Pipefitter Jobs in Jacksonville, FL
Lay out, fabricate, and install marine pipe systems and supports.
What pipefitters earn around Jacksonville
The median, range, and annual figures above are market data — Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics for Jacksonville, FL Metro Area, via the U.S. Department of Labor's CareerOneStop. Cost of living here runs about 2% below the national average — your paycheck goes further. AMS pays $35–$40/hr plus overtime opportunities.
What a pipefitter does in Jacksonville
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 Jacksonville is $28.33 an hour, but local prices run at 98.492 against a national 100 — so it buys what $28.76 would nationally. That is the number worth comparing when a job means relocating or running a per-diem schedule.
Pipefitters in the Jacksonville market
Jacksonville is a major Navy and commercial ship-repair hub on the northeast Florida coast, anchored by BAE Systems' ship-repair yard and Naval Station Mayport. AMS has crews working the Jacksonville market now.
- BAE Systems Jacksonville Ship Repair
- Naval Station Mayport
Named as public-record market activity — where marine work happens in this area, not a statement of AMS contracts.
- City population
- 961,739
- Median household income
- $66,981
- Average commute
- 24 min
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 98.492
Source: U.S. Census ACS 5-year · BEA Regional Price Parities. Figures are for Jacksonville city, Florida, not the wider metro area.
Why Jacksonville needs pipefitters right now
Repair fitting in a Navy-and-commercial market means working off the ship, not off a clean drawing. Fitters template replacement runs from existing systems, fabricate spools to match, and land flanges, valves, and hangers inside compartments that were never designed for a second installation. On government repair work the fit-up standard is unforgiving — alignment, bolt-hole orientation, and support spacing all get inspected — and the schedule belongs to the availability, not to you. That mix of precision and pace is what separates a marine pipefitter from a shop fitter, and it's what Jacksonville work demands.
Jacksonville is an active-crew market for AMS — one of only four, with Houma, Mobile, and Pascagoula — so you'd be joining work that's already running, not waiting on a contract to start. Pipefitters earn $35–$40 an hour plus overtime opportunities. Per GAO's 2025 reporting, all seven of the Navy's private shipbuilders report recruitment and retention problems, and the repair side pulls from the same thin pool — which is why experienced fitters have leverage right now. AMS sets up travel and per-diem arrangements for hands coming in from outside northeast Florida.
If you've fit pipe through a ship availability — pulling templates in a bilge, matching a spool to a decades-old run, landing a valve stack where three trades were working the same space — you're the fitter Jacksonville needs. Industrial and new-construction fitting backgrounds carry over: layout, fit-up, and flange discipline travel with you. Experienced marine pipefitters are among the industry's hardest hires, and AMS has crews working Jacksonville now, paying $35–$40 an hour for hands who can hit the deck producing.
Bring your experience to AMSPipefitter jobs in Jacksonville — FAQ
How much do pipefitters make in Jacksonville, FL?
In the Jacksonville, FL Metro Area, pipefitters earn a median of about $28.33 per hour — typically $19.24–$36.21 per hour (BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics via the U.S. Department of Labor's CareerOneStop). With local prices at 98.492 against a national 100, that median buys roughly what $28.76 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 Jacksonville?
Yes. AMS has crews working the Jacksonville 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 Jacksonville?
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 BAE Systems Jacksonville Ship Repair and similar facilities. Bring your certifications — apply and an AMS representative will go over the specifics.
What is the commute like for Jacksonville yard work?
Workers in Jacksonville city, Florida report an average commute of about 24 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 Jacksonville?
Tell us your trade and experience — an AMS representative will follow up. Résumé optional.