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The differences between service 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 service plumber and a residential plumber. Additionally, a service plumber has an average salary of $54,946, which is higher than the $54,486 average annual salary of a residential plumber.
The top three skills for a service plumber include plumbing, residential service and customer service. The most important skills for a residential plumber are plumbing, water heaters, and hand tools.
Service plumbers repair tanks, pipes, and water fixtures. Part of their job may include unclogging drains and toilets and handling various residential plumbing requirements. They may also troubleshoot systems, diagnose problems, and collaborate with other contractors when required. Service plumbers should be able to work under pressure and be willing to do house calls after hours. Plumbers are not only experts in their trade but also offer superb customer service. They need to have a minimum of a high school diploma, interpret blueprints, and have a polite manner and excellent customer service skills.
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.
Service plumbers and residential plumbers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Service Plumber | Residential Plumber | |
| Average salary | $54,946 | $54,486 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $82,000 | Between $36,000 And $82,000 |
| Highest paying City | Tacoma, WA | Framingham, MA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | JK Realty | Horizon Services |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between a service plumber and a residential plumber in terms of educational background:
| Service Plumber | Residential Plumber | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 52% | High School Diploma, 54% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between service plumbers' and residential plumbers' demographics:
| Service Plumber | Residential Plumber | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 98.0% Female, 2.0% | Male, 94.6% Female, 5.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 1.8% White, 64.7% 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% |