Find accredited Plumbing training programs near you
$63,800
Avg. Salary
6.8%
Job Growth
9-24 months
Program Length
276
Schools Listed
Plumbers install and repair piping, fixtures, and water/gas systems in homes, businesses, and industrial facilities. Demand is steady year-round, the work is recession-resistant, and earnings are among the highest in the trades β especially for licensed master plumbers running their own businesses.
Plumbing suits problem-solvers who don't mind physical work and getting dirty. You'll be reading code, doing math (slope, sizing, pressure), troubleshooting leaks and clogs, and increasingly diagnosing tankless water heaters and high-efficiency boilers.
Service plumbers run 5-8 calls a day: clogs, leaks, fixture replacements, water heater swaps. Construction plumbers work on rough-in (under-slab, in-wall) and trim (final fixture install) on new builds. Commercial work involves larger pipe sizes and more complex venting/sizing.
Earning certifications like Journeyman Plumber and Master Plumber can increase your employability and qualify you for higher-paying positions. Many Plumbing training programs include certification prep as part of the curriculum.
Plumbing is not one job β it's a family of related roles. Choosing a specialization early can shape your training, certifications, and earning ceiling.
Diagnose and repair. Most customer-facing role.
Rough-in and trim on housing developments and commercial.
Large buildings, healthcare, industrial. Larger pipe, more code.
Often a separate license. Higher-pay specialty.
Certification niche. Recurring annual testing work.
Local hiring conditions matter more than national averages. These states currently have the strongest combination of employer demand, training infrastructure, and pay.
TSBPE-licensed pathway, strong housing demand
High wages, especially in Bay Area and LA
NYC Master Plumber license commands top pay
Year-round construction and replacement work
Phoenix metro residential growth
$63,800
National median salary
6.8%
10-year job growth
9-24 months
Typical training length
Realistic pay range
$40,000β$90,000
Entry to experienced
Training cost range
$4,500β$19,000
Public to private programs
1247 Jimmie Kerr Road, Graham, NC 27253
$5,056
2 years
View Details β809 Second Ave, Seward, AK 99664
$3,287
9 months
View Details β1704 South Slappey Blvd, Albany, GA 31701
$1,284
8 weeks
View Details β4700 College Oak Drive, Sacramento, CA 95841
$3,000
12-24 months
View Details β101 College Parkway, Arnold, MD 21012
$3,429
3 months
View Details β11-05 44th Drive, Long Island City, NY 11101
$18,400
8 months
View Details βShowing 6 of 276 schools. Select a state in the sidebar to view all schools in your area.
National figures for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The 90th percentile is a better guide to what the trade can pay than the median, which describes the middle of the field.
$63,800
Median pay
$108,420
Top 10% earn above
$44,150
Lowest 10% earn below
465,840
Employed nationally
Employment is projected to grow 6.8% over 2025-2035, with about 42,000 openings a year from growth and retirements combined. The typical way in is high school diploma or equivalent, followed by apprenticeship.
Median annual pay varies roughly two to one across states. Cost of living explains part of the gap; union density and local construction demand explain the rest.
| State | Median pay | vs national |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $101,020 | +58% |
| Illinois | $99,950 | +57% |
| Oregon | $97,050 | +52% |
| Minnesota | $94,410 | +48% |
| Alaska | $93,920 | +47% |
| Massachusetts | $93,880 | +47% |
| Wisconsin | $81,210 | +27% |
| Washington | $81,030 | +27% |
| Michigan | $80,190 | +26% |
| Montana | $79,960 | +25% |
| New Jersey | $78,240 | +23% |
| Hawaii | $78,060 | +22% |
| New York | $77,490 | +21% |
| Connecticut | $77,280 | +21% |
| Rhode Island | $76,470 | +20% |
| Indiana | $76,320 | +20% |
| California | $72,830 | +14% |
| Pennsylvania | $68,080 | +7% |
| New Hampshire | $66,810 | +5% |
| Missouri | $66,790 | +5% |
| Maryland | $65,400 | +3% |
| Kansas | $65,220 | +2% |
| Kentucky | $64,160 | +1% |
| Maine | $64,000 | 0% |
| Iowa | $63,890 | 0% |
| Louisiana | $63,680 | 0% |
| North Dakota | $63,560 | 0% |
| Ohio | $63,330 | -1% |
| Colorado | $63,240 | -1% |
| Wyoming | $62,410 | -2% |
| Vermont | $62,170 | -3% |
| Arizona | $62,070 | -3% |
| Utah | $61,900 | -3% |
| Nevada | $61,610 | -3% |
| New Mexico | $61,440 | -4% |
| Nebraska | $60,970 | -4% |
| Virginia | $60,470 | -5% |
| Texas | $59,840 | -6% |
| Alabama | $58,670 | -8% |
| Tennessee | $58,600 | -8% |
| Oklahoma | $57,970 | -9% |
| Georgia | $57,200 | -10% |
| North Carolina | $57,080 | -11% |
| West Virginia | $56,980 | -11% |
| Mississippi | $55,480 | -13% |
| South Carolina | $53,940 | -15% |
| Florida | $52,910 | -17% |
| Idaho | $52,380 | -18% |
| Arkansas | $48,660 | -24% |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. States shown are those with schools listed on this site.
Certificate or diploma programs run 9-18 months. After school, most states require an apprenticeship period (typically 4 years) before you can sit for a journeyman exam, with another 2-5 years for master plumber.
Very close β BLS median is $59,880 for plumbers vs $60,040 for electricians. Master plumbers running their own service businesses often out-earn electricians, but commercial union electricians can earn more in major metros.
Yes β strong wages, recession-resistant demand, and a clear path to running your own business. The aging tradesperson workforce means apprentices entering today have 30+ years of strong opportunity ahead.