Wondering how to become a plumber? The short answer: you finish high school or earn a GED, get hired into a paid apprenticeship, work roughly four to five years under a licensed plumber while taking classroom instruction, then pass your state’s licensing exam. You do not need a four-year degree, and in most cases you do not need to pay tuition — apprentices are employees who earn a wage from day one.
That’s the whole route in one sentence, but the details matter. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, most plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters learn the trade through a 4- or 5-year apprenticeship, receiving about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training plus technical instruction each year. BLS also notes that most states require plumbers to be licensed — but the exact rules are set by your state, not by the federal government.
Below is what actually happens at each stage, what the pay really looks like based on federal wage data, and the parts people most often misunderstand. Nothing here guarantees you a spot in a program or a license — those depend on your application, your state board, and the employers hiring near you. But knowing how the system works puts you well ahead of most applicants.
How to Become a Plumber: The Five Real Steps
The path is more standardized than most careers, which is one of its advantages. Here is the sequence almost everyone follows when figuring out how to become a plumber.
- Finish high school or earn a GED. Most registered apprenticeship programs require applicants to be at least 18 and to hold a high school diploma or equivalent. Take algebra, geometry, and any shop or drafting class offered.
- Apply to an apprenticeship. BLS notes these programs are sponsored by unions, trade associations, and businesses. You can search registered programs through the U.S. Department of Labor’s apprenticeship.gov site.
- Work and study at the same time. Expect roughly 2,000 paid hours a year on job sites plus classroom instruction covering safety, local plumbing codes, blueprint reading, math, applied physics, and chemistry.
- Sit for your journey-level licensing exam. This is set by your state or, in some places, your city or county.
- Consider a master license later. Many states require additional years of journey-level experience before you can apply, which is what lets you pull permits and run your own shop.
What Plumbers Actually Earn
This is usually the real question behind how to become a plumber, so here are the federal numbers rather than recruiter promises.
According to BLS data for May 2024, the median annual wage for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters was $62,970. The lowest-paid 10 percent earned less than $40,670, and the highest-paid 10 percent earned more than $105,150. For comparison, BLS reported the median wage for all workers was $49,500 in May 2024.
| Stage | Typical earnings | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Helper / pre-apprentice | $43,730 median (May 2024) | BLS OEWS, helpers category |
| Apprentice | A percentage of journey wage, rising on a set schedule | Set by your program’s standards |
| Licensed plumber (median) | $62,970 (May 2024) | BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook |
| Top 10 percent | More than $105,150 (May 2024) | BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook |
| All U.S. workers (median) | $49,500 (May 2024) | BLS |
Apprentice pay is a percentage of the journey-level rate that steps up as you log hours — the exact schedule is written into each program’s standards, so ask for it in writing before you sign. Wages also swing a lot by metro area and by whether you land residential, commercial, or industrial work.
How to Become a Plumber Without Going Into Debt
The financial math is the strongest argument for this trade. In a registered apprenticeship you are a paid employee, so the “earn while you learn” structure the Department of Labor describes is literal: your training is on the employer’s clock.
Some people start instead at a community college or trade school program, which does cost tuition. If that’s your route, file the FAFSA at studentaid.gov — federal aid covers eligible career and trade schools, not just four-year colleges. Federal Student Aid lists the maximum Federal Pell Grant at $7,395 for the 2026–27 award year.
The Department of Education has also finalized a Workforce Pell Grant program, effective July 1, 2026, extending Pell eligibility to certain short-term workforce programs as brief as eight weeks. Whether a specific plumbing program qualifies depends on state determinations and program-level metrics, so ask the school’s financial aid office directly about your program and your situation. Aid rules vary by school, and only they can tell you what you’d actually receive.
Licensing Rules Vary by State — Here’s How to Check
This is the part where you should distrust any article that hands you one national number. Plumbing licensing is not federally standardized; it is regulated at the state and sometimes county or city level. Experience requirements, exam content, fees, and renewal cycles all differ.
Some states let classroom hours substitute for a portion of the required work experience. Some require a set number of journey-level years before a master license. A few localities license separately from the state. Anyone telling you the exact hour count for your state without naming your state is guessing.
To verify: search for your state’s plumbing board, contractor licensing board, or department of labor and read the requirements page yourself. Then confirm with the city or county where you plan to work, since local rules can stack on top of state ones. Do this before you pay for any exam-prep course.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception about how to become a plumber is that you go to school first and get hired after. In this trade it’s usually the reverse — the job comes first, and the schooling runs alongside it. Applying to apprenticeships is closer to a job search than a college application.
Second misconception: that apprenticeship slots are easy to get. Competitive union and contractor programs get far more applicants than openings and may use aptitude tests, interviews, and waitlists. Applying to several programs and taking helper or pre-apprentice work in the meantime improves your odds — though nothing makes acceptance certain.
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Third: people assume plumbing is a shrinking field. BLS projects employment of plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 44,000 openings projected each year over the decade, mostly from workers retiring or moving on.
Fourth: the job is physical and sometimes unpleasant, and no honest guide should skip that. It involves confined spaces, weather, on-call nights, and real injury risk. That’s the trade-off for the pay and the low debt.
How to Become a Plumber While You’re Still in High School
You can start before graduation. Ask your counselor whether your district offers a pre-apprenticeship, a career and technical education plumbing pathway, or a youth apprenticeship — the Department of Labor’s apprenticeship.gov maintains resources aimed specifically at young people.
Practical moves that help: keep your math grades solid, get a driver’s license, stay drug-test eligible since most contractors test, and build any hands-on résumé you can — landscaping, warehouse, or general construction labor all count as evidence you show up. If you’re already out of school, a GED plus a clean driving record puts you in the same applicant pool.
One more step people skip when researching how to become a plumber: talk to two or three working plumbers in your area. Ask what their apprenticeship paid, which programs they’d apply to again, and what the local market looks like. That local intelligence beats any national average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does how to become a plumber change if I already have a college degree?
The core path is the same — you still need an apprenticeship and a state license. A degree doesn’t shorten the required hours. It may help in interviews or later if you move into estimating, project management, or running your own business.
How long does the whole process take?
BLS describes plumbing apprenticeships as typically 4 or 5 years. Some states or programs grant credit for prior training or experience, which can shorten it. Reaching a master license generally takes additional years beyond that, and the requirement varies by state.
Do I have to join a union?
No. BLS notes apprenticeship programs are sponsored by unions, trade associations, and businesses alike. Union and non-union (often called merit shop or open shop) programs both exist. Pay, benefits, and training structure differ, so compare the actual written standards of each program near you.
Can I get financial aid if I choose trade school instead of an apprenticeship?
Possibly. Federal aid covers eligible career and trade schools, and you apply the same way — through the FAFSA at studentaid.gov. Whether your specific program qualifies and how much you’d receive depends on the school and your circumstances, so contact that school’s financial aid office directly.
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Sources & How to Verify
The facts on this page are drawn from official government and primary sources. Rules, figures, and program details change, so always confirm the current details with the official agency, your school’s financial aid office, or the program’s own published rules.
- Federal Student Aid: studentaid.gov — the official source for FAFSA, grants, work-study, and aid rules
- FTC Consumer Advice: consumer.ftc.gov — scholarship and financial aid scam guidance
- IRS: irs.gov — how scholarships and fellowships are treated for taxes
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: bls.gov/ooh — official wage and job-outlook data for every career
- Your school’s financial aid office: aid rules vary by school — for your specific situation, their answer is the one that counts
Content last reviewed August 2026. If you notice outdated information, please contact us.
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Informational only — not legal, tax, financial, or academic advice. Spot Scholarships is an independent educational resource. Financial aid rules, scholarship terms, school policies, and licensing requirements vary by school, program, and state and change over time, so always verify the current details with your school’s financial aid office, the official agency, or the program’s published rules before acting. Nothing on this page guarantees admission, aid, or an award.