Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
Help plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters, or pipelayers by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment.
44,330 people do this job in the US. $42,360 a year.
of the working time. Estimate.
- 0%
- 0%
- 100%
Measured, from Anthropic's usage data (2025). Counts help on part of a task.
On the chosen pace and reliability. Estimate.
Share of the working time within reach, now to 2030
What each choice means: , , , , . Every pace starts from .
At this date and pace, models finish tasks up to 4.4 h long four times in five.
How far this has come
With GPT-4, measured in March 2023, 0% of this job's working time was within reach at . With Claude 3.7 Sonnet, measured in February 2025, 0%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 0%. Today's estimate: 0%.
A backcast: today's task data with the best model METR had measured by each date. It shows how fast the models have moved, not what anyone forecast at the time.
The tasks
Sorted by . 15 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Measure, cut, thread and assemble new pipe, placing the assembled pipe in hangers or other supports.Done daily by most who do it. | 22% | 1.3 h38 min to 2.5 h | Stays with people | |
| Perform rough-ins, repair and replace fixtures and water heaters, and locate, repair, or remove leaking or broken pipes.Done daily by most who do it. | 16% | 2.5 h50 min to 5 h | Stays with people | |
| Mount brackets and hangers on walls and ceilings to hold pipes, and set sleeves or inserts to provide support for pipes.Done daily by most who do it. | 10% | 50 min25 min to 1.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Assist pipe fitters in the layout, assembly, and installation of piping for air, ammonia, gas, and water systems.Done daily by most who do it. | 10% | 1.3 h33 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Fit or assist in fitting valves, couplings, or assemblies to tanks, pumps, or systems, using hand tools.Done daily by most who do it. | 9% | 38 min17 min to 1.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Requisition tools and equipment, select type and size of pipe, and collect and transport materials and equipment to work site.Done daily by most who do it. | 6% | 38 min17 min to 1.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Excavate and grade ditches, and lay and join pipe for water and sewer service.Done yearly or less by most who do it. | 5% | 2.5 h50 min to 6.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Immerse pipe in chemical solution to remove dirt, oil, and scale.Done yearly or less by most who do it. | 4% | 38 min17 min to 1.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Disassemble and remove damaged or worn pipe.Done daily by most who do it. | 4% | 1.1 h25 min to 2.5 h | Stays with people | |
| Cut or drill holes in walls or floors to accommodate the passage of pipes.Done daily by most who do it. | 4% | 38 min13 min to 1.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Cut pipe and lift up to fitters.Done daily by most who do it. | 3% | 13 min4 min to 38 min | Stays with people | |
| Fill pipes with sand or resin to prevent distortion, and hold pipes during bending and installation.Done yearly or less by most who do it. | 2% | 42 min17 min to 1.4 h | Stays with people |
Within reach, per task: the share of the task's time whose instances are short enough for a model to finish at the chosen date, pace and reliability. Half by: the date half of that time comes within reach.
Jobs that share skills with this one
From O*NET's related occupations. Within reach now and by the end of 2028, long-run pace, four in five.
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters16% now, 24% by 2028
- Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers2% now, 2% by 2028
- Helpers--Electricians1% now, 1% by 2028
- Helpers--Carpenters0% now, 0% by 2028
- Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons0% now, 0% by 2028
- Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters6% now, 6% by 2028
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025).
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025).