| If youre thinking that the cost of that trade | | | | contractors in the building equipment |
| school, and its plumbing training, might not | | | | industry make approximately 19.85 per hour, |
| be worth the cost of attending, think again. | | | | while those in construction of utility |
| | | | systems earn about 18.29 per hour. |
| In the United States the median hourly pay | | | | |
| for pipe layers was 13.68 - and that was for | | | | Local government pays the lowest of these |
| the last year the wages were studied - 2004. | | | | categories - 16.30 per hour. |
| The wages have gone up some since that time. | | | | |
| The lowest ten percent, those just starting | | | | Apprentices, those still taking part in |
| out their on-the-job plumbing training, made | | | | on-the-job plumbing training earn |
| only 9.19 per hour on average, while the | | | | approximately half of the going media wage |
| highest 10 percent earned over 25.07. | | | | for experienced plumbers, pipe layers, steam |
| | | | fitters or pipe fitters. As their skills |
| Whats important to keep in mind about these | | | | improve their wages increase. After a |
| figures, too, is that these are for all | | | | predetermined waiting period, these plumbing |
| plumbers who, either in the midst of | | | | training apprentices receive benefits equal |
| training, or having completed it, work for | | | | to their experienced co-workers. |
| other plumbing or related companies. Plumbers | | | | |
| who work for themselves may earn as much as | | | | The ten best known schools in the United |
| 130 per hour. Of course, these are generally | | | | States and Canada that offer plumbing |
| folks who are paying the overhead costs of | | | | training are Everest Institute in Houston |
| the business, and perhaps people who work | | | | Texas, National Institute of Technology in |
| under them so its not all gravy. | | | | Long Beach Texas, Wyotech in Fremont, Calif., |
| | | | New England Institute of Technology in |
| Plumbing employees, once training has been | | | | Warwick Rhode Island, Pennco Tech in Bristol |
| completed, start out with some variation in | | | | Pa., Vatterott Colleges with two campuses in |
| wages depending on which industry they work | | | | Missouri, Vancouver Career College with seven |
| in. If they are employed in natural gas | | | | different locations in Canadas British |
| distribution, for example, they make the | | | | Columbia, Eastwick Colleges in Patterson New |
| highest hourly wage - 23.86. Those employed | | | | Jersey, the online Professional Career |
| in the area of construction of | | | | Development Institute PCDI and Penn Foster |
| non-residential buildings earn a median U.S. | | | | Career School which is also entirely distance |
| wage of 21.55 per hour. Plumbers working for | | | | learning and Web-based. |