What Does a Pipefitter Do?
A pipefitter, also called a steamfitter, lays out, fabricates, installs, and maintains piping systems that move steam, water, chemicals, fuel, and compressed gases under pressure. They work in industrial plants, refineries, power stations, hospitals, and commercial buildings for mechanical contractors and plant maintenance departments. Pipefitters read isometric drawings, cut and join pipe by threading, grooving, or welding, set hangers, and pressure test the finished system. Most employers require a 4- to 5-year apprenticeship or equivalent field experience, a high school diploma, and a passed drug screen and physical; union positions require UA membership.
Employers confuse this trade with similar trades more than most. A plumber installs potable water, drainage, and fixtures inside buildings under the plumbing code and holds a separate license; a pipefitter handles pressurized process, steam, hydronic, and gas piping, and the two licenses rarely transfer. A welder joins the pipe but does not lay out the system, which is why the combination pipefitter/welder is its own posting. A sheet metal mechanic installs the ductwork beside the pipe, an electrician wires the equipment the pipe serves, and a construction foreman directs the crew.
Looking to Hire a Pipefitter?
Speak with one of our recruiting experts today.
Hiring a Pipefitter: What to Expect
Pipefitters come from UA local apprenticeships, from Associated Builders and Contractors and other open-shop programs, from industrial contractors and shipyards, and from the military. Screen for the ability to read isometrics and take field measurements, for the pipe materials and joining methods the candidate has worked (threaded, socket weld, butt weld, grooved, and PVC or CPVC), for rigging and confined space training, for a TWIC card if the site is a refinery or port, and for OSHA 10 or 30. Give the candidate a simple isometric in the interview and ask them to figure a rolling offset; a journeyman does it in a minute with a tape and a calculator.
Many pipefitter postings advertise a pipefitter/plumber as one job. The licenses, the codes, and the candidates are different, and a posting that blends them draws plumbers for process work or fitters for fixture work, and both leave early. Decide which trade the work is, use that title, and if the role welds, say which process and which certification you will test for at hire.
A posting for this role should say whether the job is industrial or commercial, union or open shop, shop or field, and whether it involves travel with per diem, since each of those changes who applies. If the contractor prefabricates spools and racks, say so, because a fitter on that kind of job spends most of the day reading spool drawings and fitting prefabricated assemblies in place.
On skilled trades and industrial searches, 4 Corner Resources submits qualified candidates in an average of 2.5 days, clients interview an average of 1.3 candidates per hire, and we submit 1.55 candidates per hire.
Searching for Your Next Pipefitter?
Tell us about your opening, and our skilled trades and industrial recruiting team will be in touch to get started.
Pipefitter Core Responsibilities
- Read and interpret isometric and orthographic drawings, P&IDs, and specifications to lay out piping systems
- Measure, cut, thread, bevel, and groove carbon steel, stainless, copper, and plastic pipe
- Fit and assemble pipe, valves, flanges, and fittings for welding, including tacking spools to tolerance
- Set and fit prefabricated spools, pipe racks, and multi-trade assemblies built in the contractor’s fabrication shop
- Install hangers, supports, anchors, and expansion joints per the drawings and the pipe support schedule
- Lay out hanger, sleeve, and insert locations from the coordinated BIM model using a robotic total station or tablet drawings
- Install and align pumps, heat exchangers, boilers, and other mechanical equipment and connect piping to them
- Pressure test systems with water or air, document results, and repair leaks
- Rig and hoist pipe spools and equipment using chain falls, come-alongs, and cranes with signal persons
- Maintain and repair steam traps, valves, strainers, and condensate systems in operating plants
- Follow lockout/tagout, hot work, and confined space procedures and complete job hazard analyses
- Track material and record installed footage and hours on daily reports in the contractor’s mobile field reporting app
Required Skills and Qualifications
Hard skills
- Ability to read isometrics, P&IDs, and spool drawings and to calculate offsets, take-outs, and fitting allowances
- Ability to work from coordinated 3D models and digital drawings on a tablet
- Experience with threaded, socket weld, butt weld, grooved, and flanged joints in carbon steel and stainless pipe
- Fitting skill to tack spools square and plumb for a welder to complete
- Use of pipe threaders, grooving machines, beveling tools, and plasma or oxy-fuel cutting equipment
- Rigging and signaling, including load charts and sling angle
- Flange assembly and bolt torquing to ASME PCC-1 practices
- Working knowledge of ASME B31.1, B31.3, or B31.9 and the applicable mechanical code
- Physical ability to lift 50 pounds, work from ladders and lifts, and work in confined spaces
Soft skills
- Precision with measurements, since a spool fit a quarter inch off stops the welder and the schedule
- Awareness of what other trades are installing in the same ceiling or rack
- Steady habits around steam, pressure, and hot work, where a shortcut injures someone
- Willingness to travel and work shutdown schedules at industrial sites
Education
- High school diploma or GED
- Completion of a 4- to 5-year registered apprenticeship through a UA local, ABC chapter, or contractor program, or equivalent field experience
Certifications
- Journeyman pipefitter or steamfitter card, and a state or local license where the jurisdiction requires one
- OSHA 10 or OSHA 30, and a TWIC card for refinery, port, and chemical plant work
- ASSE 6010 medical gas installer certification for hospital work, and NCCER pipefitter credentials at many industrial employers
Preferred Qualifications
- Welding certification in SMAW, GTAW, or GMAW to ASME Section IX for combination roles
- Industrial experience in refineries, chemical plants, power generation, LNG, battery, semiconductor, or pharmaceutical facilities
- Medical gas or high-purity stainless (orbital welding and sanitary tubing) experience
- Experience with Victaulic grooved systems and press fittings
- Rigging certification (NCCER or equivalent) and aerial lift and forklift training
- Ability to read 3D models in Navisworks or Trimble for prefabricated installations
How Much Does a Pipefitter Make?
Typical national range: $50,947 to $66,932, with a national average of $60,200. Salary data reviewed October 2026 by 4 Corner Resources.
Pipefitter salaries vary by experience, industry, organization size, and geography. Click below to explore salaries by local market.
The average national salary for a Pipefitter is:
$60,200
Sample Job Description Templates for Pipefitters
Journeyman Pipefitter (Industrial)
Position Overview
We are hiring Journeyman Pipefitters for a 14-month chemical plant expansion project. You will install carbon and stainless process piping from spool drawings, fit and tack for the welding crew, set supports, and pressure test systems to ASME B31.3. The role reports to the Piping General Foreman, works a 5-10 schedule with scheduled overtime, and pays per diem for candidates who live more than 60 miles from the site.
Responsibilities
- Install process piping, valves, and supports from isometrics and spool drawings
- Fit and tack spools and field welds for the welding crew
- Assemble and torque flanged joints to ASME PCC-1 practices and record results for the test package
- Rig and set pipe spools and in-line equipment with cranes and chain falls
- Conduct hydrostatic and pneumatic tests and document results
- Follow permit-to-work, hot work, and confined space procedures
- Complete daily reports on footage installed and material used
Requirements
Hard skills
- 5 or more years of industrial pipefitting experience in chemical, refining, or power plants
- Ability to read isometrics and P&IDs and calculate offsets without supervision
- Experience with butt weld and socket weld fit-up in carbon and stainless pipe
- Rigging and signaling experience
Soft skills
- Works safely on a schedule-driven project with planned overtime
- Communicates well with welders and QC inspectors
- Reliable through the full project duration
Education
- High school diploma or GED; completed apprenticeship or NCCER pipefitter credential preferred
Certifications
- OSHA 10 and TWIC card required; NCCER rigging preferred
Preferred qualifications
- Prior work on a greenfield or expansion project of similar size
- Experience with alloy and lined pipe
Commercial Construction Pipefitter
Position Overview
Our mechanical contracting company is seeking a Pipefitter for commercial projects, including a hospital addition and two office towers. You will install hydronic heating and cooling piping, steam and condensate, and medical gas systems from BIM-coordinated drawings and prefabricated racks. The role reports to the Mechanical Foreman, works days on local job sites, and is a UA bargaining-unit position.
Responsibilities
- Install chilled water, heating water, steam, and condensate piping from coordinated drawings
- Set prefabricated pipe racks and connect them in the field
- Lay out hangers and sleeves with a robotic total station from the coordinated model
- Install medical gas piping and outlets under ASSE 6010 requirements
- Install and connect pumps, air handlers, boilers, and chillers
- Coordinate ceiling space with sheet metal, electrical, and fire protection crews
- Pressure test and flush systems for commissioning
Requirements
Hard skills
- 4 or more years of commercial HVAC piping experience
- Experience with grooved, press, threaded, and welded joining methods
- Ability to read BIM-coordinated drawings and work from a tablet
- Familiarity with hydronic system components and equipment connections
Soft skills
- Works well in a tight ceiling with other trades
- Keeps the installation clean and to the coordinated elevations
- Follows the schedule without skipping testing
Education
- High school diploma or GED; completed UA apprenticeship required
Certifications
- Journeyman card and OSHA 30 required; ASSE 6010 medical gas certification preferred
Pipefitter and Welder (Combination)
Position Overview
We are hiring a Combination Pipefitter/Welder to fabricate and install piping in our shop and at customer sites. You will lay out and fit spools from isometrics, weld carbon and stainless pipe with GTAW root and SMAW fill, and install the finished work in the field. The role reports to the Shop Foreman, works days with periodic field assignments, and includes a welding test at hire.
Responsibilities
- Fabricate pipe spools from isometrics in the shop, including layout, cutting, beveling, and fit-up
- Weld carbon and stainless pipe using GTAW and SMAW to ASME Section IX procedures
- Install spools, valves, and supports at customer sites
- Perform repairs and tie-ins during plant shutdowns
- Maintain weld logs and material traceability for code work
- Keep shop equipment, welding machines, and consumables in order
Requirements
Hard skills
- 4 or more years of combined pipefitting and pipe welding experience
- Ability to pass a 6G GTAW/SMAW test on carbon steel and a GTAW test on stainless at hire
- Layout and fit-up skill to ASME B31.3 tolerances
- Experience with positioners, beveling machines, and purge setups
Soft skills
- Takes pride in a clean weld and a square fit
- Flexible between shop and field work
- Careful with traceability on code jobs
Education
- High school diploma or GED; welding or pipefitting program graduate preferred
Certifications
- OSHA 10 required; current ASME Section IX welding certifications preferred
Preferred qualifications
- Orbital welding or sanitary tubing experience
- Experience in a prefabrication shop with automated pipe cutting and beveling machines
- Experience with alloy materials such as chrome-moly or duplex stainless
Maintenance Pipefitter (Plant)
Position Overview
Our food manufacturing plant is seeking a Maintenance Pipefitter to maintain the steam, ammonia refrigeration, compressed air, and process piping that keeps production going. You will repair and replace valves, traps, and piping, support planned shutdowns, and respond to leaks and failures on shift. The role reports to the Maintenance Supervisor, works a rotating 12-hour shift, and includes a shift differential and a full benefits package.
Responsibilities
- Repair and replace steam traps, valves, strainers, and piping across the plant
- Test steam traps and check piping for leaks with ultrasonic and infrared inspection tools
- Fabricate and install stainless process piping and sanitary tubing to food-grade standards
- Support the ammonia refrigeration system under the plant’s process safety management program
- Perform preventive maintenance on piping systems and record parts and labor in the CMMS mobile app
- Respond to leaks and failures on shift and coordinate repairs with production
- Support planned shutdowns and capital projects alongside contractors
Requirements
Hard skills
- 4 or more years of industrial maintenance pipefitting experience
- Steam system and steam trap troubleshooting experience
- Stainless sanitary tubing fabrication, including orbital or TIG welding
- Working knowledge of lockout/tagout and confined space procedures
Soft skills
- Responds quickly on shift without cutting safety steps
- Communicates plainly with production supervisors about downtime
- Keeps thorough maintenance records
Education
- High school diploma or GED; apprenticeship completion or industrial maintenance certificate preferred
Certifications
- OSHA 10 required; RETA ammonia refrigeration certification preferred
Preferred qualifications
- Food, beverage, or pharmaceutical plant experience
- Boiler operator license