Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
What does a Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters salary really buy you in Alaska?
Alaska is 2.0% pricier than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Alaska's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 102.0, meaning prices are 2.0% higher the national average. A Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters earning $47,290 in Alaska has the equivalent purchasing power of $46,362 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Alaska's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $35,640 | $34,941 | $-698 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $47,290 | $46,362 | $-927 |
| Median (P50) | $47,290 | $46,362 | $-927 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $47,990 | $47,049 | $-940 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $55,690 | $54,598 | $-1,091 |
Alaska's cost of living is close to the national average, so $47,290 keeps most of its value at $46,362 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
With an RPP of 102.0, Alaska is within a few percent of the national cost-of-living baseline. Salary adjustment for Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters is therefore minor — what you earn is close to what you'd keep in real purchasing power.
After adjusting for Alaska's cost of living, $47,290 nominal nets out to $46,363 in real purchasing power — a small 2.0% loss. The state's cost profile is close enough to average that COL alone shouldn't drive location decisions for this Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters.
Ranked on COL-adjusted median pay for Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, Alaska places #12 of 48 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.
Where does Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Alaska ranks #12 out of 48 states for Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters take-home pay in Alaska after taxes →
A Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in Alaska earns a median salary of $47,290 per year. After adjusting for Alaska's cost of living (RPP=102.0), the real purchasing power is $46,362 — a -2.0% difference.
Alaska's cost of living is 2.0% higher than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Alaska is 102.0 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in Alaska: $47,290 x (100 / 102.0) = $46,362. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.