Plumber & Pipefitter Apprenticeship in Tennessee

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.

TN Median Salary
$57,730/yr
-8% vs. national
National Median
$62,970/yr
TN Employment
8,810
Plumber & Pipefitters employed
TN Sponsors
17
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 Tennessee: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered plumber & pipefitter apprenticeship in Tennessee 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.

Tennessee pay vs. national

Median plumber & pipefitter wages in Tennessee are $57,730/year, -8% below the national median of $62,970. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

Tennessee has 17 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 — Tennessee-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Tennessee Wage Spread

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

10th pct
$38,080
Median
$57,730
90th pct
$81,570
Middle 50% of workers earn $45,610$72,200

Current Plumber & Pipefitter Apprenticeship Openings in Tennessee

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

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

Organization City County
Steamfitters Local Union 614 Joint Apprenticeship Training Program Arlington Shelby County
Westlake Pipe and Fittings Brownsville
UA LOCAL 43 PLUMBERS STEAMFITTERS JATC Chattanooga Hamilton County
VSC Fire & Security, Inc. Gallatin Sumner County
Pye-Barker Fire & Safety LLC Hendersonville Sumner County
American Fire Protection Group Jackson Madison County
AO Smith Johnson City Washington County
Plumber and Pipefitters, Local Union 538 JATC Johnson City Washington County
J&J FIRE PROTECTION, LLC Knoxville Knox County
Plumbers & Steamfitters LU 102 JATC Knoxville Anderson County
TN PHCC Apprentice Program Knoxville Knox County
Ironsmith Fire, LLC Lavergne Rutherford County
Allstar Fire Protection Madison Davidson County
Pye Barker Fire and Safety Madison Davidson County
MEMPHIS PLUMBERS JAC Memphis Shelby County
AMERICAN FIRE PROTECTION GROUP Nashville Davidson County
Nashville Plumbers and Pipefitters Nashville Davidson County
Search apprenticeship.gov for current Plumber & Pipefitter openings

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

Plumber & Pipefitter Apprenticeship in Tennessee

Apprenticeship seekers in Tennessee can contact any of 17 trade-specific sponsors our directory surfaces. Coverage is reasonable in urban centers, thinner in rural regions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do Plumber & Pipefitters earn in Tennessee?
The BLS reports a median wage of $57,730/yr for Plumber & Pipefitters in Tennessee (May 2024 data). Experience, union membership, and specialization all affect where you fall in the range.
How many years does it take to become a Plumber & Pipefitter through apprenticeship?
The standard Plumber & Pipefitter apprenticeship is 4 years of combined on-the-job training and classroom education. Some programs offer accelerated paths for candidates with prior experience.
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.
Where can I apply for a Plumber & Pipefitter apprenticeship in Tennessee?
Contact one of the 17 Plumber & Pipefitter-adjacent registered sponsors in Tennessee (listed below), or search apprenticeship.gov for current openings. Local union halls, community colleges, and the state apprenticeship agency are good first stops.
Do Plumber & Pipefitter apprentices get paid during training?
Apprentices are paid employees from the start. In Tennessee, a first-year Plumber & Pipefitter apprentice might earn around $28,865/yr (roughly half the $57,730 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 Tennessee-based programs to compare locally — see the national list and filter.

Plumber & Pipefitter in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Tennessee

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