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Skilled trades and making things · Ohio

Plumber: what the job actually is

Installing and repairing the pipes that bring clean water in and take waste out, plus the gas lines, water heaters and fixtures attached to them.

By , founder, U.S. Air Force veteranChecked against official Ohio sources Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025

The work

What this job actually is

  • New construction: laying out and installing water lines, drains and vents in a building before the walls go up, to a code an inspector checks.
  • Service: going to houses and businesses to fix leaks, clogs, broken water heaters and burst pipes, often on a deadline because somebody's basement is filling up.
  • Yes, it gets dirty. Sewage, crawlspaces, mud and cold water are a normal week, not a bad day.
  • A lot of it is figuring out what is behind a wall or under a floor without being able to see it.
  • Some plumbers move toward pipefitting and steamfitting, which is heavier industrial piping in plants, hospitals and big buildings.

A Tuesday

What a normal day looks like

Not a good day or a bad one. The ordinary version, which is what you would actually be living.

  1. 7:00: Load the van and check the day's calls. Two water heaters, one slow drain, one mystery leak.
  2. 8:00: First house. Shut off the water, drain the old heater, haul it up the basement stairs with a partner.
  3. 10:30: Mystery leak. Cut a small hole in drywall, find a pinhole in a pipe, fix it, explain it to the homeowner.
  4. 12:00: Lunch in the van, answering a call from the office about tomorrow.
  5. 1:00: Drain call. Run a camera down the line, find roots, clear it, show the customer the video.
  6. 3:30: Back at the shop, restock parts, fill out the job tickets.
  7. After hours: Some weeks you are on call, and pipes burst at 2 a.m. as often as at 2 p.m.

Honestly

Who loves this, and who should not do it

You may like this if
  • You like fixing a problem and seeing the result right away: water flows, the leak stops.
  • You can talk to stressed customers calmly and explain things in plain words.
  • Getting dirty does not bother you much.
  • You want work that is hard to ship overseas or hand to a robot.
You may hate this if
  • Sewage, smells or tight crawlspaces make you queasy. They are a regular part of the job.
  • You want a predictable schedule. Service plumbing involves emergencies, and many shops rotate on-call nights and weekends.
  • Your back or knees are already a problem. You will kneel, lift and carry a lot.
  • You do not want to keep studying. Codes and classes are part of the apprenticeship for years.

The route in

How you actually get there in Ohio

  1. Finish high school

    A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required. Math, basic physics and any shop or construction class help.

  2. Get into an apprenticeship

    Most plumbers learn through a four- or five-year apprenticeship, typically about 2,000 hours a year of paid on-the-job training plus classroom work on codes, safety, blueprints and math. Some people start as a helper or through a pre-apprenticeship first. Ohio's registered apprenticeships run through ApprenticeOhio.

  3. Understand Ohio's licensing

    Ohio's state plumbing license is a contractor (master) license for commercial work, issued by the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board. Local building and health departments regulate residential plumbing contractors and can require the state license too, so rules differ by city and county.

  4. Go for the contractor license if you want to run your own jobs

    To sit the OCILB plumbing exam you must be at least 18, have five years in the trade right before applying (or other experience the board accepts), carry contractor's liability insurance, and pass the PSI exam.

While you are still in high school

  • Ohio school districts must offer career-technical education in grades 7 through 12. Ask your counselor where the nearest plumbing, construction or building trades program is.
  • The NCCER Plumbing Level 1 credential and OSHA 10-hour safety training are on Ohio's list of industry-recognized credentials that can count toward graduation. Ask if your program offers them.
  • Look for a pre-apprenticeship. Ohio has dozens aimed at students aged 16 to 20, most of them in construction and manufacturing.

Where this comes from: Ohio Department of Commerce: Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) · Ohio Revised Code 4740.06: who can sit the state contractor license exam · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: How to become a plumber, pipefitter or steamfitter · Ohio Department of Job and Family Services: ApprenticeOhio · Ohio Department of Job and Family Services: pre-apprenticeships for students and adults (news release) · Ohio Department of Education and Workforce: career-technical education admissions FAQ · Ohio Department of Education and Workforce: industry-recognized credentials. Rules change, so check the official page before you rely on a detail.

The money

What it pays in Ohio

Last on purpose. Pay matters, but it is a bad reason to pick a job you would dislike for thirty years.

$63,330
Median pay in Ohio, a year
$30.45
Median pay in Ohio, an hour
16,390
People doing this job in Ohio
$63,450
Median pay in the Akron area, a year

Most people in Ohio earn between $45,470 (the lowest-paid tenth, usually new starters) and $101,410 (the highest-paid tenth) a year.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: Ohio and Akron, OH metro area. Median means half earn more and half earn less.

Try it this week

Find every pipe in your house

  1. Find your home's main water shutoff and the water heater. Ask an adult to show you if you cannot find them.

  2. Follow the visible pipes from the meter or well to the kitchen sink. Sketch the route on paper.

  3. Look under one sink and identify the trap (the U-shaped bend). Look up why it is there.

  4. Call one local plumbing company and ask: do you hire apprentices, and what do you look for? You are not asking for a job, just whether the door exists.

Questions to ask somebody who does it

  • What is the worst call you have been on, and what is the best?
  • Service or new construction: which do you prefer?
  • How often are you on call, and what does that do to your week?
  • What do customers not understand about what you do?
  • What did you wish you had known in your first year?

Can you own one?

Yes, and plenty of plumbers do. Commercial plumbing contracting in Ohio needs the OCILB contractor license: five years in the trade (or other experience the board accepts), the exam, and liability insurance in one company's name. Residential plumbing is regulated locally, and some cities and counties require the state license or their own registration. After that it is about trucks, parts, pricing and answering the phone.

Thinking about it? How to start a business in Ohio and the free Business 101 course are the place to begin.

Questions

Quick answers

How much does a plumber make in Ohio?
The median pay for a plumber in Ohio is $63,330 a year ($30.45 an hour), according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for May 2025. Most people earn between $45,470 and $101,410.
How do you become a plumber in Ohio?
Finish high school. Get into an apprenticeship. Understand Ohio's licensing. Go for the contractor license if you want to run your own jobs.
Can you own your own business as a plumber in Ohio?
Yes, and plenty of plumbers do. Commercial plumbing contracting in Ohio needs the OCILB contractor license: five years in the trade (or other experience the board accepts), the exam, and liability insurance in one company's name. Residential plumbing is regulated locally, and some cities and counties require the state license or their own registration. After that it is about trucks, parts, pricing and answering the phone.

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