Jetted FoxCareers · Plumbing, heating & cooling
Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
Install and repair the pipes that carry water, gas, waste and steam in buildings. No college degree needed.
Start now · paid while you train
Starting pay ranges from about $18.82/hr in Arkansas to $36.02/hr in Oregon.
Pay in every state
| State | Start | 2 years |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $18.14–22.63/hr | $28.21/hr |
| Alaska | $25.83–35.40/hr | $45.15/hr |
| Arizona | $21.94–23.84/hr | $29.84/hr |
| Arkansas | $16.06–18.82/hr | $23.39/hr |
| California | $22.76–28.36/hr | $35.01/hr |
| Colorado | $22.97–25.18/hr | $30.40/hr |
| Connecticut | $21.96–27.68/hr | $37.16/hr |
| Delaware | $19.71–24.93/hr | $31.11/hr |
| Florida | $18.72–22.70/hr | $25.44/hr |
| Georgia | $18.12–21.70/hr | $27.50/hr |
| Hawaii | $22.96–29.60/hr | $37.53/hr |
| Idaho | $18.96–22.21/hr | $25.18/hr |
| Illinois | $24.16–34.65/hr | $48.05/hr |
| Indiana | $22.54–27.89/hr | $36.69/hr |
| Iowa | $21.88–24.95/hr | $30.72/hr |
| Kansas | $18.81–23.67/hr | $31.36/hr |
| Kentucky | $21.57–24.04/hr | $30.84/hr |
| Louisiana | $18.33–24.40/hr | $30.62/hr |
| Maine | $23.13–29.47/hr | $30.77/hr |
| Maryland | $21.94–26.34/hr | $31.44/hr |
| Massachusetts | $25.01–29.74/hr | $45.14/hr |
| Michigan | $22.38–27.93/hr | $38.56/hr |
| Minnesota | $23.42–29.40/hr | $45.39/hr |
| Mississippi | $17.23–19.72/hr | $26.67/hr |
| Missouri | $21.53–24.35/hr | $32.11/hr |
| Montana | $23.20–29.32/hr | $38.44/hr |
| Nebraska | $20.59–23.21/hr | $29.31/hr |
| Nevada | $20.29–23.34/hr | $29.62/hr |
| New Hampshire | $21.56–25.29/hr | $32.12/hr |
| New Jersey | $23.42–29.72/hr | $37.61/hr |
| New Mexico | $17.39–21.72/hr | $29.54/hr |
| New York | $22.18–28.83/hr | $37.26/hr |
| North Carolina | $18.69–22.38/hr | $27.44/hr |
| North Dakota | $21.89–23.92/hr | $30.56/hr |
| Ohio | $21.86–24.06/hr | $30.45/hr |
| Oklahoma | $18.26–21.78/hr | $27.87/hr |
| Oregon | $27.99–36.02/hr | $46.66/hr |
| Pennsylvania | $22.49–27.83/hr | $32.73/hr |
| Rhode Island | $23.89–28.24/hr | $36.77/hr |
| South Carolina | $18.11–22.31/hr | $25.93/hr |
| South Dakota | $18.86–22.18/hr | $24.82/hr |
| Tennessee | $18.52–22.72/hr | $28.17/hr |
| Texas | $18.40–22.78/hr | $28.77/hr |
| Utah | $21.09–23.62/hr | $29.76/hr |
| Vermont | $23.46–26.99/hr | $29.89/hr |
| Virginia | $21.14–23.72/hr | $29.07/hr |
| Washington | $23.79–28.86/hr | $38.96/hr |
| Washington, DC | $25.15–35.88/hr | $48.57/hr |
| West Virginia | $17.31–21.16/hr | $27.39/hr |
| Wisconsin | $24.05–29.53/hr | $39.04/hr |
| Wyoming | $21.04–23.25/hr | $30.01/hr |
Estimates, May 2025. Start = what the lowest-paid 10–25% earn; 2 years = the median. US Bureau of Labor Statistics
What it takes
Before you're hired
Also: 18+ · Driver's license · Drug test
Once you're hired
Journeyman plumber license: required in most states. It lets you do plumbing work without direct supervision. Rules differ by state; check your state's licensing board.
Other way in: Hired as a plumber's helper.
A normal day
You start early at a job site or a customer's house, carrying tools and pipe to where the work is. You cut, fit and join pipe, crawl under floors, work in tight spaces and fix leaks, clogs and water heaters. As an apprentice you work beside a licensed plumber who checks your work.
The good parts
Paid apprenticeship: you earn while you learn, with no school debt. Plumbers are needed everywhere, so work is steady. A license lets you run your own business.
The hard parts
Sewage, bad smells and cramped crawlspaces are part of the job. Hard on knees, back and shoulders over the years. Apprentice pay starts low and rises as you progress; emergency calls can mean nights and weekends.
Where it leads
journeyman license after the apprenticeship, then master plumber, foreman or running your own plumbing company.
Quick answers
Do plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters need a college degree?
No. You can start now: paid while you train.
How long is the training for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters?
4–5 year paid apprenticeship.
How much do plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters make?
About $21.22–24.13 an hour to start and $30.67 an hour at the median across the US (May 2025).
Is it a fit for you?
Answer a few questions and see your paths. Free, about 7 minutes.
Last updated October 13, 2026. Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Jobs: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Training, costs and requirements: Jetted Fox research (estimates). This site includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Jetted Fox has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Facts, not advice.