Plumbing Manufacturing: Key Driver of Jobs, Innovation and Growth

Plumbing fixtures and fittings manufacturers directly contribute $54.4 billion to the American economy, providing 208,283 jobs and $14.3 billion in wages, according to the Plumbing Manufacturing Industry Economic Impact Study.

After adding the impacts of suppliers and household spending by employees of the industry and its suppliers, the total economic impact of the plumbing manufacturing industry increases to $129 billion—about four-tenths of 1% of America’s gross domestic product. This total impact accounts for 500,487 jobs, $37 billion in wages, and $17.7 billion in tax revenue.

The economic impact of plumbers is also quite significant. When added to the impact of plumbing manufacturers, the direct economic impact of both industries combined in the United States is $172.9 billion. The industries account for 755,980 jobs, $61 billion in wages, and $54.8 billion in tax revenue. The total economic impact of both industries—including suppliers to the industries and household spending by employees of the industries and suppliers—is $442.5 billion, 1.7 million jobs, and 142.1 billion in wages.

View the study's methodology and FAQ to learn more.

Saving water and energy
American plumbing manufacturers have helped to save significant amounts of water and energy with the creation of more than 46,000 EPA-certified WaterSense products, including 21,081 bathroom faucets, 16,041 showerheads, 7,084 toilets, 832 urinals, 625 spray sprinklers, and 453 irrigation controllers, according to the most recent WaterSense Accomplishments Report.

Combined, these fixtures and fittings saved 1.2 trillion gallons of water in 2024. Since 2006, the year WaterSense began, the program has saved more than 9.9 trillion gallons of water while reducing the bills of water and energy customers by $245 billion. WaterSense products have reduced the energy needed to heat, pump and treat water by 1.1 trillion kilowatt hours—enough energy to supply a year’s worth of power to about 105 million homes, the report states.

The plumbing manufacturing industry is a part of one of the most significant and productive sectors fueling the U.S. economy—the manufacturing industry. Manufacturers contribute an estimate of $2.96 trillion annually to the U.S. economy, employing 12.6 million people, according to the National Association of Manufacturers. For every $1 spent in manufacturing, there is a total impact of $2.69 to the overall U.S. economy, making manufacturing one of the highest economic sector multipliers, NAM states.

Career opportunities abound
For the plumbing manufacturing industry, a skilled workforce is fundamental to continued growth and innovation. PMI members report a talent shortage in the industry—from production, maintenance and technician positions to machinists, engineers and industrial designers. To compete globally, plumbing manufacturers require high-quality workers, as well as a strong technical workforce.

With nearly 500,000 job openings in 2025 and an estimated 2 million jobs needed to be filled by 2030 within the overall manufacturing industry sector, according to the NAM Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte, there are opportunities for many—including young people, women and individuals from diverse backgrounds—to start a career in the field.

PMI favors better coordination among educators, federal and state governments and the private sector to recruit secondary and post-secondary school graduates with the necessary job training to fill vacant manufacturing positions.

PMI supports legislation and grant funding to increase student participation in work-based learning opportunities and to promote the use of industry-recognized credentials and other recognized post-secondary credentials. PMI recently supported legislation that allows Americans to use 529 education savings accounts to pay for costs related to certification exams and maintenance of certification credentials, allowing lifelong students to upskill and reskill throughout their careers. By providing pathways to fill the nearly 500,000 job openings in the manufacturing sector, the legislation enables manufacturers to satisfy their demand for skilled labor. The legislation also broadens learning opportunities for plumbers, the primary workforce for installation of plumbing fixtures and fittings.

Many PMI member companies have developed co-op and intern programs to train and place college students in permanent roles. They also have opened their doors to students and others to draw attention to the roles manufacturers play in their communities and to underscore the economic and social significance of manufacturing.