AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 47-2152.00

Will AI replace Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters?

Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters: AI can already handle 2 of 30 tasks; the work mostly needs a standard-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 30 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, from most to least exposed. 2 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Review blueprints, building codes, or specifications to determine work details or procedures. 65 Estimated Efficient 4.0
Inspect structures to assess material or equipment needs, to establish the sequence of pipe installations, or to plan installation around obstructions, such as electrical wiring. 65 Estimated Standard 3.7
Plan pipe system layout, installation, or repair, according to specifications. 50 Estimated Standard 4.1
Estimate time, material, or labor costs for use in project plans. 50 Estimated Standard 3.7
Install fixtures, appliances, or equipment designed to reduce water or energy consumption. 50 Estimated Efficient 3.3
Install underground storm, sanitary, or water piping systems, extending piping as needed to connect fixtures and plumbing. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.2
Locate and mark the position of pipe installations, connections, passage holes, or fixtures in structures, using measuring instruments such as rulers or levels. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.1
Direct helpers engaged in pipe cutting, preassembly, or installation of plumbing systems or components. 20 Estimated Standard 4.0
Inspect, examine, or test installed systems or pipe lines, using pressure gauge, hydrostatic testing, observation, or other methods. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.0
Modify, clean, or maintain pipe systems, units, fittings, or related machines or equipment, using hand or power tools. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.8
Install automatic controls to regulate pipe systems. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.7
Maintain or repair plumbing by replacing defective washers, replacing or mending broken pipes, or opening clogged drains. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.6
Repair or remove and replace system components. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.6
Inspect work sites for obstructions or holes that could cause structural weakness. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.6
Install pipe systems to support alternative energy-fueled systems, such as geothermal heating or cooling systems. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.4
Repair hydraulic or air pumps. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.2
Install green plumbing equipment, such as faucet flow restrictors, dual-flush or pressure-assisted flush toilets, or tankless hot water heaters. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.1
Shut off steam, water, or other gases or liquids from pipe sections, using valve keys or wrenches. 15 Estimated No tier 4.2
Assemble pipe sections, tubing, or fittings, using couplings, clamps, screws, bolts, cement, plastic solvent, caulking, or soldering, brazing, or welding equipment. 15 Estimated No tier 4.2
Cut, thread, or hammer pipes to specifications, using tools such as saws, cutting torches, pipe threaders, or pipe benders. 15 Estimated No tier 4.1
Lay out full scale drawings of pipe systems, supports, or related equipment, according to blueprints. 15 Estimated No tier 4.1
Select pipe sizes, types, or related materials, such as supports, hangers, or hydraulic cylinders, according to specifications. 15 Estimated No tier 4.0
Fill pipes or plumbing fixtures with water or air and observe pressure gauges to detect and locate leaks. 15 Estimated No tier 4.0
Anchor steel supports from ceiling joists to hold pipes in place. 15 Estimated No tier 3.9
Attach pipes to walls, structures, or fixtures, such as radiators or tanks, using brackets, clamps, tools, or welding equipment. 15 Estimated No tier 3.9
Keep records of work assignments. 15 Estimated No tier 3.7
Cut openings in structures to accommodate pipes or pipe fittings, using hand or power tools. 15 Estimated No tier 3.6
Weld small pipes or special piping, using specialized techniques, equipment, or materials, such as computer-assisted welding or microchip fabrication. 15 Estimated No tier 3.1
Operate motorized pumps to remove water from flooded manholes, basements, or facility floors. 15 Estimated No tier 2.9
Install pipe assemblies, fittings, valves, appliances such as dishwashers or water heaters, or fixtures such as sinks or toilets, using hand or power tools. 12 Estimated No tier 4.0

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 30 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 30 of 30. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.

The model tier this role needs

A standard-tier model or lower covers 56% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 56% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 44% is hands-on.

Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.

Wages, employment and outlook

US employment
465,840
Median annual wage
$63,800
Middle half of earners
$50,190 to $85,110
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
+4.5%

Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034. BLS publishes these figures by SOC code, so O*NET occupations that share a SOC code show the same figures.

Adjacent roles

The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.

Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.

Questions about Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters and AI

Will AI replace Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters?

AI already handles 2 of the 30 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 24 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by +4.5% from 2024 to 2034.

What is the AI exposure of Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters?

24 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 0 of the 30 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 30 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters tasks can AI already do?

The tasks with the highest exposure are: Review blueprints, building codes, or specifications to determine work details or procedures; Inspect structures to assess material or equipment needs, to establish the sequence of pipe installations, or to plan installation around obstructions, such as electrical wiring. They are the tasks that reach 60 or more.

What AI model tier does this role need?

A standard-tier model or lower covers 56% of the role's importance-weighted task work, and 44% is hands-on work that no model tier covers. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.

How many people work as Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, and what do they earn?

465,840 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $63,800 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +4.5% from 2024 to 2034.

How to cite

Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.

JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/plumbers-pipefitters-and-steamfitters

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