Trade Schools
If you live in Kentucky and you want to become a plumber, this page is for you.
Before being ready to apply for your first job in the field, you have to prepare for tasks such as:
- Reading and interpreting blueprints
- Installing, repairing, and maintaining plumbing systems in buildings
- Fixing and repairing various appliances
- Preparing cost estimates
- Handling customer queries
- And more
Plumbers annual wages range from less than $40,000 to more than $100,000, depending on experience, industry of employment, and many other factors.
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median wage reported by workers in this profession was calculated at $61,550, as of May 2023.
Most employers require plumbers to hold a trade school diploma or to have completed an apprenticeship.
Apprenticeships typically last between four and five years and include technical instruction and paid on-the-job training.
Most states also require plumbers to be licensed before being allowed to work independently.
The state of Kentucky requires two years of work experience for eligibility to become a Journeyman Plumber.
1Jefferson Community and Technical College
About the School
Jefferson Community and Technical College offers a Plumbing Technology program that teaches students how to install water supply and waste disposal systems.
Students participate in practical experiences.
The program also covers:
- Laws and codes
- Blueprint reading
- Drawing, special equipment, and other related areas
The Diploma for Plumbing Technology earns students one year of work experience towards their Journeyman Plumber license.
Tuition for resident students is $189 per credit hour.
Contact Information
- Address: 109 East Broadway Louisville, KY 40202
- Phone: (502) 213-5333
- Website: https://jefferson.kctcs.edu
2Building Institute
About the School
Building Institute provides programs designed to allow students to work during the day and go to school in the evening.
HVAC, Plumbing, and Electric programs are available at the institute.
Courses Offered
Building Institute offers a Plumbing program that covers both commercial and residential plumbing.
Students learn from instructors who are experts in their field.
They learn how to use tools such as video drain inspection and backflow testing.
The program combines in-class exercises and on-the-job learning.
Graduates become ready to take the state licensing exam.
Contact Information
- Address: 650 Kennedy Rd, Lexington, KY 40511
- Phone: (859) 788-3818
- Website: https://www.buildinginstituteky.com
3Eastern Kentucky University
About the School
Eastern Kentucky University offers a Foundations of Plumbing course that is available fully online.
Students in this program learn specialized plumbing skills and terminology specific to residential, commercial, and industrial plumbing systems.
The course also teaches math, geometry, and physical principles needed to work on plumbing systems.
The program includes 145-course hours and costs $2,245
Students have 12 months to complete the course.
Courses Offered
Plumbing students learn skills and concepts such as:
- Basic concepts of plumbing safety and safety procedures for material and equipment use
- The use and meaning of specialty drawings used in construction
- The application and installation of standard plumbing fixtures
- How to identify piping systems and fixture types used in plumbing work
- And many other skills and concepts
Contact Information
- Address: 521 Lancaster Avenue, Richmond, KY 40475
- Phone: 855.520.6806
- Website: https://careertraining.eku.edu
4Plumbers Training Institute
About the School
Plumbers Training Institute offers the following Kentucky online plumber courses:
- Journeyman Plumber Exam Prep
- Master Plumber Exam Prep
- Continuing Education
Kentucky Journeyman Plumber Exam Prep is a 12-hour course that walks students through the IPC and teaches them how to find answers quickly in the code book.
The course also includes math and isometric drawing lessons and practice tests.
This course costs $289.
Plumbers Training Institute courses can be completed anytime from anywhere.
Contact Information
- Phone: 855-284-8738
- Website: https://www.plumberstraininginstitute.com
5Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College
About the School
Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College prepares students for a career installing, repairing, and maintaining plumbing systems.
The program covers practical experiences, laws and codes, blueprint reading, special equipment, and other related areas.
Tuition for resident students is $189 per credit hour.
Dual credit students pay $94.50 per credit hour.
Full-time students can earn an associate in applied science degree in two years.
Students may also earn a Plumber Mechanic certificate which is a 16-hour credential after completing the first year.
Courses Offered
This certificate includes the following requirements:
- Plumbing, Introduction to the Trade, and Basic Plumbing Skills
- Basic Theory of Plumbing and Plumbing Principles
- Plumbing Systems, DWV & Water
- Rough-in of Plumbing Fixtures
- Plumbing Appliances & Fixtures
- Pumps and Water Heaters
Contact Information
- Address: 300 North Main Street Versailles, KY 40383
- Phone: (877) 528-2748
- Website: https://kctcs.edu
6Enzweiler Building Institute
About the School
Enzweiler Building Institute offers a Plumbing Apprenticeship Program.
This program can be completed in two years and prepares students for their licensure exam within two years of entering the profession.
The curriculum combines hands-on application with a focus on the Kentucky Plumbing Code in a variety of scenarios inside and outside the school’s facility.
Classes meet twice per week from 6 to 9 p.m. for 26 weeks per year, from September to mid-April.
The total cost is $4,075 per year and includes tuition, consumable materials, textbooks/code books, OSHA-10 Certification, CPR training, and administration fees.
Courses Offered
The topics covered by this program include:
- Safety on the job
- Plumbing tools
- Print reading and sketching
- Plumbing materials and fittings
- Valves and meters
- Water heaters
- Designing, preparing, and installing plumbing systems
- Pipe and fitting installation
- Irrigation systems
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 2751 Circleport Dr., Erlanger, KY 41018
- Phone: 859.640.4294
- Website: https://buildinginstitute.com
7Plumbers, Pipefitters, HVAC Techs Lexington Kentucky
About the School
Plumbers, Pipefitters, HVAC Techs Lexington Kentucky offers a five-year apprenticeship program that prepares students to become full-fledged journeymen.
Apprentices learn through classroom and on-the-job training.
The five-year apprenticeship is divided into one-year segments, each including 1,500 to 2,000 hours of on-the-job training per year and a minimum of 216 hours of related classroom instruction per year.
UA certification programs include medical gas installation, welding, refrigerant handling, industrial rigging, and UA/MCA foreman.
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Being at least 18 years of age
- Having a high school diploma/GED or a DD214
- Having a Drivers License
- Fill out an application at Local 452’s Union Hall and submit it with any other documentation
Contact Information
- Address: 701 Allenridge Pt Lexington, Kentucky 40510 United States
- Phone: (859) 252-8337
- Website: https://www.plumbersandpipefitters452.com
8DMAC Tech Trade School Online
About the School
Plumbing courses offered by schools located in other states may also be completed online.
One such school is DMAC Tech Trade School Online, a school that offers students fast-track career learning choices.
The school’s fast-track training and certification programs are designed to help students meet the requirements needed so that they can achieve their goals.
Courses Offered
The school’s catalog includes a Plumber Apprentice Certification & Training program.
This course is fully online.
Students learn about subjects such as:
- Plumbing fundamentals
- Plumbing fixtures installation
- Plumbing codes
- Water heater installation
- Water heater repair
- Toilet installation
- Toilet repair
- Kitchen sink repair
- Plumbing troubleshooting
- And more
This course costs $2,990.
Contact Information
- Address: 720 NW 27 Ave 2nd Floor, Miami, FL 33125
- Phone: (305) 649-2050
- Website: https://dmaceducation.online
9U.S. Career Institute
About the School
U.S. Career Institute offers a self-paced online plumbing program that teaches students everything they need to know in order to obtain a Plumbing Apprentice position.
Students learn skills such as:
- Applying basic customer service principles to on-the-job situations.
- Describing tools of the plumbing trade and their proper use
- Describing common plumbing fixtures, faucets, and valves
- Interpreting plumbing drawings and sketches
Students can study anytime, from anywhere.
If paid in full, this course costs $1,239.
Tuition includes access to instructors, all the learning materials, and career support.
Contact Information
- Address: 2001 Lowe Street, Fort Collins, CO
- Phone: 866-262-7883
- Website: https://learn.uscareerinstitute.edu
10Penn Foster
About the School
Penn Foster offers a Plumber School that leads to a career diploma in just six months, for students in the fast track.
The school offers flexible online classes that equip students with skills such as pipefitting, reading blueprints, installing water heaters, and more.
The program is designed to prepare students for entry-level jobs like plumbing technician, pipefitter technician, steamfitter technician, and fire sprinkler installer.
The online program includes interactive study guides, how-to-videos, and animations that allow students to apply what they have learned to real-world plumbing situations.
Courses Offered
Penn Foster plumbing courses include:
- Modern Plumbing
- Introduction to Plumbing and Pipefitting
- Reading Piping Prints
If paid in full, this program costs $839.
Contact Information
- Address: 200 Hickory Street, Scranton, PA 18505 USA
- Phone: 800-275-4410
- Website: https://www.pennfoster.edu
Schools Summary Table
Regional Salary in Kentucky
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling Green, KY | 140 | $66,500 | $31.97 | $90,880 | $37,240 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | 110 | $60,700 | $29.18 | $88,500 | $36,160 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | 650 | $66,330 | $31.89 | $91,830 | $39,180 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 2,490 | $68,780 | $33.07 | $94,210 | $39,910 |
| Owensboro, KY | 170 | $71,090 | $34.18 | $95,980 | $44,980 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | 290 | $71,730 | $34.49 | $91,280 | $44,550 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Final Thoughts
If you want to become a plumber in the state of Kentucky, the first step is to learn the skills needed for a career in this field.
Now that you have read our selection of the best plumbing school in the state of Kentucky the next step is to continue the research and apply for the program that best fits your learning style, schedule, and career aspirations.
