Commercial plumbing recruiters serving Tulsa.
Tulsa International Airport's emerging aerospace campus has reshaped electrical wages sharply. Plumbing hasn't followed the same path - the metro overview is explicit that plumbing tracks close to national average, with no comparable specialty layer at this stage. We'll tell you honestly what that means for your budget.
National parity - and nothing more exotic than that.
Commercial plumbers in Tulsa earn close to the national average - one of the more cost-efficient markets we cover for conventional plumbing specifically.
Unlike aerospace/precision-manufacturing electricians serving Park Aerospace's $65M composites facility and Quantum Space's $80M propulsion/spacecraft-parts facility - who run about 9% above national - the metro overview is explicit that plumbing does not carry that same differentiated layer at this stage.
We recruit across the full org chart for commercial plumbing contractors in Tulsa, and we screen for Oklahoma CIB licensing on every role.
What you'll actually pay - by plumbing role.
Hourly wage ranges based on BLS OEWS data for the Tulsa MSA. The conventional-plumber row matches the metro overview's own published figure directly - near national parity, applied consistently across every role below. National benchmarks by role are in the 2026 Commercial Plumbing Salary Guide.
| Role | Tulsa range | Typical experience | Market notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial plumber (journeyman) | $26 – $33/hr | 3-7 yrs | Matches the commercial plumber figure already published on the Tulsa metro overview (+1% over national, near parity) |
| Apprentice plumber | $18 – $23/hr | 0-3 yrs | Tracks close to the national apprentice range, consistent with the metro's overall near-parity pricing |
| Plumbing foreman | $32 – $41/hr | 7+ yrs | Oklahoma CIB licensing fluency is a real differentiator for any supervisory or qualifying role |
| Plumbing project manager | $39 – $50/hr | 5-10 yrs | Commercial portfolio experience adds a modest premium |
| Plumbing superintendent | $42 – $54/hr | 10+ yrs | Matches the broader Tulsa commercial superintendent range already published on the metro overview |
| Plumbing estimator (5+ yrs) | $42 – $55/hr | 5+ yrs | Matches the Tulsa commercial estimator figure already published on the metro overview |
Source: BLS OEWS (Tulsa MSA), plumbing occupational codes, projected to 2026. Actual offer rates depend on certifications (Oklahoma CIB licensing) 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 Tulsa commercial plumbing hiring game actually plays out in 2026. The five things below are what we tell every Tulsa plumbing client at intake.
Why plumbing didn't get the aerospace-campus premium
Tulsa International Airport's emerging aerospace campus - Park Aerospace's $65M composites facility, Quantum Space's $80M propulsion/spacecraft-parts facility - has pushed precision-manufacturing electricians to about 9% above national. The metro overview is explicit that plumbing doesn't carry that same differentiated layer at this stage.
Where Tulsa commercial plumbing talent comes from
We recruit across the full org chart for commercial plumbing contractors in Tulsa. This is a national-average market for plumbing specifically, even though the airport's aerospace cluster has reshaped electrical wages.
Credentials worth filtering for
Oklahoma licenses plumbing contractors statewide through the Construction Industries Board (CIB) - the same structure that applies across the state, including Oklahoma City.
What candidates expect from a Tulsa plumbing offer in 2026
Comp close to national parity - one of the more cost-efficient markets we cover for conventional plumbing specifically.
Realistic timelines, by role
Field roles: 3-5 weeks intake to signed offer, close to the national average. First slate of vetted candidates within 48 hours regardless.
The plumbing positions we fill, most often.
Across all Tulsa commercial plumbing clients, these are the highest-volume roles we've recruited for in the last 24 months.
- Commercial plumber (journeyman)
- Apprentice plumber
- Plumbing foreman
- Plumbing project manager
- Plumbing superintendent
- Plumbing estimator
For the broader picture across every commercial trade in Tulsa, see the Tulsa 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 Tulsa, plainly.
Same approach we use in every market - but tuned for what works in Tulsa's commercial plumbing segment specifically:
- Same-day intake call. We get the role, the project context, the budget, your dealbreakers.
- Candidate sourcing within 48 hours. We pull from our existing Tulsa plumbing candidate network for the specific scope you need.
- Vetted short list (week one). Three to five candidates. We verify current Oklahoma CIB licensing status before presenting anyone.
- Offer and close. Field roles close in 3-5 weeks, close to the national average. We help with offer math against Tulsa's own wage table.
Tulsa runs 42% more commercial plumbing workers per job than the country as a whole — well above the national concentration. More per job means more people to reach, and more employers reaching them.
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 Tulsa's commercial plumbing market compares
In 2023 the Tulsa metro had 117 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 3.5%, more firms competing for the same crews. That works out to 11 per 100,000 residents against 8.8 nationally, a crowded field where experienced people get approached often.
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Tulsa ranks 50th for headcount, 70th for median pay and 10th for concentration for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters. That puts it among the deepest commercial plumbing labor markets in the country.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City | 2,400 | $59,150 | 1.18 | 163 |
| Tulsa | 1,950 | $59,440 | 1.42 | 117 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial plumbing employers in Tulsa, the local pool is deeper than most, so a well-run search can usually fill field roles from inside the metro.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Tulsa metro. Employers are counted by business location.
How Tulsa's commercial plumbing market has changed since 2018.
The number of nonresidential plumbing and HVAC contractors in Tulsa rose from 113 in 2018 to 117 in 2023, up 4%, close to the 2% national change. Headcount and pay for those firms are withheld in Tulsa, so the occupation figures above are the better guide to what hiring costs.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential plumbing and HVAC contractors: business locations | 113 | 117 | +4% |
| Nonresidential plumbing and HVAC contractors: employment | 2,598 | – | – |
| Nonresidential plumbing and HVAC contractors: average annual pay | $58,338 | – | – |
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 Tulsa.
What is a commercial plumber paid in Tulsa in 2026?
Commercial plumbers (journeyman) in Tulsa typically earn $26–$33/hr, about 1% above the national average - near national parity.
Does Tulsa International Airport's aerospace campus drive a plumbing specialty, like it does for electrical?
No. The metro overview is explicit that plumbing tracks close to national average with no strong differentiated specialty layer at this stage, unlike aerospace/precision-manufacturing electricians serving Park Aerospace's $65M and Quantum Space's $80M facilities, who run about 9% above national.
Does Oklahoma require a specific license for commercial plumbers in Tulsa?
Yes. Oklahoma licenses plumbing contractors statewide through the Construction Industries Board (CIB), the same structure that applies across the state, including Oklahoma City.
Why is Tulsa plumbing priced so close to national average?
Most Tulsa commercial trades price close to BLS national averages. The one clear exception is aerospace/precision-manufacturing electrical work tied to Tulsa International Airport's emerging aerospace campus - plumbing hasn't seen a comparable specialty premium emerge.
What do plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters earn in Tulsa?
BLS puts the Tulsa median for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters at $59,440 a year, 7% below the $63,800 national median. That ranks 77th of 112 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Experience carries a clear premium, $37,990 at the 10th percentile against $80,420 at the 90th - a 2.1x gap - so an offer at the median mostly reaches newer workers. No other Oklahoma metro we cover pays more for this work (Oklahoma City: $59,150).
Is it hard to hire plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in Tulsa?
Not by national standards. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters make up 42% more of the Tulsa workforce than they do nationally, about 1,950 people.
Which commercial plumbing roles pay the most in Tulsa?
Of the roles we recruit for, Project Manager pays the most in Tulsa, a $105,960 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Commercial Plumber / Pipefitter at $59,440, 44% below it. Plumbing Helper / Apprentice is the lowest-paid field role at $40,080. Pipelayer trails national pay the most (11% below).
How many nonresidential plumbing and HVAC contractors operate in Tulsa?
BLS counted 117 nonresidential plumbing and HVAC contractors in Tulsa in 2023. Up from 113 in 2018, a 4% 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 Tulsa for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Oklahoma City (98 miles, about 2,400, $59,150 median), Wichita (130 miles, about 1,060, $60,940 median) and Kansas City (218 miles, about 3,740, $76,150 median). Kansas City has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Kansas City pays 28% more, which is where Tulsa employers tend to lose people.
Hiring commercial plumbing in Tulsa?
Tell us the role. We'll tell you wages, timeline, and where we'd source the candidate - in under 30 minutes.