Plumbing Technology
Plumbing Technology is a versatile degree that prepares students for a wide range of professional opportunities. With 50,000 professionals in the field earning competitive wages, this degree offers strong career prospects.
Key Statistics
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Plumbing Technology and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$11,790 Median In-State Public
$15,700 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Plumbing Technology majors are, on average, $11,790 for in-state public colleges, and $15,700 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Plumbing Technology programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
10,000 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Plumbing Technology from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Plumbing Technology.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
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Schools with the largest enrollment offering Plumbing Technology programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
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Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Plumbing Technology programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
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Schools with the lowest net price (after financial aid) for Plumbing Technology programs.
Graduation Rates
54.82% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
54.66% Average Graduation Rate
205 Institutions Reporting
42.42% - 69.86% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for Plumbing Technology programs across institutions.
Employment
Information on the businesses and industries that employ Plumbing Technology graduates and on wages and locations for those in the field.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$79,263 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Plumbing Technology majors is $79,263.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Plumbing Technology majors.
Occupations by Share
50,000 2023 Workforce
The number of Plumbing Technology graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Plumbing Technology by share of the total number of graduates.
Return on Investment & Value
Financial analysis of Plumbing Technology degree including debt, earnings, and return on investment metrics.
Financial Value Analysis
$18,750 Median Student Debt
$50,000 Median Annual Earnings (10 years after enrollment)
37.50% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio
3.8 years Estimated Payback Period (assuming 10% of income)
683.99% Return on Investment (10-year earnings vs 4-year cost)
This degree shows strong ROI, with 10-year earnings significantly exceeding the cost of education.
$63,776 Estimated Total Cost (4 years at median net price)
Financial value comparison for Plumbing Technology degree.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Plumbing Technology in the United States.
Workforce Age
40.0 Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Plumbing Technology.
Age distribution for Plumbing Technology degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
2,780 Total Degrees Awarded
2,598 Male (93.45%)
182 Female (6.55%)
Gender distribution of Plumbing Technology degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
1,197 White (43.06%)
843 Hispanic or Latino (30.32%)
372 Black or African American (13.38%)
56 Asian (2.01%)
55 Two or More Races (1.98%)
Racial and ethnic distribution of Plumbing Technology degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Plumbing Technology are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Plumbing Technology.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Plumbing Technology field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Plumbing Technology majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Plumbing Technology majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Plumbing Technology majors.
About
Plumbing Technology
In 2023, 10,000 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Plumbing Technology.
CIP Code
46.0503 - Plumbing Technology
Insights and Analysis
Exceptional Return on Investment: Plumbing Technology offers an outstanding ROI of 684%, meaning graduates typically earn significantly more over 10 years than the total cost of their education. This makes it one of the most financially rewarding degree choices available.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.