How much does a Pipeline Locator make in the United States?
As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Pipeline Locator in the United States is $52,336 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $25.
However, a Pipeline Locator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $65,678
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $46,470 to $59,320
Key Factors That Influence Pipeline Locator Salaries
A Pipeline Locator's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Pipeline Locator Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Pipeline Locator's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
How Do Pipeline Locator Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Pipeline Locators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $57,946.
California: $57,727.
Massachusetts: $56,957.
District of Columbia$57,946
California$57,727
Massachusetts$56,957
Washington$56,748
New Jersey$56,727
Alaska$56,654
Connecticut$55,931
New York$55,638
Hawaii$54,702
Rhode Island$54,262
Maryland$53,964
Minnesota$53,555
Colorado$53,398
Illinois$53,346
Oregon$53,147
Delaware$53,001
New Hampshire$52,909
Virginia$52,702
Pennsylvania$52,100
Nevada$51,797
North Dakota$51,698
Michigan$51,540
Wisconsin$51,483
Vermont$51,368
Texas$51,049
Maine$51,028
Arizona$50,996
Ohio$50,960
Georgia$50,478
Indiana$50,237
Wyoming$50,190
Utah$50,117
Iowa$50,086
Kansas$49,834
Louisiana$49,761
North Carolina$49,735
Missouri$49,724
Florida$49,520
Montana$49,410
Nebraska$49,306
Kentucky$49,248
South Carolina$49,039
Tennessee$48,908
Idaho$48,856
New Mexico$48,474
Oklahoma$48,390
Alabama$48,081
South Dakota$47,563
Arkansas$47,280
West Virginia$47,129
Mississippi$46,673
Top Paying Cities for Pipeline Locators
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $66,011
San Francisco: $65,289
Oakland: $63,913
San Jose, CA$66,011
San Francisco, CA$65,289
Oakland, CA$63,913
New York, NY$60,259
Paramus, NJ$59,526
Queens Village, NY$59,524
Passaic, NJ$59,474
Bergenfield, NJ$59,469
Stamford, CT$59,354
Huntington, NY$59,333
Newark, NJ$58,946
Bridgeport, CT$58,836
Vallejo, CA$58,731
New Brunswick, NJ$58,711
Petaluma, CA$58,679
Middlesex, NJ$58,580
Somerset, NJ$58,543
Santa Cruz, CA$58,475
Boston, MA$58,156
Monterey, CA$57,972
Seattle, WA$57,852
Santa Rosa, CA$57,842
Los Angeles, CA$57,826
Juneau, AK$57,690
Washington, DC$57,632
Orange, CA$57,446
Santa Ana, CA$57,308
Long Beach, CA$57,256
Anaheim, CA$57,245
Anchorage, AK$57,219
Santa Maria, CA$57,062
Everett, WA$57,051
Danbury, CT$56,867
Bremerton, WA$56,795
Tacoma, WA$56,607
New Suffolk, NY$56,606
Sacramento, CA$56,591
Santa Barbara, CA$56,533
Trenton, NJ$56,476
San Diego, CA$56,476
Brockton, MA$56,418
Fairbanks, AK$56,290
Lompoc, CA$56,157
Lowell, MA$56,114
Ventura, CA$56,104
Nashua, NH$56,094
Stockton, CA$56,088
Modesto, CA$55,706
Poughkeepsie, NY$55,591
Olympia, WA$55,492
Kennewick, WA$55,492
New Haven, CT$55,471
Lawrence, MA$55,283
Hartford, CT$55,230
Riverside, CA$55,220
New Bedford, MA$55,167
Richland, WA$55,167
Bakersfield, CA$55,094
San Bernardino, CA$55,073
New Britain, CT$55,068
Atlantic City, NJ$55,068
New London, CT$55,047
Norwich, CT$55,031
Portsmouth, NH$55,021
Boulder, CO$54,910
Portland, OR$54,838
Worcester, MA$54,832
Minneapolis, MN$54,670
Philadelphia, PA$54,597
Honolulu, HI$54,424
Saint Paul, MN$54,399
Vineland, NJ$54,388
Providence, RI$54,236
Chicago, IL$54,084
Bellingham, WA$54,021
Springfield, MA$53,979
Baltimore, MD$53,964
Chico, CA$53,833
Pittsfield, MA$53,692
Manchester, NH$53,592
Spokane, WA$53,362
Denver, CO$53,357
Albany, NY$53,111
Troy, NY$53,090
Nassau, NY$53,034
Schenectady, NY$52,980
Wilmington, DE$52,938
Burlington, VT$52,865
Salem, OR$52,844
Portland, ME$52,681
Yakima, WA$52,629
Rochester, MN$52,467
Reno, NV$52,441
Fresno, CA$52,441
Milwaukee, WI$52,394
Detroit, MI$52,341
Ann Arbor, MI$52,332
Allentown, PA$52,326
Colorado Springs, CO$52,237
Syracuse, NY$52,210
Carson City, NV$52,210
Houston, TX$52,137
Eugene, OR$52,111
Gary, IN$52,048
Springfield, OR$52,006
Bismarck, ND$51,996
Galveston, TX$51,959
Medford, OR$51,881
Fort Collins, CO$51,860
Concord, NH$51,834
Austin, TX$51,818
Mesa, AZ$51,708
Reading, PA$51,703
Phoenix, AZ$51,698
Dallas, TX$51,682
Saint Cloud, MN$51,632
Madison, WI$51,561
Utica, NY$51,420
Rochester, NY$51,336
Des Moines, IA$51,331
Raleigh, NC$51,326
Atlanta, GA$51,247
Battle Creek, MI$51,232
Salt Lake City, UT$51,216
Lancaster, PA$51,138
Harrisburg, PA$51,064
Kansas City, MO$51,012
Champaign, IL$51,001
Kansas City, KS$51,001
Fort Worth, TX$50,996
Columbus, OH$50,987
Boca Raton, FL$50,975
Pittsburgh, PA$50,954
Richmond, VA$50,933
Indianapolis, IN$50,923
Cleveland, OH$50,918
Las Vegas, NV$50,855
Cincinnati, OH$50,855
Petersburg, VA$50,776
Huntsville, AL$50,698
Lansing, MI$50,663
Lebanon, PA$50,656
Pueblo, CO$50,651
Appleton, WI$50,635
Buffalo, NY$50,614
Dayton, OH$50,598
Racine, WI$50,588
Charlotte, NC$50,583
Saint Louis, MO$50,567
York, PA$50,536
Elkhart, IN$50,536
Gastonia, NC$50,526
Billings, MT$50,513
Beaumont, TX$50,499
Lorain, OH$50,489
Benton Harbor, MI$50,478
Toledo, OH$50,468
Binghamton, NY$50,441
Rock Hill, SC$50,436
Rockford, IL$50,410
Springfield, IL$50,389
Elyria, OH$50,384
Fargo, ND$50,384
Flagstaff, AZ$50,347
Fort Lauderdale, FL$50,316
Duluth, MN$50,284
Miami, FL$50,284
Cheyenne, WY$50,248
Grand Forks, ND$50,248
Bangor, ME$50,133
Cedar Rapids, IA$50,075
Durham, NC$50,053
Louisville, KY$50,049
Grand Rapids, MI$50,038
Hialeah, FL$50,033
Casper, WY$49,960
Scranton, PA$49,897
New Orleans, LA$49,881
Virginia Beach, VA$49,876
Akron, OH$49,850
Peoria, IL$49,782
Sarasota, FL$49,772
Nashville, TN$49,735
Omaha, NE$49,735
Green Bay, WI$49,735
Baton Rouge, LA$49,709
Charleston, SC$49,698
Jamestown, NY$49,672
Davenport, IA$49,672
Tucson, AZ$49,646
Saint Petersburg, FL$49,615
Tampa, FL$49,604
Evansville, IN$49,573
Port Arthur, TX$49,573
Bradenton, FL$49,552
Santa Fe, NM$49,458
Orlando, FL$49,363
Clearwater, FL$49,348
Canton, OH$49,238
La Crosse, WI$49,238
Albuquerque, NM$49,206
Newport News, VA$49,201
High Point, NC$49,185
Ogden, UT$49,164
Corpus Christi, TX$49,123
Norfolk, VA$49,091
Laramie, WY$49,091
Rock Island, IL$49,060
Saginaw, MI$49,049
Jacksonville, FL$49,044
Salisbury, NC$49,034
Boise, ID$49,023
Moline, IL$48,997
Fort Myers, FL$48,981
Memphis, TN$48,971
Tulsa, OK$48,945
Waterloo, IA$48,913
Spartanburg, SC$48,861
Lincoln, NE$48,835
Fort Wayne, IN$48,824
Provo, UT$48,819
Cedar Falls, IA$48,756
San Antonio, TX$48,735
Greensboro, NC$48,714
South Bend, IN$48,709
Savannah, GA$48,652
Muskegon, MI$48,631
Birmingham, AL$48,625
Winston Salem, NC$48,600
Lake Charles, LA$48,474
Anderson, IN$48,463
Lexington, KY$48,447
Augusta, GA$48,432
Greenville, SC$48,432
Lima, OH$48,390
Wichita, KS$48,385
Tuscaloosa, AL$48,385
Columbia, SC$48,338
Springfield, OH$48,327
Asheville, NC$48,243
Bloomington, IN$48,207
Knoxville, TN$48,018
Shreveport, LA$48,013
Wilmington, NC$47,945
Roanoke, VA$47,945
Topeka, KS$47,851
Frankfort, KY$47,845
Oklahoma City, OK$47,809
Chillicothe, OH$47,788
Longview, TX$47,783
Melbourne, FL$47,778
Sioux Falls, SD$47,694
Mobile, AL$47,689
Terre Haute, IN$47,668
Altoona, PA$47,636
Amarillo, TX$47,600
Killeen, TX$47,584
Fayetteville, AR$47,542
Chattanooga, TN$47,526
Sioux City, IA$47,479
Idaho Falls, ID$47,469
Lynchburg, VA$47,427
Gainesville, FL$47,359
Portsmouth, OH$47,333
Little Rock, AR$47,322
Lafayette, LA$47,301
Youngstown, OH$47,301
Daytona Beach, FL$47,270
Clarksville, TN$47,265
Pensacola, FL$47,259
Temple, TX$47,256
Hopkinsville, KY$47,102
Erie, PA$47,092
Florence, SC$47,071
Charleston, WV$46,987
Great Falls, MT$46,961
Macon, GA$46,888
Tallahassee, FL$46,883
Fayetteville, NC$46,872
Waco, TX$46,862
Helena, MT$46,825
Pine Bluff, AR$46,805
Vincennes, IN$46,741
Lubbock, TX$46,720
Alamogordo, NM$46,689
Twin Falls, ID$46,642
Rapid City, SD$46,626
Jackson, MS$46,532
Huntington, WV$46,528
Greenville, MS$46,527
Parkersburg, WV$46,473
Montgomery, AL$46,464
Wichita Falls, TX$46,412
Springfield, MO$46,412
Biloxi, MS$46,385
Monroe, LA$46,333
Johnstown, PA$46,296
Sumter, SC$46,275
Columbus, GA$46,270
Pascagoula, MS$46,171
Abilene, TX$46,171
Kingsport, TN$46,035
Albany, GA$46,035
Gulfport, MS$46,019
Alexandria, LA$45,846
Fort Smith, AR$45,715
El Paso, TX$45,574
Las Cruces, NM$45,339
Harlingen, TX$45,206
Pocatello, ID$45,197
Florence, AL$45,129
Brownsville, TX$45,119
Mcallen, TX$45,009
Dothan, AL$44,936
Columbus, MS$44,625
Altus, OK$44,381
Lawton, OK$44,281
Pierre, SD$44,093
What Skills Can Increase a Pipeline Locator's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Customer Service (Mentioned in 5.5% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
Employee Relations (Mentioned in 3.54% Job Postings): Establishing and managing all interactions with employees to achieve the goals of the organization.
Talent Acquisition (Mentioned in 1.47% Job Postings): Talent acquisition is the process of identifying organizational staffing needs, recruiting qualified candidates and selecting the candidates best suited for the available positions.
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Pipeline Locator's salary.
Talent Management: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Talent Acquisition: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Pipeline Locator Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Pipeline Locator roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 50% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Financial Services and Internet
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average.
In contrast, Pipeline Locator positions in Transportation or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Pipeline Locator as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Pipeline Locator
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services
$68,037
$33.0
30%
Internet
$65,420
$31.0
25%
Energy & Utilities
$60,186
$29.0
15%
Chemicals
$57,570
$28.0
10%
Insurance
$57,570
$28.0
10%
How Education impacts a Pipeline Locator's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Pipeline Locators enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a Pipeline Locator with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between
$51,060
and $54,066).
Pipeline Locator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Pipeline Locator's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on October 01, 2026
$46,470
Average$52,336/year
$59,320
$3,873
Average$4,361/month
$4,943
$894
Average$1,006/week
$1,141
$22
Average$25/hour
$29
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$59,320
$4,943
$1,141
$29
Average
$52,336
$4,361
$1,006
$25
25th Percentile
$46,470
$3,873
$894
$22
Salaries of Jobs related to Pipeline Locator
Directional Drill Locator$84,356
HDD LOCATOR$63,209
Directional Bore Locator$52,556
Utility Locator$44,623
HOUSING LOCATOR$43,699
Line Locator$43,092
Underground Utility Locator$40,554
Locator$35,583
Utility Line Locator$34,260
Apartment Locator$33,887
Utilities Locator$33,847
Salary Trends for Pipeline Locator
Salaries for a Pipeline Locator can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $45,698 in 2023
to around $45,267 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Pipeline Locator salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Pipeline Locator Over Time
$???
$45,698
$45,464
$45,267
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$45,698
2024
$45,464
2025
$45,267
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Pipeline Locator
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Pipeline Locator
Here are companies hiring for Pipeline Locator and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
Find Your Next Pipeline Locator Job
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FAQ about Pipeline Locator
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Pipeline Locator?
The Financial Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Pipeline Locator roles,
with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
