Plumbing Schools in the District of Columbia

Anyone who enjoys working with their hands, thinking creatively to solve issues, helping people live better and healthier, and getting rewarded for it would always do well to consider a career in plumbing. And even though this statement holds for most states in the country, it remains especially true for residents of DC.

To become a plumber in the District of Columbia, you must become familiar with a series of steps common to aspiring plumbers nationwide and a few other steps peculiar to aspiring plumbers in DC only.

You don’t have to worry about being overwhelmed, however. These steps are relatively straightforward. And once you’re familiar with them, they should be pretty exciting to pull off.

How to Become a Plumber in the District of Columbia

Fulfill Secondary Education Requirements

The District of Columbia has no basic academic requirements for its plumbers. That said, it is usually commonplace for schools and apprenticeships to make a high school diploma or GED one of the essential requirements for securing admission.

Subjects such as mathematics, science, computer, and other high school courses also come in handy during a training program and afterward.

Apply for Plumbing Training

Once you have your high school diploma or GED, the next step is to apply for official plumbing training. The following are the available alternatives in this regard.

College and Vocational Programs

Again, even though there are no basic educational requirements for plumbers in DC, employers often gravitate more toward those with formal training.

For this reason, it isn’t rare to see plumbers in the area attend a college or vocational school first before applying for jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs

Another viable route to becoming a DC plumber is obtaining training via an apprenticeship. Trade unions usually offer these, and companies that the government has approved to do so.

A particular advantage of this approach is that you get to receive real-world experience from the beginning and work under master plumbers that can give you the level of mentorship required to succeed on the job.

Plumber’s Assistant

Working as a plumber’s assistant before branching out to work independently is also possible. This is different from being an apprentice, as plumber’s assistants often have a level of expertise beforehand, usually acquired from a fast-tracked program.

Working as an assistant is to build upon this experience and acquire the right real-world experience and mentorship they’ll need to make it on their own.

Licensure and Certification Requirements

In the District of Columbia, plumbers are licensed at four different levels: apprentice, journeyman, master, and contractor. All of these begin with an Apprentice Plumber license obtained by registering with an approved training program under the supervision of a master plumber.

An apprentice can become a Journeyman Plumber by applying for licensure with the Board of Industrial Trade. A Journeyman Plumber may apply to become a Master Plumber if they have worked for at least four years.

Lastly, a plumber may become a Plumbing Contractor if they’re already a master plumber or have employed at least one master plumber.

Learn about plumber licensing and certification in neighboring states:

• Plumber Certification in New York

Top Plumbing Schools in the District of Columbia

Explore Plumbing Schools by City:

• Plumbing Schools in Washington D.C

Salary and Job Outlook

The District of Columbia is one of the highest-paying destinations for plumbers nationwide, with an average annual wage of $68,078.

This figure is around 19% higher than the national average and can get as high as $98,193 for the highest-paid plumbers and as low as $47,199 for those in the bottom ten percent.

With experience as the defining factor, plumbers with less than a year’s experience earn an annual average salary of $57,035. In contrast, those with over ten years of experience earn around $82,742 annually.