Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter Degrees (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter — headline outcomes are in the stats below. Median in-state published tuition is about $4,162.
Key Statistics
Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter: what the data shows
Common questions about pipefitting/pipefitter and sprinkler fitter degrees, answered from IPEDS, College Scorecard, BLS OEWS, and O*NET in this repository—not program marketing copy.
What is a pipefitting/pipefitter and sprinkler fitter degree?
A Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter program is classified under NCES CIP 46.0502.
A program that prepares individuals to design, install, and test industrial and commercial piping systems and automatic fire and exposure protection systems. Includes instruction in water systems, steam systems, heating and cooling systems, lubricating systems, piping materials, installation tools operation and maintenance, valve installation and repair, technical mathematics, blueprint interpretation, and applicable codes and standards
Types of pipefitting/pipefitter and sprinkler fitter degrees and related programs
Other NCES program codes in the 46.05 family with pages on EDsmart Data:
- Blasting/Blaster (CIP 46.0505)
- Plumbing Technology (CIP 46.0503)
- Well Drilling/Driller (CIP 46.0504)
How long does it take to get a pipefitting/pipefitter and sprinkler fitter degree?
Award levels reported to IPEDS for CIP 46.0502 in our file:
- 222 Associate (100.0% of IPEDS total)—about two years of full-time study
Time to completion depends on enrollment intensity and transfer credits; figures above describe credential type, not calendar time for every student.
Is a pipefitting/pipefitter and sprinkler fitter degree worth it?
Among schools reporting in our Scorecard extract, median published in-state tuition is $4,162 and median net price is $8,761.
We do not score "worth" on opinion—compare debt, earnings, wages for mapped occupations, and completion data above against your cost and career target.
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$4,162 Median In-State Public
$14,343 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter majors are, on average, $4,162 for in-state public colleges, and $14,343 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
100,000 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ivy Tech Community College | IN | 58,267 |
| 2 | Ivy Tech Community College | IN | 58,267 |
| 3 | Miami Dade College | FL | 46,182 |
| 4 | NUC University | PR | 28,918 |
| 5 | College of Southern Nevada | NV | 27,252 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego City College | CA | $1,146 |
| 2 | San Diego City College | CA | $1,146 |
| 3 | College of the Canyons | CA | $1,166 |
| 4 | Los Angeles Trade Technical College | CA | $1,238 |
| 5 | Los Angeles Trade Technical College | CA | $1,238 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter programs.
Top 5 Lowest Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | College of San Mateo | CA | $536 |
| 2 | Henry Ford College | MI | $660 |
| 3 | Henry Ford College | MI | $660 |
| 4 | Radford M Locklin Technical College | FL | $987 |
| 5 | Cleveland Community College | NC | $995 |
Schools with the lowest average net price for Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter programs.
Graduation Rates
Graduation rate data is not available for this degree program.
Graduation/completion rates for Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter programs across institutions.
Related specializations
Other NCES program codes in the 46.05 CIP family with dedicated pages on EDsmart Data.
- Blasting/Blaster CIP 46.0505
- Plumbing Technology CIP 46.0503
- Well Drilling/Driller CIP 46.0504
Degree Levels (IPEDS)
Completions reported to IPEDS for CIP 46.0502 in the survey year used in our extract (222 total across levels below).
- 222 Associate (100.0% of IPEDS total)
Source: IPEDS Completions (c2024_a), summed by award level for this CIP.
Employment
Wages and industry mix below use BLS OEWS data for occupations linked to this major in our mapping—not a graduate earnings survey.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$N/A Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter majors is $N/A.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter majors.
Occupations by Share
N/A 2023 Workforce
The number of Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter by share of the total number of graduates.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter.
Age distribution for Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
613 Total Degrees Awarded
585 Male (95.43%)
28 Female (4.57%)
Gender distribution of Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
411 White (67.05%)
69 Hispanic or Latino (11.26%)
57 Black or African American (9.30%)
6 Two or More Races (0.98%)
5 American Indian/Alaska Native (0.82%)
Racial and ethnic distribution of Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter 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 Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter majors.
About
A program that prepares individuals to design, install, and test industrial and commercial piping systems and automatic fire and exposure protection systems. Includes instruction in water systems, steam systems, heating and cooling systems, lubricating systems, piping materials, installation tools operation and maintenance, valve installation and repair, technical mathematics, blueprint interpretation, and applicable codes and standards
In 2023, 100,000 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter.
CIP Code
46.0502 - Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter
What the data shows
Men earned 4.6% of 613 Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter completions in the IPEDS file used here.
Published tuition medians in College Scorecard land at $4,162 in-state at public colleges and $14,343 at private institutions for programs in this field.
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.