Home Repair Decoded

Water Heater Replacement Cost in Hawaii

$790 – $2,200We estimate water heater replacement in Hawaii at $790 to $2,200 for a 40 to 50 gallon gas or electric tank in the same location. The national estimate is $750 to $2,050. Hawaii plumber pay is 22% above the national median, ranking 12 of 51.
Part of the jobLowHigh
Parts and materials (our assumption)$600$1,500
Labor hours (our assumption)24
Billed labor rate per hour$94$169
Estimated total$790$2,200

Our estimate, not a quote. Billed rate is the Hawaii median wage from BLS (2025, $37.53 an hour) times 2.5 to 4.5 to cover payroll costs, overhead, travel and profit. How we estimate

What our assumptions are based on

ItemSourced figureBasisSource
Labor hours1 – 31 to 3 hours for a standard tank installation.This Old House

What other publishers report

National figures as published by each source, checked 2026-11-03. Their scope can differ from ours.
PublisherLowHighScope
Fixr$550$2,30040-gallon tank installed. Page dated January 2026.
Fixr$700$2,50050-gallon tank installed. Page dated January 2026.
This Old House$600$1,20040-gallon tank installed. Page dated June 2026.
This Old House$700$1,80050-gallon tank installed. Page dated June 2026.

Who can legally do this in Hawaii

Hawaii's Board of Electricians and Plumbers issues plumber licenses. Even when a county does not require a plumbing permit, the work may still have to be performed by a licensed plumber.

Compared with neighboring states

StateMedian wageLowHigh
California$35.01$780$2,150

Other plumber jobs in Hawaii

Water Heater Replacement cost in every state · Hawaii home repair guide

Sources

General information, not professional advice. Conditions, codes and prices vary. Turn off power, gas or water before any work, and hire a licensed professional when in doubt. Cost figures are our estimates, not quotes.