Pipe fitters: pay and what the work involves

Occupation 5214 · Skilled trades occupations

Pipe fitters

Pipe fitters install pipe systems and maintain and repair pipes in major utilities, industrial and construction settings and sites.

How people enter it

There are no formal academic entry requirements, although some employers may expect entrants to possess GCSEs/S grades. Training is usually via apprenticeship including practical experience and technical training. NVQs/SVQs at levels 2 and 3 are available.

What the work involves

examines drawings and specifications to determine layout of piping
measures and cuts required lengths of copper, lead, steel, iron, aluminium or plastic piping using hand or machine tools
installs pipes for heating, ventilating, fire prevention, water and similar systems in industrial and construction settings, including oil rigs and terminals, sewerage systems and other mains networks
fits piping into position and joins sections by welding, soldering, cementing, fusing, screwing or by other methods
tests pipe work for leaks and makes necessary adjustments

Also called

Pipe engineer · Pipe fitter · Pipe welder-fitter

What it pays

Measure	Hours	Basis	Period	Value	Source
5214 : Pipe fitters	None	None	2026-03	3,300.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
5214 : Pipe fitters	None	None	2026-03	3,400.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
5214 : Pipe fitters	None	None	2026-03	3,400.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
5214 : Pipe fitters	None	None	2026-03	—	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) Not published: Estimate is less than 500
5214 : Pipe fitters	None	None	2026-03	—	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) Not published: Estimate and confidence interval not available since the group sample size is zero or disclosive (0-2)
5214 : Pipe fitters	None	None	2026-03	3,700.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
5214 : Pipe fitters	None	None	2026-03	—	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) Not published: Estimate is less than 500

Every regional figure

ONS does not publish occupational pay below region. Cells the survey could not support are shown as withheld, with its reason — adding a region split to a specific occupation leaves roughly a tenth of cells publishable.

Region	Measure	Hours	Value	Period
East	5214 : Pipe fitters	None	withheld	2026-03
East Midlands	5214 : Pipe fitters	None	600.00	2026-03
London	5214 : Pipe fitters	None	withheld	2026-03
North East	5214 : Pipe fitters	None	1,000.00	2026-03
North West	5214 : Pipe fitters	None	withheld	2026-03
Northern Ireland	5214 : Pipe fitters	None	withheld	2026-03
Scotland	5214 : Pipe fitters	None	withheld	2026-03
South East	5214 : Pipe fitters	None	withheld	2026-03
South West	5214 : Pipe fitters	None	600.00	2026-03
Wales	5214 : Pipe fitters	None	withheld	2026-03
West Midlands	5214 : Pipe fitters	None	withheld	2026-03
Yorkshire and The Humber	5214 : Pipe fitters	None	withheld	2026-03

Common questions

Does pay for pipe fitters vary by region?

ONS publishes regional pay for this occupation where the survey sample supports it — 3 of 12 cells on this page. The rest are withheld by ONS, and are shown as withheld with the reason, rather than left out.

Where do these pay figures come from?

The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, published by the Office for National Statistics. Figures are shown exactly as ONS publishes them — we do not adjust, model or fill them in, and every number on this page carries the series and period it came from.

Classified alongside this

Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations · Sheet metal workers · Welding trades