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The differences between commercial plumbers and residential plumbers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a commercial plumber and a residential plumber. Additionally, a residential plumber has an average salary of $54,486, which is higher than the $54,423 average annual salary of a commercial plumber.
The top three skills for a commercial plumber include plumbing, PVC and cast iron. The most important skills for a residential plumber are plumbing, water heaters, and hand tools.
Commercial plumbers are specialized plumbers who work on housing or retail developments, commercial businesses, and properties. They repair, install, and maintain plumbing systems and services on a larger, more complex scale. They work on an infrastructure's water pressure, boiler systems, water supply, and waste following blueprint designs and understand the requirements for each project. Some jobs require them to have basic carpentry skills for when they need to access pipes inside walls or to brace pipes to keep them in place. They will also solder, weld, and attach fittings and fixtures when needed.
A residential plumber installs, repairs, fits, and maintains pipes in a drainage system for residential buildings. They also do fixtures associated with water heating and cooling, water distribution, and sanitation services. Their duties and responsibilities include interpreting blueprints and building specifications to draw a map layout, documenting problems, and inspecting drainage systems.
Commercial plumbers and residential plumbers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Commercial Plumber | Residential Plumber | |
| Average salary | $54,423 | $54,486 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $82,000 | Between $36,000 And $82,000 |
| Highest paying City | Baton Rouge, LA | Framingham, MA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Stanley Furniture | Horizon Services |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | Professional |
There are a few differences between a commercial plumber and a residential plumber in terms of educational background:
| Commercial Plumber | Residential Plumber | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | High School Diploma, 54% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between commercial plumbers' and residential plumbers' demographics:
| Commercial Plumber | Residential Plumber | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 97.6% Female, 2.4% | Male, 94.6% Female, 5.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.4% Asian, 1.9% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.2% Asian, 1.9% White, 64.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |