The Reality.
Five-year UA apprenticeship is the gold standard. Service plumbers running their own truck routinely clear six figures. Commercial pipefitting on industrial projects pays even more but is hard travel. The job involves crawl spaces, raw sewage, and tight deadlines — it's not a glamour trade.
The Money.
| Stage | Hourly | Approx. annual (40 hr × 50 wk) |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 apprentice | $17–$25/hr | $34,000 – $50,000 |
| Journeyman (top of scale) | $35–$58/hr | $70,000 – $116,000 |
| BLS national median (all stages) | — | $62,970 |
| BLS top 10% (90th percentile) | — | $104,920 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS (May 2024 release). Apprentice/journeyman hourly ranges synthesized from union scale data and reported non-union rates. Major-metro union scale runs higher; smaller markets run lower.
The Path.
- · OSHA 10
- · Medical Gas (MGP)
- · Backflow
- · Journeyman license
- · Master license
What the recruiter won't tell you.
- 01Plumbing license is separate from electrical in most states — different board, different exam.
- 02Texas has TWO licenses for plumbing — TSBPE plumber + TDLR for HVAC. Don't conflate them.
- 03Master plumber requires 2+ years as journeyman in most states before you can apply.
- 04Service plumbing pays on commission — top earners crush it, bottom 25% earn less than commercial.
The Tool Bill.
What you'll spend on tools in your first year. Don't let anyone tell you it's less.
More in mechanical trades.
All trades →Installs, maintains, repairs heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration. Year-round demand, climate-change tailwind.
Installs, modernizes, and repairs elevators and escalators. The highest-paid construction trade in the BLS data.
Fabricates and installs ductwork, roofing, gutters, and architectural metal. The unseen trade that makes HVAC actually work.