Pipelayers
Construction and Extraction
Digs trenches by hand or with trenching tools, then grades and tamps the base so each length of pipe sits at the required slope. Pieces are cut, set, and joined with weld, cement, or glue; lasers, grade rods, or levels confirm the fall. Once the line is in, it is covered with earth. The work is outdoors in open excavations on storm, sanitary, and water-main jobs. It suits people who like physical site work, checking grades carefully, and working as a crew.
Typical education: Less than a High School Diploma
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$49'000
Median Wage Market Position
$49'000
What you might do
- Lay pipe for sewers, drains, and water mains
- Dig trenches to the required depth
- Level trench bottoms with tampers or hand tools
- Cut pipes to the needed lengths
- Join pipe sections and seal the joints
- Check slopes with levels or lasers
Skills that matter
- Grading trench bases to the specified slope
- Sealing joints with weld, cement, or glue
- Checking finished slope with levels or lasers
- Calling out grade readings to the crew
- Cutting pipe sections to required lengths
- Reading grade rods and slope requirements
AI & the future of this role
Trench grading, pipe positioning, and joint sealing happen outdoors in variable ground conditions that resist tidy automation. Design software might assist layout, yet physical placement, sealing, and site coordination still tend to protect employment prospects.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details