Labor rate calculator
Charge at least
$111.64/hr
- Loaded cost per paid hour
- $40.19
- Break-even per billable hour
- $66.98
- Rate as a multiple of the wage
- 3.6×
Wages and labor rates by state
Median wage for plumbers (BLS OEWS, May 2025) and the rate it takes at LeadDuo's default assumptions. Pick a state for its licensing, permits and FAQs.
| State | Median wage | Middle 50% | vs. national | Break-even | Rate at 40% margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $35.01 | $28.36–$48.17 | +14% | $75.52 | $125.87 |
| Texas | $28.77 | $22.78–$35.63 | -6% | $63.25 | $105.41 |
| Florida | $25.44 | $22.70–$30.20 | -17% | $56.70 | $94.50 |
| Arizona | $29.84 | $23.84–$38.27 | -3% | $65.35 | $108.92 |
| Illinois | $48.05 | $34.65–$57.72 | +57% | $101.16 | $168.61 |
| New York | $37.26 | $28.83–$48.67 | +21% | $79.94 | $133.24 |
| United States | $30.67 | $24.13–$40.92 | — | $66.98 | $111.64 |
How the hourly rate is built
- Wage: $30.67/hr, the national median (published by BLS).
- Loaded cost: add 10% payroll taxes, 8% workers' comp and $4/hr benefits → $40.19 per paid hour.
- Break-even: only about 60% of paid hours are billable (drive time, callbacks, training and shop time aren't) → $66.98 per billable hour.
- Selling rate: price so 40% of each billed hour is left for overhead and profit → $111.64/hr, about 3.6× the wage.
LeadDuo assumptions: payroll taxes 10%, workers' comp 8%, benefits $4 per paid hour, billable time 60% (typical range 55–65%), and a 40% target gross margin that covers overhead and profit. These are modeled values, not published data.
Why the rate is several times the wage
A wage figure is what the technician takes home per paid hour, not what an hour of service should cost. Payroll costs, hours nobody pays for, trucks, insurance, software and profit all have to come out of the hours you do bill. That's why the rates on this page run three to four times the wage, and why pricing at a small markup on wages loses money.
Use the rate
Sources and freshness
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, SOC 47-2152 (Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters). Last verified: October 23, 2026.
Loaded cost, break-even, selling rate and labor per job are LeadDuo calculations from the stated assumptions, not BLS-published figures. How we use public data · Pricing changelog