Plumber & Pipefitter Apprenticeship in Iowa

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.

IA Median Salary
$61,230/yr
-3% vs. national
National Median
$62,970/yr
IA Employment
6,350
Plumber & Pipefitters employed
IA Sponsors
215
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 Iowa: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered plumber & pipefitter apprenticeship in Iowa 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.

Iowa pay vs. national

Median plumber & pipefitter wages in Iowa are $61,230/year, -3% below the national median of $62,970. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

Iowa has 215 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 — Iowa-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Iowa Wage Spread

Annual wages for Plumber & Pipefitters in Iowa across all experience levels.

10th pct
$41,840
Median
$61,230
90th pct
$92,690
Middle 50% of workers earn $48,510$80,450

Current Plumber & Pipefitter Apprenticeship Openings in Iowa

No plumber & pipefitter apprenticeship openings are currently listed on apprenticeship.gov for Iowa. 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 Iowa

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

Organization City County
POTS PLUMBING AND HEATING (THE CEU AUTHORITY) Ackley Butler County
MidAmerican Energy- Gas JATC LU 109 & 499 Adel Dallas County
R&D PLUMBING (THE CEU AUTHORITY) Altoona Polk County
Oehl Plumbing & Heating (PHCC) Amana Iowa County
AKD PLUMBING, LLC (ABC) Ames Story County
Ames Plumbing Service Ames Story County
BETH & KELLY, INC. DBA BENJAMIN FRANKLIN PLUMBING (THE CEU AUTHORITY) Ames Story County
KOVARIK ONSTAT ELITE PLUMBING (ABC) Ames Story County
WATSON PLUMBING Ames
WATSON PLUMBING, INC. (CEU AUTHORITY) Ames Story County
Hinz Plumbing (PHCC) Anamosa Jones County
BROICH PLUMBING LLC Ankeny
Premier Plumbing (CEU) Ankeny Polk County
READ PLUMBING, LLC (ABC) Ankeny Story County
TOM'S PLUMBING AND HEATING, LLC (CEU AUTHORITY) Arnolds Park Dickinson County
CAMBLIN PLUMBING & HEATING (ABC) Atlantic Cass County
EHLEN PLUMBING & HEATING, INC. Belle Plaine
Ehlen Plumbing & Heating Inc (PHCC) Belle Plaine Benton County
BLASER PLUMBING INC (THE CEU AUTHORITY) Bellevue Jackson County
KINSETH PLUMBING AND HEATING (ABC) Belmond Wright County
Kinseth Plumbing & Heating, Inc Belmond
RIVER BEND PLUMBING Bettendorf
Rilco RR LLC DBA Roto-Rooter Bettendorf Scott County
Action Plus Plumbing Heating & Cooling (PHCC) Bondurant Polk County
Duncan Heating & Plumbing (CEU) Boone Boone County
+ 190 more sponsors in Iowa
Search apprenticeship.gov for current Plumber & Pipefitter openings

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

Plumber & Pipefitter Apprenticeship in Iowa

Prospective Plumber & Pipefitter apprentices in Iowa have 215 trade-specific registered sponsors to explore — a mix of union locals, contractors, and employer-sponsored programs. Most major metro areas have accessible entry points.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Plumber & Pipefitters make in Iowa?
The median annual wage for Plumber & Pipefitters in Iowa is $61,230 as of May 2024. Wages range from $41,840 at the 10th percentile to $92,690 at the 90th percentile.
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.
Is an apprenticeship better than trade school for Plumber & Pipefitters?
An apprenticeship lets you earn while you learn over 4 years with no tuition cost. Trade school is faster (6–24 months) but costs money upfront. Both can lead to the same journeyman credential.
How do I find a Plumber & Pipefitter apprenticeship in Iowa?
Our directory surfaces 215 Plumber & Pipefitter-related registered sponsors in Iowa. 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.
How much do Plumber & Pipefitter apprentices earn?
Yes. Apprentices earn wages from day one, typically starting at 40–60% of the journeyman rate (roughly $30,615/yr in Iowa). 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 Iowa-based programs to compare locally — see the national list and filter.

Plumber & Pipefitter in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Iowa

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