Plumber & Pipefitter Apprenticeship in Texas

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.

TX Median Salary
$58,560/yr
-7% vs. national
National Median
$62,970/yr
TX Employment
42,290
Plumber & Pipefitters employed
TX Sponsors
56
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 Texas: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered plumber & pipefitter apprenticeship in Texas 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.

Texas pay vs. national

Median plumber & pipefitter wages in Texas are $58,560/year, -7% below the national median of $62,970. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

Texas has 56 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 — Texas-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Texas Wage Spread

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

10th pct
$37,320
Median
$58,560
90th pct
$81,510
Middle 50% of workers earn $46,400$72,390

Current Plumber & Pipefitter Apprenticeship Openings in Texas

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

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

Organization City County
MMM Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Amarillo
City of Arlington - Water Utilities Arlington Tarrant County
AUSTIN AREA PLUMBERS & PIPEFITTERS JATC Austin Travis County
FIRETROL PROTECTION SYSTEMS-AUSTIN Austin Travis County
FIRETRON, INC. Austin Travis County
ASSOCIATION OF PLUMBING HEATING AND COOLING CONTRACTORS of Texas--Buda Buda Hays County
Absolute Pipeline Integrity LLC Carthage
AMERICAN FIRE PROTECTION GROUP, INC. College Station Brazos County
AFPG, INC. dba MUTUAL SPRINKLERS Dallas Dallas County
HOUSTON PIPEFITTERS JATC Deer Park Harris County
Association of Plumbing Heating and Cooling Contractors of El Paso El Paso El Paso County
FIVE STAR AUTOMATIC FIRE PROTECTION El Paso El Paso County
PLUMBERS & PIPEFITTERS LOCAL UNION 412 El Paso El Paso County
Violet Plumbing LLC Flatonia Fayette County
American Automatic Sprinkler Inc Fort Worth Tarrant County
Fort Worth Pipe Trades Training Center Trust (JATC) Fort Worth Tarrant County
Witt Plumbing Co. Fort Worth
UNITED ASSOC. DALLAS #100 PLUMBERS & PIPEFITTERS Garland Dallas County
Vizcarra Plumbing LLC Horizon City
American Fire Protection Group,Inc. Houston Harris County
EDH Plumbing Contractors, LLC Houston Harris County
Firetrol Houston Harris County
HOUSTON AREA PLUMBING JAC Houston Harris County
Houston Plumbing and Gas, LLC Houston Harris County
Meistad Plumbing Co Houston
+ 31 more sponsors in Texas
Search apprenticeship.gov for current Plumber & Pipefitter openings

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

Plumber & Pipefitter Apprenticeship in Texas

Prospective Plumber & Pipefitter apprentices in Texas have 56 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 Texas?
The BLS reports a median wage of $58,560/yr for Plumber & Pipefitters in Texas (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.
Is an apprenticeship better than trade school for Plumber & Pipefitters?
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.
Where can I apply for a Plumber & Pipefitter apprenticeship in Texas?
Contact one of the 56 Plumber & Pipefitter-adjacent registered sponsors in Texas (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?
Yes. Apprentices earn wages from day one, typically starting at 40–60% of the journeyman rate (roughly $29,280/yr in Texas). 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 Texas-based programs to compare locally — see the national list and filter.

Plumber & Pipefitter in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Texas

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