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Plumbing careers

How to become a plumber

The path from apprentice to licensed plumber, with pay and job outlook from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the license steps for all 50 states and DC.

The short answer

Most plumbers start with a high school diploma or equivalent and learn through a 4- or 5-year paid apprenticeship, then pass an exam for a journeyman license and later a master or contractor license. Most states and some cities require plumbers to be licensed, so the exact steps depend on where you work – choose your state below.

Pay and job outlook

$63,800

Median yearly pay for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, May 2025 (BLS).

7%

Projected job growth from 2025 to 2035, with about 42,000 openings a year (BLS).

4-5 years

Typical apprenticeship, with about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training a year (BLS).

The Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 510,600 jobs for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters in 2025 and projects growth of 7 percent from 2025 to 2035.

The usual path

  1. 1

    Apprentice

    Work under licensed plumbers while taking classroom instruction. The Department of Labor describes Registered Apprenticeships as paid jobs with wage increases as your skills grow and a portable, nationally recognized credential; it reports that 94 percent of apprentices who complete a program keep their employment.

  2. 2

    Journeyman

    After the required hours – often around 8,000 – pass the state or local exam to work on your own.

  3. 3

    Master or contractor

    More experience and another exam let you supervise others, pull permits or run a plumbing business.

  4. 4

    Keep learning

    Many states require continuing education to renew a license, often on code updates.

How long does it take? See the experience each state requires before the first license exam.

Choose your state

Each state page lists the official requirements we could confirm, who licenses plumbers, where to apply, and reciprocity for plumbers licensed elsewhere.

AlabamaStepsAlaskaStepsArizonaStepsArkansasStepsCaliforniaStepsColoradoStepsConnecticutStepsDelawareStepsFloridaStepsGeorgiaStepsHawaiiStepsIdahoStepsIllinoisStepsIndianaStepsIowaStepsKansasStepsKentuckyStepsLouisianaStepsMaineStepsMarylandStepsMassachusettsStepsMichiganStepsMinnesotaStepsMississippiStepsMissouriStepsMontanaStepsNebraskaStepsNevadaStepsNew HampshireStepsNew JerseyStepsNew MexicoStepsNew YorkStepsNorth CarolinaStepsNorth DakotaStepsOhioStepsOklahomaStepsOregonStepsPennsylvaniaStepsRhode IslandStepsSouth CarolinaStepsSouth DakotaStepsTennesseeStepsTexasStepsUtahStepsVermontStepsVirginiaStepsWashingtonStepsWashington, DCStepsWest VirginiaStepsWisconsinStepsWyomingSteps

Find an apprenticeship

Search registered programs at apprenticeship.gov. Local plumbing contractors – including those listed in this directory – and union locals also take on apprentices.

Already licensed?

List your plumbing business free so homeowners and builders in your city can find you.

Sources

  1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters
  2. U.S. Department of Labor – Apprenticeship.gov for career seekers
  3. U.S. Department of Labor – Apprenticeship 101 (PDF)
  4. Each state’s licensing agency, linked on its page
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