---
title: "Pipefitter Apprenticeship: How to Get In and What It Pays"
description: "How pipefitter and steamfitter apprenticeships work: length, the UA and contractor programs, what you learn, how to apply and the BLS pay picture."
url: https://shapemycareer.com/apprenticeships/pipefitter/
updated: 2026-10-10
site: ShapeMyCareer
---

Apprenticeships · Pipefitter

# Pipefitter apprenticeship

Industrial and commercial piping, from steam to process lines.

Earn while you learn

Pipefitters and steamfitters lay out, assemble and maintain piping that carries steam, chemicals, gases and process fluids. The training is usually a five-year apprenticeship.

In short

Pipefitter apprenticeships typically last about five years and combine paid work with classroom instruction in blueprint reading, pipe math, welding, rigging and codes. Many are run by United Association locals with contractors, and others by open shop contractors and associations. BLS groups pipefitters with plumbers and steamfitters, who earned a median $63,800 in May 2025. Applicants usually need a high school diploma and to pass an aptitude test.

**Sources checked October 9, 2026** Pay, training and outlook come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay is the middle (median) figure nationally; your first paycheck in the trade will usually be lower.

| Middle pay | $63,800 a year, roughly $30.67 an hour (May 2025) |
|---|---|
| How most people start | High school or GED to start, then apprenticeship |
| People in the trade | About 510,600 nationwide (2025) |
| Growth to 2035 | BLS expects 6.8% growth |
| Openings a year | Around 42,000, counting retirements |

From the [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm) Employment Projections table (2025 to 2035) and May 2025 wage survey. These are U.S. numbers. Local shops may pay above or below them, and apprentices start well under the middle figure.

## What you learn

- Pipe layout and offsets ([trade math](https://shapemycareer.com/test-prep/trade-math/))
- Welding and brazing
- Rigging and moving pipe
- Steam, hydronic and process systems
- Reading isometric drawings

## How to apply

Watch for application windows from UA locals and open shop programs, and search [Apprenticeship.gov](https://www.apprenticeship.gov/apprenticeship-job-finder).

### Find pipefitter training

Tell us your ZIP and we will send programs and apprenticeship leads nearby.

[Find training near me](#smc-form)

## Straight answers

### How long is a pipefitter apprenticeship?

About five years in many programs.

### Is pipefitting the same as plumbing?

They share a BLS category, but pipefitters focus on industrial and commercial process and steam piping.

### Do pipefitters weld?

Many do. Welding is part of most pipefitter training.

## Where this comes from

- [BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2 (2025 to 2035)](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm)
- [Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/plumbers-pipefitters-and-steamfitters.htm)
- [BLS OOH: Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/plumbers-pipefitters-and-steamfitters.htm)
- [United Association (plumbers, pipefitters, sprinkler fitters)](https://ua.org/)
- [Apprenticeship.gov, U.S. Department of Labor](https://www.apprenticeship.gov/)

## Keep looking

- [Pipefitter](https://shapemycareer.com/trades/pipefitter/)
- [Plumber salary](https://shapemycareer.com/salary/plumber/)
- [Plumbing apprenticeship](https://shapemycareer.com/apprenticeships/plumbing/)
- [Apprenticeships](https://shapemycareer.com/apprenticeships/)
- [Apprentice pay calculator](https://shapemycareer.com/apprenticeships/apprentice-pay-calculator/)
- [Apprentice pay](https://shapemycareer.com/apprenticeships/apprentice-pay/)
- [Boilermaker apprenticeship](https://shapemycareer.com/apprenticeships/boilermaker/)
- [Carpenter apprenticeship](https://shapemycareer.com/apprenticeships/carpenter/)

---
Canonical page: https://shapemycareer.com/apprenticeships/pipefitter/