Plumber & Pipefitter Apprenticeship in Pennsylvania

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.

PA Median Salary
$66,650/yr
+6% vs. national
National Median
$62,970/yr
PA Employment
13,990
Plumber & Pipefitters employed
PA Sponsors
155
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 Pennsylvania: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered plumber & pipefitter apprenticeship in Pennsylvania 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.

Pennsylvania pay vs. national

Median plumber & pipefitter wages in Pennsylvania are $66,650/year, +6% above the national median of $62,970. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

Pennsylvania has 155 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 — Pennsylvania-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Pennsylvania Wage Spread

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

10th pct
$45,070
Median
$66,650
90th pct
$108,770
Middle 50% of workers earn $51,990$82,700

Current Plumber & Pipefitter Apprenticeship Openings in Pennsylvania

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

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

Organization City County
Elek Plumbing Allentown
FRED J. MOYER PLUMBING INC Allentown Lehigh County
Pye-Barker, 4th, Allentown: Sprinkler Allentown
Pye-Barker- Schantz, Allentown; Sprinkler Allentown
John E Luskin & Son Plumbing and Heating Ambler
PlumbPro Services Ambler
Bill Haggerty Plumbing & Heating Aston Delaware County
Rabe Plumbing and Heating Aston
Rhino Plumbing Company Baden
Deluxe Plumbing & Heating Bethelehem
Solder and Company Plumbing & Heating Bethlehem
DAMIANI PLUMBING LLC Blandon Berks County
TACTICAL PLUMBING & HEATING LLC Blandon Berks County
Tactical Plumbing & Heating Blandun
SELLY'S PLUMBING INC Boyertown Berks County
Roto Rooter Service Co Bristol
Tyler Plumbing Bristol
ADELPHIA FIRE PROTECTION INC. Brodheadsville Monroe County
Donald R. Duck Jr Plumbing & Heating Brookhaven
BANES & DAUGHTERS PLUMBING & HEATING Broomall Delaware County
FEEHAN PLUMBING & HEATING, INC. Broomall Delaware County
Falcone & Truman Plumbing & Heating Inc Broomall
JOHN MCCUEN PLUMBING HEATING AIR-CONDITIONING INC Broomall Delaware County
John Briddes Plumbing & Heating Broomall
John Luke Plumbing & Heating Broomall
+ 130 more sponsors in Pennsylvania
Search apprenticeship.gov for current Plumber & Pipefitter openings

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

Plumber & Pipefitter Apprenticeship in Pennsylvania

Prospective Plumber & Pipefitter apprentices in Pennsylvania have 155 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

What is the average Plumber & Pipefitter salary in Pennsylvania?
The BLS reports a median wage of $66,650/yr for Plumber & Pipefitters in Pennsylvania (May 2024 data). Experience, union membership, and specialization all affect where you fall in the range.
How long is a Plumber & Pipefitter apprenticeship?
Most Plumber & Pipefitter apprenticeships run 4 years. Apprentices work under a journeyman while attending classes, typically earning wages from day one with scheduled increases.
What's the difference between a Plumber & Pipefitter apprenticeship and trade school?
The key difference: apprenticeships pay you during training while trade schools charge tuition. Many employers prefer apprenticeship-trained Plumber & Pipefitters, but trade school can give you a head start on the classroom requirements.
How do I find a Plumber & Pipefitter apprenticeship in Pennsylvania?
Contact one of the 155 Plumber & Pipefitter-adjacent registered sponsors in Pennsylvania (listed below), or search apprenticeship.gov for current openings. Local union halls, community colleges, and the state apprenticeship agency are good first stops.
How much do Plumber & Pipefitter apprentices earn?
Apprentices are paid employees from the start. In Pennsylvania, a first-year Plumber & Pipefitter apprentice might earn around $33,325/yr (roughly half the $66,650 journeyman median), with scheduled raises throughout the 4-year 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 Pennsylvania-based programs to compare locally — see the national list and filter.

Plumber & Pipefitter in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Pennsylvania

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