Best programs to become a plumber
You do not need a college degree to become a plumber. BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The field of study that leads most directly to this job is Plumbing and Related Water Supply Services (IPEDS completions).
3 college programs at 162 schools train plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters, graduating 4,187 people a year (IPEDS completions). The job pays a median of $63,800 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
Assemble, install, alter, and repair pipelines or pipe systems that carry water, steam, air, or other liquids or gases. May install heating and cooling equipment and mechanical control systems. Includes sprinkler fitters.
Best programs to study to become a plumber
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plumbing Technology/Plumbermain feeder CIP 46.0503 | 3,426 | 81.8% | 150 | $35,730 | $9,500 |
| 2 | Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fittermain feeder CIP 46.0502 | 698 | 16.7% | 21 | $35,730 | $9,500 |
| 3 | CIP 46.0599 | 63 | 1.5% | 2 | $35,730 | $9,500 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
What plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | $52,910 | 29,260 | 0.98× | 20 | 536 |
| California | $72,830 | 47,660 | 0.87× | 10 | 314 |
| Indianalimited | $76,320 | 11,280 | 1.18× | 1 | 309 |
| New York | $77,490 | 23,210 | 0.80× | 5 | 241 |
| Ohiolimited | $63,330 | 16,390 | 0.99× | 2 | 224 |
| Wisconsin | $81,210 | 10,210 | 1.16× | 9 | 217 |
| Pennsylvania | $68,080 | 13,620 | 0.75× | 10 | 195 |
| Utah | $61,900 | 7,030 | 1.35× | 7 | 190 |
| Arizona | $62,070 | 11,810 | 1.22× | 7 | 181 |
| Minnesota | $94,410 | 10,720 | 1.21× | 8 | 169 |
| Texas | $59,840 | 44,090 | 1.05× | 6 | 162 |
| New Jerseymoderate | $78,240 | 8,750 | 0.68× | 4 | 142 |
| Connecticutmoderate | $77,280 | 5,410 | 1.07× | 3 | 112 |
| Alabamamoderate | $58,670 | 6,950 | 1.10× | 3 | 104 |
| Iowa | $63,890 | 5,730 | 1.23× | 5 | 85 |
| Kansas | $65,220 | 4,590 | 1.06× | 6 | 84 |
| North Carolina | $57,080 | 14,510 | 0.98× | 5 | 80 |
| Missourilimited | $66,790 | 8,310 | 0.95× | 2 | 68 |
| Tennessee | $58,600 | 9,270 | 0.94× | 5 | 68 |
| Maine | $64,000 | 2,710 | 1.41× | 5 | 61 |
| Kentuckymoderate | $64,160 | 6,360 | 1.06× | 3 | 60 |
| Michiganmoderate | $80,190 | 14,120 | 1.07× | 3 | 57 |
| Georgiamoderate | $57,200 | 8,930 | 0.61× | 4 | 54 |
| Illinoislimited | $99,950 | 16,750 | 0.92× | 2 | 39 |
| South Dakotalimited | $51,620 | 1,760 | 1.28× | 2 | 36 |
| Oklahomamoderate | $57,970 | 6,050 | 1.18× | 4 | 34 |
| Washingtonlimited | $81,030 | 12,470 | 1.17× | 1 | 33 |
| Rhode Islandlimited | $76,470 | 1,820 | 1.21× | 1 | 23 |
| Oregonlimited | $97,050 | 5,370 | 0.91× | 1 | 22 |
| Nebraskamoderate | $60,970 | 4,110 | 1.34× | 3 | 19 |
| New Mexicomoderate | $61,440 | 2,830 | 1.09× | 3 | 19 |
| North Dakotalimited | $63,560 | 1,620 | 1.26× | 1 | 16 |
| Mississippilimited | $55,480 | 3,360 | 0.96× | 1 | 13 |
| Montanalimited | $79,960 | 1,860 | 1.22× | 1 | 12 |
| Delawarelimited | $64,720 | 1,590 | 1.10× | 1 | 11 |
| Louisianalimited | $63,680 | 8,360 | 1.44× | 1 | 10 |
| Massachusettslimited | $93,880 | 13,460 | 1.24× | 1 | 10 |
| South Carolinalimited | $53,940 | 5,770 | 0.84× | 1 | 4 |
| Coloradolimited | $63,240 | 10,080 | 1.17× | 2 | 3 |
| West Virginialimited | $56,980 | 1,830 | 0.87× | 1 | 3 |
Skills and knowledge
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Shut off steam, water, or other gases or liquids from pipe sections, using valve keys or wrenches.
- Install underground storm, sanitary, or water piping systems, extending piping as needed to connect fixtures and plumbing.
- Assemble pipe sections, tubing, or fittings, using couplings, clamps, screws, bolts, cement, plastic solvent, caulking, or soldering, brazing, or welding equipment.
- Locate and mark the position of pipe installations, connections, passage holes, or fixtures in structures, using measuring instruments such as rulers or levels.
- Cut, thread, or hammer pipes to specifications, using tools such as saws, cutting torches, pipe threaders, or pipe benders.
- Lay out full scale drawings of pipe systems, supports, or related equipment, according to blueprints.
- Plan pipe system layout, installation, or repair, according to specifications.
- Review blueprints, building codes, or specifications to determine work details or procedures.
Skills
- Critical Thinking3.4
- Monitoring3.2
- Reading Comprehension3.1
- Speaking3.1
- Active Listening3.1
- Writing2.8
- Active Learning2.8
- Mathematics2.6
Knowledge areas
- Mechanical4.5
- Building and Construction4.5
- Customer and Personal Service4.0
- Design3.8
- Engineering and Technology3.6
- Public Safety and Security3.5
Abilities
- Problem Sensitivity3.6
- Near Vision3.6
- Oral Comprehension3.4
- Finger Dexterity3.4
- Extent Flexibility3.3
- Deductive Reasoning3.3
Core activities
- Getting Information4.2
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.0
- Performing General Physical Activities3.9
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events3.9
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials3.8
- Handling and Moving Objects3.7
How to get in
How to become a plumber
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Apprenticeship
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 3 majors mapped to Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters3 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 46.0502Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter
- 46.0503Plumbing Technology/Plumber
- 46.0599Plumbing and Related Water Supply Services, Other
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a plumber?+
You do not need a college degree to become a plumber. BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The field of study that leads most directly to this job is Plumbing and Related Water Supply Services (IPEDS completions).
Which college majors lead to becoming a plumber?+
The field of study that leads most directly to this job is Plumbing and Related Water Supply Services (IPEDS completions). In all, the NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 3 programs to this job, which together graduate about 4,187 people a year.
How much do plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters earn?+
The median is $63,800 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $44,150 at the 10th percentile to $108,420 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters growing?+
BLS projects a +4.5% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 44,000 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
162 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 3 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Plumber, Installer, Pipefitter, Steamfitter, Solar Installer, Solar Technician among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 47-2152.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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