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Plumbing school in California

10 plumbing programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

9 schools offer these plumbing programs, and California has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Plumbers install and repair pipes, fixtures and piping systems. Most learn the trade in a four- or five-year apprenticeship, and most states and some cities require plumbers to be licensed.1

In California, 4 of the 10 programs take students without a high school diploma, 4 ask for a diploma or equivalent and 2 ask for earlier courses first.

By kind, the 10 programs here are plumbing apprenticeship (5 programs), plumbing certificate or diploma (4 programs) and short course or single level (1 program).

See the 10 programs

How much does plumbing school cost in California?

$850 to $1,288 is what most plumbing programs in California cost if you pay yourself

That is the middle half of the 5 programs with a price. All of them: $600 to $1,890

In the typical program

Finished the program
Not enough data
3 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Working 6 months later
Not enough data
2 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Earned a year, estimated
Not enough data
1 program reports it; a typical figure needs 5
Length
12 to 157 weeks

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in California may also offer plumbing school. How these figures are made

Is there free plumbing school in California?

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: paid apprenticeships, financial aid and the GI Bill

All 10 plumbing programs in California approved for WIOA funding

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10 programs

  • Plumbing certificate or diplomaIn personEducation and courses

    Plumbing

    Harbor Occupational Center - LAUSD

    San Pedro

    Education and courses

    Harbor Occupational Center - LAUSD, San PedroPlumbing certificate or diplomaIn person · Education and courses

    Earned a year, estimated$59,800
    Price if you pay yourself$1,890
    Program website, Plumbing at Harbor Occupational Center - LAUSD
    More details about Plumbing at Harbor Occupational Center - LAUSD
    Finished
    38%
    Working at 6 months
    33%
    Earned in a quarter
    $14,950
    Length
    30 weeks, 12 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $540
    Students counted
    235
    Earned a year, estimated
    $59,800
    Price if you pay yourself
    $1,890
    Program website, Plumbing at Harbor Occupational Center - LAUSD

  • Plumbing certificate or diplomaIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Plumbing

    Maxine Waters Employment Prep Center - LAUSD

    Los Angeles

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Maxine Waters Employment Prep Center - LAUSD, Los AngelesPlumbing certificate or diplomaIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$1,260
    Program website, Plumbing at Maxine Waters Employment Prep Center - LAUSD
    More details about Plumbing at Maxine Waters Employment Prep Center - LAUSD
    Finished
    16%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    12 weeks, 30 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $2,011
    Students counted
    123
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $1,260
    Program website, Plumbing at Maxine Waters Employment Prep Center - LAUSD

  • Short course or single levelIn personEducation and courses

    Plumbing 1

    Whittier Adult School

    Whittier

    Education and courses

    Whittier Adult School, WhittierShort course or single levelIn person · Education and courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$850

    9 students trained with WIOA funding

    School website, Plumbing 1 at Whittier Adult School
    More details about Plumbing 1 at Whittier Adult School
    Finished
    60%
    Working at 6 months
    94%
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    9 weeks, 14 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $310
    Students counted
    47
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $850
    students trained with WIOA funding
    9
    School website, Plumbing 1 at Whittier Adult School

  • Plumbing certificate or diplomaIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Basic Residential Plumbing 101

    Frye Plumbing Inc.

    Bakersfield

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Frye Plumbing Inc., BakersfieldPlumbing certificate or diplomaIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$600
    More details about Basic Residential Plumbing 101 at Frye Plumbing Inc.
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    12 weeks, 2 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $225
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $600

  • Plumbing certificate or diplomaIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    PLUMB-Plumbing Certificate of Achievement

    Diablo Valley College

    Pleasant Hill

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Diablo Valley College, Pleasant HillPlumbing certificate or diploma · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$1,288
    Program website, PLUMB-Plumbing Certificate of Achievement at Diablo Valley College
    More details about PLUMB-Plumbing Certificate of Achievement at Diablo Valley College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    48 weeks, 20 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $1,489
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $1,288
    Program website, PLUMB-Plumbing Certificate of Achievement at Diablo Valley College

  • Plumbing apprenticeshipIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    PHCC Los Angeles Training Program

    PHCC Los Angeles Training Program

    Los Angeles

    High school diploma or equivalent

    PHCC Los Angeles Training Program, Los AngelesPlumbing apprenticeshipIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfNot reported
    Program website, PHCC Los Angeles Training Program at PHCC Los Angeles Training Program
    More details about PHCC Los Angeles Training Program at PHCC Los Angeles Training Program
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    168 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Not reported
    Program website, PHCC Los Angeles Training Program at PHCC Los Angeles Training Program

  • Plumbing apprenticeshipIn personNo diploma needed

    Pipe Trades Training Center

    Pipe Trades Training Center

    San Jose

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Pipe Trades Training Center, San JosePlumbing apprenticeship · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfNot reported
    More details about Pipe Trades Training Center at Pipe Trades Training Center
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    Left out
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Not reported

  • Plumbing apprenticeshipIn personNo diploma needed

    Pipefitter Apprenticeship Program (Associated Builders & Contractors of San Diego)

    ABC of San Diego, Inc.

    Poway

    No diploma needed

    ABC of San Diego, Inc., PowayPlumbing apprenticeshipIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfNot reported
    More details about Pipefitter Apprenticeship Program (Associated Builders & Contractors of San Diego) at ABC of San Diego, Inc.
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    197 weeks, 6 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Not reported

  • Plumbing apprenticeshipIn personNo diploma needed

    Plumbing Apprenticeship Program (Associated Builders & Contractors of San Diego)

    ABC of San Diego, Inc.

    Poway

    No diploma needed

    ABC of San Diego, Inc., PowayPlumbing apprenticeshipIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfNot reported
    More details about Plumbing Apprenticeship Program (Associated Builders & Contractors of San Diego) at ABC of San Diego, Inc.
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    157 weeks, 6 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Not reported

  • Plumbing apprenticeshipIn personNo diploma needed

    Yuba Shasta Ua Local 228 Jatc

    Yuba Shasta Ua Local 228 Jatc

    Marysville

    No diploma needed

    Yuba Shasta Ua Local 228 Jatc, MarysvillePlumbing apprenticeshipIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfNot reported
    More details about Yuba Shasta Ua Local 228 Jatc at Yuba Shasta Ua Local 228 Jatc
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    99 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Not reported

How to pay for plumbing school in California

WIOA funding can pay for plumbing school in California

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Paid plumbing apprenticeships

An apprenticeship is a job: you're paid to learn, with a raise as your skills grow, and most include classroom teaching. You apply to the employer or the program sponsor. Ask what you'll pay for the classroom part and what you'll earn on the job.6

Financial aid and grants for plumbing school

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.78

GI Bill for plumbing school

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.9

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Quick facts: Plumbing school in California

lowest typical price among the states with enough programs to compare
5th of 21
plumbing programs here, against the typical state's 5
10 vs 5

State comparisons use the same figures as the plumbing school by state table: the middle program of each state, and only states with three or more schools for prices. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).

Plumbing apprenticeships in California

Most plumbers train in a four- or five-year apprenticeship. Each year usually brings about 2,000 hours of paid work on the job plus classes in safety, local plumbing codes and blueprint reading. Unions, trade associations and businesses run the programs; some people start as helpers or with a pre-apprenticeship course. To work on your own, states and cities often ask for two to five years of experience and a passed exam.1

You apply to the employer or the program sponsor, not through a school.6 The Department of Labor's Apprenticeship Finder lists openings by place and job. This page lists 5 plumbing apprenticeships approved for WIOA funding in California, none of them with a price listed. Ask what you'll pay for the classes and what you'll earn on the job.

Show only the 5 plumbing apprenticeships

What is an apprenticeship, and can WIOA pay for one?

Plumbing school in Los Angeles, San Diego, Bakersfield and other California cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above.

Other training in California

How plumbing school compares with the rest of skilled trades: Trade school programs in California

Where the California plumbing program numbers come from

Which California plumbing programs are on this list?

These are the plumbing programs California approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).10 The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what California offers.

How the prices and results of California plumbing programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

Sources for the facts about plumbing school in California

Show the 10 sourcesHide the sources
  1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
  2. US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
  3. US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
  4. Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, part 680, sections 680.220, 680.230 and 680.310: career services before training, other grants such as Pell Grants first, and limits on Individual Training Accounts (GovInfo, 2024 edition)
  5. US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
  6. US Department of Labor, Apprenticeship.gov: Discover Apprenticeship: Earn While You Learn Today (fact sheet)
  7. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Eligibility for Federal Student Aid
  8. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Don't Miss Out on Federal Pell Grants
  9. US Department of Veterans Affairs: GI Bill benefits for non-college degree programs
  10. US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List