Plumber & Pipefitter Apprenticeship in District of Columbia

Wages, programs & career outlook

Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters install and repair the piping systems that carry water, gas, steam, and waste. Residential plumbers work on homes; pipefitters and steamfitters handle industrial and commercial systems with higher pressures and tighter tolerances.

DC Median Salary
$81,950/yr
+30% vs. national
National Median
$62,970/yr
DC Employment
640
Plumber & Pipefitters employed
DC Sponsors
2
Registered programs
Training Term
4.0 yrs
Time-Based
Job Growth
4.5%
2024–2034 projected
Annual Openings
44,000
Nationally, per yr

Plumber & Pipefitter Apprenticeship in District of Columbia: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered plumber & pipefitter apprenticeship in District of Columbia combines paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Programs typically run 4.0 years and follow a time-based structure. You earn wages from day one — apprentices are employees, not students.

District of Columbia pay vs. national

Median plumber & pipefitter wages in District of Columbia are $81,950/year, +30% above the national median of $62,970. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

District of Columbia has 2 registered apprenticeship sponsors for plumber & pipefitter listed in the U.S. Department of Labor's apprenticeship.gov directory. The sponsor list further down includes joint labor-management programs (JATCs), individual employers, and contractor associations.

Job-market outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 4.5% job growth for plumber & pipefitters nationally between 2024 and 2034, with approximately 44,000 annual openings each year (replacement plus growth combined). Apprenticeship demand tends to track local construction and infrastructure spending — District of Columbia-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

District of Columbia Wage Spread

Annual wages for Plumber & Pipefitters in District of Columbia across all experience levels.

10th pct
$48,730
Median
$81,950
90th pct
$107,270
Middle 50% of workers earn $61,760$102,820

Current Plumber & Pipefitter Apprenticeship Openings in District of Columbia

No plumber & pipefitter apprenticeship openings are currently listed on apprenticeship.gov for District of Columbia. The sponsors listed below accept applications on a rolling basis — contact them directly. Consider setting up an alert on apprenticeship.gov to be notified when new listings are posted.

Listings aggregated from apprenticeship.gov (US Dept. of Labor). Data refreshed daily.

Plumber & Pipefitter Apprenticeship Sponsors in District of Columbia

2 plumber & pipefitter-related registered sponsors identified in the DOL ApprenticeshipUSA directory for District of Columbia. Directory lists sponsor names only — contact each organization directly to confirm current plumber & pipefitter apprenticeship openings.

Organization City County
Potomac Fire Protection Company, Inc. Washington
Ruth Plumbing LLC Washington
Search apprenticeship.gov for current Plumber & Pipefitter openings

Filter by occupation code 47-2152 and state DC for the most relevant results.

Plumber & Pipefitter Apprenticeship in District of Columbia

District of Columbia has only 2 Plumber & Pipefitter-adjacent registered sponsors in our directory — program slots may be competitive and early applications give the best shot at placement. Direct outreach to union halls in the state's largest cities often matters more than formal application windows.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do Plumber & Pipefitters earn in District of Columbia?
Plumber & Pipefitters in District of Columbia earn a median salary of $81,950/yr according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2024). This is above the national median of $62,970 for the trade.
How long is a Plumber & Pipefitter apprenticeship?
A typical Plumber & Pipefitter apprenticeship lasts approximately 4 years (8,000 hours of on-the-job training). The program combines paid work experience with related classroom instruction.
What's the difference between a Plumber & Pipefitter apprenticeship and trade school?
Apprenticeships offer paid training with no tuition, while trade school requires upfront costs but may be shorter. Many Plumber & Pipefitters combine both — starting with trade school basics before entering an apprenticeship.
How do I find a Plumber & Pipefitter apprenticeship in District of Columbia?
Our directory surfaces 2 Plumber & Pipefitter-related registered sponsors in District of Columbia. Start with your local trade union hall, joint apprenticeship committee (JAC), or state apprenticeship agency. You can also search apprenticeship.gov by occupation and ZIP.
Do Plumber & Pipefitter apprentices get paid during training?
Yes. Apprentices earn wages from day one, typically starting at 40–60% of the journeyman rate (roughly $40,975/yr in District of Columbia). Wages increase at regular intervals — usually every 6 months — as you progress through the program.

Prefer Trade School Instead?

Apprenticeships pay from day one, but the classroom-first path may fit better for some. Plumber & Pipefitters also train through trade school programs — shorter timeline, more upfront cost.

Compare 19 Plumbing and Related Water Supply Services programs nationwide →
Too few District of Columbia-based programs to compare locally — see the national list and filter.

Plumber & Pipefitter in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in District of Columbia

Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2024, DOL RAPIDS Registered Apprenticeship database, ApprenticeshipUSA Sponsor Directory.