Plumber costs in North Carolina

Q: How do North Carolina plumber rates compare to other states?

North Carolina is 24% below the national average of $71/hr for plumber services . Local wage levels and cost of living drive most of this difference.

Q: Which North Carolina city has the highest plumber rates?

Charlotte sits at the top of the North Carolina index for plumber services with rates of $40.61–$67.68/hr.

Q: Which North Carolina city has the most affordable plumber rates?

Raleigh has the lowest typical plumber rates in North Carolina at $40.59–$67.65/hr.

Q: What drives plumber pricing in North Carolina?

North Carolina's market is shaped by varied from mountains to coast , Research Triangle growth driving demand , and operates under state licensing board oversight . These factors flow through to consumer rates non-uniformly across the state — see the geographic precision note for how local data is sourced.

Cities indexed

Hourly range, avg

$41–$68/hr

NC median

$54/hr

vs national

-24%

Plumber pricing in North Carolina

North Carolina features varied from mountains to coast, which shapes both seasonal demand and the kind of work plumbers perform locally. The state's market is characterized by Research Triangle growth driving demand, and contractors operate under state licensing board oversight.

Across 2 cities indexed in North Carolina, plumber rates average $54/hr — about 24% below the national average of $71/hr. The lowest local rates are in Raleigh; the highest are in Charlotte.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, adjusted for North Carolina cost of living. Read the methodology.

All North Carolina cities

2 cities

Charlotte NC $40.61–$67.68/hr Raleigh NC $40.59–$67.65/hr

Plumber in other states

CA California 5 TX Texas 3 TN Tennessee 2 GA Georgia 1 MA Massachusetts 1 IL Illinois 1 CO Colorado 1 MO Missouri 1

Frequently asked

7 answers

What's the average plumber rate in North Carolina?

Across 2 cities indexed in North Carolina, the median plumber rate is $54/hr. Hourly ranges span $41/hr to $68/hr depending on the metro and contractor.

How do North Carolina plumber rates compare to other states?

North Carolina is 24% below the national average of $71/hr for plumber services. Local wage levels and cost of living drive most of this difference.

Which North Carolina city has the highest plumber rates?

Charlotte sits at the top of the North Carolina index for plumber services with rates of $40.61–$67.68/hr.

Which North Carolina city has the most affordable plumber rates?

Raleigh has the lowest typical plumber rates in North Carolina at $40.59–$67.65/hr.

What drives plumber pricing in North Carolina?

North Carolina's market is shaped by varied from mountains to coast, Research Triangle growth driving demand, and operates under state licensing board oversight. These factors flow through to consumer rates non-uniformly across the state — see the geographic precision note for how local data is sourced.

Are these prices what consumers pay, or what workers earn?

Consumer-facing rates. We apply industry-standard 1.5–2.5× multipliers to BLS hourly wages to account for business overhead, insurance, licensing, employer costs, and profit margin. The full calculation is documented in the wage-to-price methodology.

How is North Carolina pricing data updated?

Pricing reflects the BLS OEWS May 2024 release. The next refresh lands when May 2025 data is published in April 2026. Cadence is documented in the update schedule.

Data: BLS OEWS May 2024 · Methodology · Last refreshed January 2026