Trade Schools
If you live in Maryland and want to start a career in plumbing, this page is for you.
Here we have compiled information about the best schools that offer training for this profession.
Typically plumbers learn the skills for this profession on the job, by enrolling in an apprenticeship.
Some also attend a vocational school before starting the apprenticeship.
Programs focus on teaching job-ready skills, such as:
- Reading blueprints
- Understanding and applying plumbing code requirements
- Installing plumbing systems
- Repairing plumbing fixtures
- Math for plumbers
- Providing information to customers about their plumbing
- And more
Before being allowed to work independently as a plumber, you will need to become licensed.
Licensing requirements vary from area to area but typically include passing an exam.
The first step in this journey is to complete your training.
We encourage you to start by reading our list of the best training options available in Maryland.
1Maryland Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association
About the School
Maryland Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association offers an apprenticeship program that is fully accredited and registered with the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council, Department of Labor and Industry.
Classes are held September through May, two evenings a week from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Tuition includes all books and special courses.
The curriculum covers:
- Related Theory Instruction
- Trade Mathematics
- OSHA Construction Safety
- General Safety
- Adult First Aide
- Adult CPR
- And more
Apprenticeships combine on-the-job training with related professional instruction.
Apprentices complete the required 7,500 hours of supervised on-the-job experience and learn the skills and knowledge that will help them pass the State Journey Test.
Contact Information
- Address: 10176 Baltimore National Pike, Suite 205, Ellicott City, MD 21042
- Phone: (410) 461-5977
- Website: https://marylandphcc.com
2Howard Community College
About the School
Howard Community College offers a Plumbing Apprenticeship designed to prepare the next generation of skilled technicians to work in the plumbing industry in both residential and commercial environments.
Apprentices complete a total of 8,000 hours of paid fieldwork over a period of four years.
Those who complete the program are eligible to earn 24 college credits toward an Associate of Applied Science degree in Skilled Building Trades.
Applicants must be 18 years of age or older before the program starts.
A copy of the high school diploma or transcript of the last grade completed is also required.
A Maryland State plumbing license through the Maryland Department of Labor will also be required upon acceptance.
Contact Information
- Address: 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, MD 21044
- Phone: 443-518-1000
- Website: https://www.howardcc.edu
3Prince George's Community College
About the School
Prince George’s Community College offers a Plumbing program that prepares students with the skills to install and repair the water, drainage, waste disposal, and gas systems in homes and commercial and industrial buildings.
Plumbing students also learn how to install fixtures such as bathtubs, showers, sinks, and toilets, and appliances such as dishwashers, waste disposers, and water heaters.
Students start by learning about plumbing as a profession, plumbing safety, and tools of the trade.
The second part of the training includes plumbing math, drawings, plastic pipes, and fittings.
Students are also introduced to copper, cast iron, carbon steel pipes, and fittings.
The fourth part covers plumbing fixtures, drain waste and vent systems, and water distribution systems.
Contact Information
- Address:301 Largo Road, Largo, MD 20774
- Phone: 301-546-PGCC (7422)
- Website: https://www.pgcc.edu
4Anne Arundel Community College
About the School
Anne Arundel Community College offers a plumbing program that provides students with an in-depth background in the plumbing industry.
The program combines classroom instruction with hands-on training.
Students develop the skills to design, install, maintain, and troubleshoot plumbing systems in residential and commercial settings.
The college provides a Plumbing pre-apprenticeship program designed to prepare students to enter and succeed in an apprenticeship program.
The program includes classroom and online instruction with hands-on lab training at AACC’s Clauson Center for Innovation and Trades.
Students also obtain OSHA and CPR/First Aid certifications while preparing for entry into a registered apprenticeship program.
Contact Information
- Address: 101 College Parkway, Arnold, MD 21012-1895
- Phone: 410-777-AACC (2222)
- Website: https://www.aacc.edu
5Training Pipeline Institute
Training Pipeline Institute offers backflow certification, awareness, and recertification courses in Maryland, Virginia, and DC.
Courses Offered
Backflow Certification courses cost $475 per person and include:
- 15 hours of interactive instruction
- 12 hours of hands-on training
- Three hours of home study to prepare for the exam
- Experienced instructors
- Testing equipment
- Materials
- Certification filed
Contact Information
- Phone: 410-299-5216
- Website: https://pipelinetraining.us
6Plumbers Training Institute
About the School
Plumbers Training Institute offers the following Maryland Online Plumber courses:
- Professional Development 2021 IPC Update- a six-hour text course
- Professional Development Master Plumber Isometrics- a three-hour video course
- Professional Development Introduction to Fire Sprinklers, Valves, and Hydraulic Calculations
- Professional Development Sanitary Drainage Systems
- Professional Development Plan Reading
- Professional Development Plumbing Math
- Professional Development NFPA 13D Basics Layout
- Professional Development Hazard Communication
Costs range from $19 to $79.
Contact Information
- Phone: 855-284-8738
- Website: https://www.plumberstraininginstitute.com
7Montgomery College
Montgomery College offers a Building Trades Technology program that provides students with a mix of academic and practical, hands-on training.
Students prepare for career paths such as carpenter, plumber, electrician, HVAC technician, trade supervisor, code official, and builder.
Courses Offered
The following credentials are available:
- Carpentry Area of Concentration, Building Trades Technology AAS Degree
- Electrical Wiring Area of Concentration, Building Trades Technology AAS Degree
- HVAC Area of Concentration, Building Trades Technology AAS Degree
- Building Trades Technology Certificate
Contact Information
- Address: 20200 Observation Drive, Germantown, MD 20876
- Phone: 240-567-5000
- Website: https://www.montgomerycollege.edu
8DMAC Tech Trade School Online
Plumbing classes may also be completed at schools located in other states, by enrolling in an online program.
DMAC Tech Trade School Online 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
9Penn Foster
About the School
Penn Foster offers a Plumber School that leads to a career diploma in just six months.
The school offers flexible online classes that equip students with skills such as pipefitting, reading blueprints, installing water heaters, and many 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
The program includes courses such as:
- 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 US
- Phone: 800-275-4410
- Website: https://www.pennfoster.edu
10U.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
Schools Summary Table
Regional Salary in Maryland
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 5,470 | $68,310 | $32.84 | $99,190 | $39,790 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | 280 | $55,630 | $26.74 | $81,170 | $36,410 |
| Lexington Park, MD | 270 | $60,040 | $28.87 | $83,930 | $36,940 |
| Salisbury, MD | 330 | $64,370 | $30.95 | $94,340 | $38,300 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Final Thoughts
If you want to start a rewarding career in trades, the plumbing profession is worth exploring.
Now that you have read our list of the best Plumbing schools in Maryland, it’s time to continue the research and apply for the program that best meets your learning style and career aspirations.
