Pipefitter Jobs in Houma, LA
Lay out, fabricate, and install marine pipe systems and supports.
What pipefitters earn around Houma
The median, range, and annual figures above are market data — Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics for Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA Metro Area, via the U.S. Department of Labor's CareerOneStop. Cost of living here runs about 12% below the national average — your paycheck goes further. AMS pays $35–$40/hr plus overtime opportunities.
What a pipefitter does in Houma
Pipefitters lay out, fabricate, and install the pipe systems a ship runs on — cutting and threading, fitting spools, setting flanges, valves, and hangers, and prepping joints for the welders. It takes drawing literacy, precise measurement, and the flexibility to adapt to the diversification of marine and industrial projects. Pipefitters and pipe welders work the job side by side.
A pipefitter's median around Houma is $26.56 an hour, but local prices run at 88.38 against a national 100 — so it buys what $30.05 would nationally. That is the number worth comparing when a job means relocating or running a per-diem schedule.
Pipefitters in the Houma market
Houma sits at the heart of Louisiana's shipbuilding and offshore-marine corridor along the Houma Navigation Canal, running down through Larose and Galliano — home to Bollinger Houma and Edison Chouest's North American Shipbuilding, some of the largest offshore-service builders on the Gulf Coast. AMS has crews working Houma right now, and it's the market where the next couple of weeks matter most.
- Bollinger Houma (BHS)
- Edison Chouest / North American Shipbuilding (Larose)
- Gulf Island Fabrication
- Thoma-Sea Marine
Named as public-record market activity — where marine work happens in this area, not a statement of AMS contracts.
- City population
- 32,760
- Median household income
- $54,637
- Average commute
- 20 min
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 88.38
Source: U.S. Census ACS 5-year · BEA Regional Price Parities. Figures are for Houma city, Louisiana, not the wider metro area.
Why Houma needs pipefitters right now
Fit-up is where the bayou's boatbuilding starts. Edison Chouest's operation in Larose builds offshore vessels vertically integrated — hull to delivery under one company — and the corridor's mix of new construction and repair means a constant stream of spool packages, valve stacks, and hanger runs to lay out and fit. Repair work on the offshore fleet adds the urgency: a boat at the dock is losing money, and the fitter sets the pace for every welder behind him.
Louisiana pipefitters post the highest state median of the five Gulf states — $63,680 a year (BLS, May 2025) — and this corridor is a big reason why. AMS's $35–$40 an hour beats that number on straight time, with overtime opportunities stacked on top. With active AMS crews in the Houma market, a fitter here doesn't have to choose between top pay and a short drive: this is home-market work at travel-market rates.
If you've fit spools on an offshore supply vessel, set flanges and hangers off iso drawings in a workboat engine room, or held tolerance on a repair job where the welders were waiting on you, that experience is the bottleneck of every pipe crew on the Gulf. Fitters who can read the drawing and land the fit the first time are the industry's hardest hires — AMS pays $35–$40 an hour for that and puts you straight to work.
Bring your experience to AMSPipefitter jobs in Houma — FAQ
How much do pipefitters make in Houma, LA?
In the Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA Metro Area, pipefitters earn a median of about $26.56 per hour — typically $18.15–$34.33 per hour (BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics via the U.S. Department of Labor's CareerOneStop). With local prices at 88.38 against a national 100, that median buys roughly what $30.05 an hour would nationally. AMS pays $35–$40/hr plus overtime opportunities; the rate for a specific role is discussed when you apply.
Does AMS hire pipefitters in Houma?
Yes. AMS has crews working the Houma market and hires pipefitters for shipbuilding and ship repair. Apply through our Employment / Job Application page and tell us your trade and experience.
What do I need to get hired as a pipefitter in Houma?
For pipefitters, AMS looks first at iso & spool drawings and layout & fit-up. Every role also requires passing a shipyard safety orientation and a drug screen, and a TWIC card is usually needed for yard access at Bollinger Houma (BHS) and similar facilities. Bring your certifications — apply and an AMS representative will go over the specifics.
What is the commute like for Houma yard work?
Workers in Houma city, Louisiana report an average commute of about 20 minutes (U.S. Census ACS). Yard start times are early, so most crews plan the drive around shift change rather than rush hour. If you would rather travel to the work than commute to it, AMS runs per-diem assignments across the Gulf Coast.
Ready to work as a pipefitter in Houma?
Tell us your trade and experience — an AMS representative will follow up. Résumé optional.