | +16% | None |
| 7 | Glaziers | 78% | $57,080 | +35% | None |
| 8 | Construction Laborers | 78% | $47,120 | +11% | None |
| 9 | Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners | 78% | $49,880 | +18% | None |
| 10 | Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers | 77% | $58,930 | +39% | None |
Compared with Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, median $42,360. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
84% skill match · $39,630 · −6% pay
Equipment Maintenance · Quality Control Analysis · Operations Monitoring
82% skill match · $63,800 · +51% pay
Systems Evaluation · Systems Analysis · Troubleshooting
82% skill match · $49,000 · +16% pay
Quality Control Analysis · Operations Monitoring · Installation
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers (84% skill match, median $39,630), Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (82% skill match, median $63,800) and Pipelayers (82% skill match, median $49,000), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 24 pay more than helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters at the median. The biggest increases: Boilermakers (+80%, $76,410), Terrazzo Workers and Finishers (+80%, $76,170) and Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (+51%, $63,800).
24 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.