Commercial plumbing recruiters serving Jacksonville.
BAE Systems' $200M ship-repair facility upgrade needs a genuinely different plumbing specialty: marine-adjacent shipyard support work. The metro overview calls it a smaller, specialized niche - and a real one.
A modest baseline, plus one real specialty.
Conventional commercial plumbers in Jacksonville earn a modest premium over the national average, tracking close to national parity outside the port and marine corridor.
BAE Systems' $200M Jacksonville ship-repair facility upgrade needs marine-adjacent plumbing for shipyard support facilities - a smaller, specialized niche the metro overview names specifically, distinct from conventional commercial plumbing.
We recruit across the full org chart for commercial plumbing contractors in Jacksonville, and we screen for Florida's CFC licensing and the specific shipyard support experience marine-adjacent roles require.
The story behind the specialty.
One named shipyard program, driving a genuinely distinct niche.
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Sustained demand for structural welders, marine pipefitters, and industrial electricians serving naval and commercial vessel repair. The metro overview names marine-adjacent plumbing for shipyard support facilities as a distinct, smaller niche within this pipeline.
What you'll actually pay - by plumbing role.
Hourly wage ranges based on BLS OEWS data for the Jacksonville MSA. The conventional-plumber row matches the metro overview's own published figure directly. Read the "notes" column for context on the marine-adjacent specialty. National benchmarks by role are in the 2026 Commercial Plumbing Salary Guide.
| Role | Jacksonville range | Typical experience | Market notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial plumber (journeyman) | $27 – $35/hr | 3-7 yrs | Matches the commercial plumber figure already published on the Jacksonville metro overview (+4% over national) |
| Apprentice plumber | $18 – $24/hr | 0-3 yrs | A steady entry pipeline given the depth of Jacksonville's port, marine, and logistics construction volume |
| Marine-adjacent plumber (shipyard support, BAE Systems) | $29 – $38/hr | 5-9 yrs | Priced proportional to the marine pipefitter premium (+8% over national) already published on the Jacksonville metro overview - the overview describes this as a smaller, specialized niche tied to BAE Systems' $200M ship-repair facility upgrade |
| Plumbing foreman | $36 – $46/hr | 7+ yrs | Florida CFC licensing fluency is a real differentiator |
| Plumbing project manager | $44 – $57/hr | 5-10 yrs | Port or marine portfolio experience adds a real premium |
| Plumbing superintendent | $48 – $62/hr | 10+ yrs | Matches the broader Jacksonville commercial superintendent range already published on the metro overview |
| Plumbing estimator (5+ yrs) | $47 – $61/hr | 5+ yrs | Matches the Jacksonville commercial estimator figure already published on the metro overview |
Source: BLS OEWS (Jacksonville MSA), plumbing occupational codes, projected to 2026. Actual offer rates depend on certifications (Florida CFC licensing), shipyard support experience, and years of experience.
What candidates expect. What credentials matter. What kills offers.
We don't tell prospective clients who their competitors are hiring - that's a discipline our clients value, and we'll honor it on a call. What we will share publicly: how the Jacksonville commercial plumbing hiring game actually plays out in 2026. The five things below are what we tell every Jacksonville plumbing client at intake.
Where Jacksonville commercial plumbing talent comes from
We recruit across the full org chart for commercial plumbing contractors in Jacksonville. Conventional commercial plumbing tracks close to national average outside the port and marine corridor.
Credentials worth filtering for
Florida requires a Certified Plumbing Contractor (CFC) license through the DBPR. For BAE Systems-adjacent roles, confirm genuine shipyard support experience - marine-adjacent plumbing is a smaller, specialized niche that doesn't transfer directly from conventional commercial plumbing.
What candidates expect from a Jacksonville plumbing offer in 2026
Conventional plumbing comp runs modestly above national average. Marine-adjacent plumbers with shipyard support experience know they're a scarce, specialized profile.
What kills Jacksonville commercial plumbing hires
Treating a BAE Systems-adjacent shipyard support role like conventional commercial plumbing. Overlooking that this niche is small enough that candidates are genuinely hard to find on short notice.
Realistic timelines, by role
Field roles: 3-5 weeks intake to signed offer. Marine-adjacent plumbers with shipyard support experience: 5-8 weeks, since BAE Systems' ship-repair upgrade is competing directly for the same specialized labor pool. First slate of vetted candidates within 48 hours regardless.
The plumbing positions we fill, most often.
Across all Jacksonville commercial plumbing clients, these are the highest-volume roles we've recruited for in the last 24 months. Marine-adjacent plumbers are the role in genuine short supply - everything else draws on Jacksonville's own steady pipeline.
- Commercial plumber (journeyman)
- Apprentice plumber
- Marine-adjacent plumber (shipyard support)
- Plumbing foreman
- Plumbing project manager
- Plumbing superintendent
- Plumbing estimator
For the broader picture across every commercial trade in Jacksonville, see the Jacksonville metro overview. To learn more about the commercial plumbing vertical generally (across all 100+ markets we serve), see our Commercial Plumbing industry page.
How we recruit commercial plumbing in Jacksonville, plainly.
Same approach we use in every market - but tuned for what works in Jacksonville's commercial plumbing segment specifically:
- Same-day intake call. We get the role, the project context, the budget, your dealbreakers. For Jacksonville plumbing, we also confirm whether the role touches BAE Systems or shipyard support facilities and, if so, exactly what marine-adjacent experience the specific scope requires.
- Candidate sourcing within 48 hours. We pull from our existing Jacksonville plumbing candidate network for conventional roles. For marine-adjacent roles, we draw on candidates with verified shipyard-support experience specifically.
- Vetted short list (week one for standard roles). Three to five candidates. We verify Florida CFC licensing status. We confirm real shipyard support experience rather than a line on a resume.
- Offer and close. Field roles close in 3-5 weeks. Marine-adjacent plumbers run 5-8 weeks. We help with offer math against Jacksonville's own wage table.
Jacksonville sits at about the national rate for commercial plumbing — neither unusually deep nor unusually thin.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 , Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters. Metro-wide figures for the base occupation; the wage table above is role-specific and commercial.
How Jacksonville's commercial plumbing market compares
In 2023 the Jacksonville metro had 118 nonresidential plumbing and HVAC contractors (counted by business location). BLS publishes that count but withholds headcount and pay here, which it does when a category is small enough that the figures could identify individual employers. The number of these employers rose 4.4%, more firms competing for the same crews. That works out to 6.9 per 100,000 residents against 8.8 nationally. Fewer local employers means experienced people are easier to identify, but many work for firms based outside the metro.
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Jacksonville ranks 46th for headcount, 73rd for median pay and 53rd for concentration for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami | 5,930 | $57,760 | 0.70 | 483 |
| Tampa | 4,180 | $52,000 | 0.96 | 255 |
| Orlando | 4,040 | $55,380 | 0.96 | 212 |
| Jacksonville | 2,380 | $58,920 | 1.04 | 118 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | 1,950 | $51,690 | 2.13 | 78 |
| North Port-Sarasota | 1,390 | $58,150 | 1.36 | 63 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne | 940 | $59,780 | 1.28 | 48 |
| Lakeland | 740 | $51,220 | 0.94 | 51 |
| Port St. Lucie | 730 | $50,990 | 1.43 | 34 |
| Deltona-Daytona | 710 | $50,490 | 1.07 | 48 |
| Pensacola | 650 | $49,670 | 1.14 | 49 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial plumbing employers in Jacksonville, the pool is about the national norm for its size, so difficulty depends on the role more than the market.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Jacksonville metro. Employers are counted by business location.
How Jacksonville's commercial plumbing market has changed since 2018.
The number of nonresidential plumbing and HVAC contractors in Jacksonville rose from 106 in 2018 to 118 in 2023, up 11%, ahead of the 2% national rise. Headcount and pay for those firms are withheld in Jacksonville, so the occupation figures above are the better guide to what hiring costs.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential plumbing and HVAC contractors: business locations | 106 | 118 | +11% |
| Nonresidential plumbing and HVAC contractors: employment | 3,065 | – | – |
| Nonresidential plumbing and HVAC contractors: average annual pay | $59,842 | – | – |
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, private employers, annual averages. A dash means BLS did not publish the figure.
Frequently asked — commercial plumbing hiring in Jacksonville.
What is a commercial plumber paid in Jacksonville in 2026?
Commercial plumbers (journeyman) in Jacksonville typically earn $27–$35/hr, about 4% above the national average. Marine-adjacent plumbers serving shipyard support facilities at BAE Systems command $29–$38/hr.
Why does BAE Systems drive a distinct plumbing niche in Jacksonville?
BAE Systems is running a $200M upgrade to its Jacksonville ship-repair facility. The metro overview names marine-adjacent plumbing for shipyard support facilities as a smaller, specialized niche within that broader marine construction pipeline.
Does Florida require a specific license for commercial plumbers in Jacksonville?
Yes. Florida requires a Certified Plumbing Contractor (CFC) license through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).
Is there a hospital-driven medical gas plumbing shortage in Jacksonville, like other Florida metros?
Not a documented one on the current market data. Unlike Tampa, Orlando, and Miami, Jacksonville's commercial construction pipeline is driven primarily by the port, marine, and logistics sectors rather than healthcare capital programs.
What do plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters earn in Jacksonville?
BLS puts the Jacksonville median for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters at $58,920 a year, 8% below the $63,800 national median. That ranks 81st of 112 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Most of the market sits between $40,020 and $75,310, a 1.9x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. No other Florida metro we cover pays more for this work.
Is it hard to hire plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in Jacksonville?
It is about average. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters are as common in Jacksonville as they are nationally (location quotient 1.04), with about 2,380 in the metro. With 11% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which commercial plumbing roles pay the most in Jacksonville?
Of the roles we recruit for, Project Manager pays the most in Jacksonville, a $107,200 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Commercial Plumber / Pipefitter at $58,920, 45% below it. Plumbing Helper / Apprentice is the lowest-paid field role at $36,810. Plumbing Helper / Apprentice trails national pay the most (13% below).
How many nonresidential plumbing and HVAC contractors operate in Jacksonville?
BLS counted 118 nonresidential plumbing and HVAC contractors in Jacksonville in 2023. Up from 106 in 2018, a 11% increase against 2% growth nationally. BLS withholds their combined headcount and pay here, which it does when a category is small enough that the figures could identify individual employers.
Which nearby metros compete with Jacksonville for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Deltona-Daytona (102 miles, about 710, $50,490 median), Orlando (125 miles, about 4,040, $55,380 median) and Lakeland (159 miles, about 740, $51,220 median). Orlando has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Jacksonville out-pays Deltona-Daytona, Orlando and Lakeland, an advantage when recruiting from there.
Hiring commercial plumbing in Jacksonville?
Tell us the role. We'll tell you wages, timeline, and where we'd source the candidate - in under 30 minutes.