Apprenticeship

Plumber Apprenticeships

What a plumber apprenticeship pays, how long it runs, what the application requires, and what the licence at the end lets you do.

Length: 4–5 years
Tuition: None
Journeyman median: $61,550/yr

Plumbers install and service the piping systems that deliver potable water, remove waste and carry fuel gas. The classification covers plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, which diverge significantly once you pass the apprenticeship: residential service work looks nothing like process piping in a refinery. Licensing is state-administered and almost always requires documented apprenticeship hours.

Year one pay: $27,698; About 45% of journeyman scale
Journeyman median: $61,550; $29.59 per hour
Tuition debt: $0; You are paid to train

What you earn at each step

Apprentice wages are set as a percentage of journeyman scale and step up on a published schedule as you accumulate hours and classroom credits. The figures below apply the typical step schedule to the national median — your local’s wage sheet is the authoritative number.

Step	Share of scale	Approximate hourly	Approximate annual
Year 1	45%	$13.32	$27,698
Year 2	55%	$16.27	$33,853
Year 3	68%	$20.12	$41,854
Year 4	82%	$24.26	$50,471
Journeyman	100%	$29.59	$61,550

What the application requires

Education: High school diploma or equivalent
Training route: 4–5 year paid apprenticeship through a union local or a licensed contractor
Age: 18 or over. Registered programmes cannot set a maximum age.
Mathematics: One year of high school algebra with a passing grade. This is the most common reason applications stall, and one semester at a community college clears it.
Aptitude test: Most programmes test algebra and reading comprehension, with some mechanical and spatial reasoning. Free practice material is widely available; preparing genuinely moves your ranking.
Physical: Extended kneeling, crawling and overhead work in tight spaces. Lifting water heaters and cast iron is routine. Exposure to sewage requires strict hygiene practice.
Licensing outcome: Nearly every state licenses journeyman and master plumbers; gas fitting is often a separate endorsement.

Where to find programmes

Search the U.S. Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship Finder at apprenticeship.gov, then contact the union local, the ABC or IEC chapter, and licensed contractors in your area directly. Apply to all three routes in the same cycle — they have different intake calendars and different selection criteria.

Where it leads

After licensing, pay diverges by specialization far more than by years served. These are the paths most plumbers choose between.

Residential service and repair
New construction rough-in
Commercial plumbing
Pipefitter (process and mechanical)
Steamfitter (high-pressure steam)
Medical gas installer
Backflow prevention tester
Drain and sewer specialist

Common questions

How much do plumber apprentices make?

Apprentices typically start near 45 percent of journeyman scale and step up on a published schedule. Against a national journeyman median of $61,550, that is roughly $27,698 in year one, rising to around $50,471 by the final year. Local scale varies substantially.

How long is a plumber apprenticeship?

4–5 years (roughly 8,000 on-the-job hours). The hours, not the calendar, are what qualify you to sit the licence exam, so working consistently matters more than time elapsed.

What do I need to apply?

High school diploma or equivalent is the baseline, plus being 18 or over, a valid driver's licence, reliable transportation, and one year of high school algebra with a passing grade. Most programmes also require passing an aptitude test, an interview, and a drug screen.

What licence does this lead to?

Nearly every state licenses journeyman and master plumbers; gas fitting is often a separate endorsement.

Licensing authority by state

Apprenticeship hours are portable, but licensing is not. Confirm the requirements with the board in the state where you intend to work before you start accumulating hours somewhere else.

Arizona
California
Colorado
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
Nevada
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Washington
Wisconsin