How long does the training take?

Typically no schooling after high school, then a paid apprenticeship, usually three to five years. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.

How much do plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters make?

The US median is $63,800 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.

Do you need a degree for this work?

No. Most people train through a paid apprenticeship and earn while they learn.

Where can you train for this work?

141 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

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Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters: pay, training and the programs that lead there

Construction trades · SOC 47-2152

$63,800US median pay, 2025

+6.8%Projected growth, 2025–35

42,000Openings per year

ApprenticeshipUsual way in

How you get in

Usually learned through a paid apprenticeship: you earn a wage while you train.

High school diploma or equivalent
Apprenticeship
Work in: plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Programs that lead to this job

These are the federal program codes (CIP) that the Department of Education maps to this occupation, and how many US colleges, community colleges or trade schools report awarding credentials in each.

Program	Code	Schools
Plumbing Technology/Plumber	CIP 46.0503	119
Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter	CIP 46.0502	28
Plumbing and Related Water Supply Services, Other	CIP 46.0599	4

See the 141 schools that offer these programs →

Common questions

How long does the training take?: Typically no schooling after high school, then a paid apprenticeship, usually three to five years. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.
How much do plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters make?: The US median is $63,800 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.
Do you need a degree for this work?: No. Most people train through a paid apprenticeship and earn while they learn.
Where can you train for this work?: 141 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

Pay and growth are national figures. What you earn depends on where you work, your employer and your experience, and these are projections rather than promises. Education requirements describe how most people enter the job, not a rule — plenty of people take another route.

Pay, growth, openings and entry requirements: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Program-to-occupation mapping: NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk (2020/2018). School counts: IPEDS completions, 2022–23.

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