If you enjoy working with your hands and you’re passionate about construction, a career in plumbing can be both personally rewarding and financially stable.
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage reported by plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters was $61,550, as of May 2023.
This profession is expected to grow 6 percent over the next decade, so new jobs will appear as workers retire and new buildings are constructed.
If you live in West Virginia and want to start a career in plumbing, this page is for you.
Here we have compiled information about the best Plumbing schools in your state and the programs they offer.
Our selection includes certificate programs as well as apprenticeships that combine classroom education with on-the-job paid training.
Programs focus on teaching job-ready skills, such as:
- Reading blueprints
- Understanding and applying plumbing code requirements
- Installing plumbing systems
- Repairing plumbing fixtures
- Providing information to customers about their plumbing
- And more
So, if you’re interested in starting a career in this field we encourage you to start by reading our list.
#1Putnam Career & Technical Center
About the School
Putnam Career & Technical Center offers a plumbing program that prepares students for employment or advanced training in a variety of pipe-related occupations.
The program teaches students how to diagnose and repair problems associated with plumbing.
The hands-on program includes safety, plumbing-related math, blueprint and job specifications, building codes, rough and trim plumbing, water heaters, installing and repairing plumbing fixtures, mending burst pipes opening clogged drains, and more.
The following credentials are available:
- OSHA: 10-hour or 30-hour card
- NCCER Plumbing Level I
- WV Labor Plumber in Training License
- NCCER Core Curriculum
- NOCTI Workforce Competency
- IVES Equipment Training Skid steer, excavator, forklifts
Contact Information
- Address: P.O. Box 640 | 300 Roosevelt Blvd.Eleanor, WV 25070
- Phone: 304.586.3494
- Website: https://www.pctc.edu
#2Mercer County Technical Education Center
About the School
Mercer County Technical Education Center offers a Plumbing program that provides students with a knowledge base and skills in plumbing installation, maintenance, and repair within a simulated workplace environment.
The program covers job-ready skills such as:
- Demonstrating Blueprint Reading
- Identifying Plumbing Tools
- Identifying Plumbing Symbols and Terminology
- Installing Drains, Waste Lines, and Storm Drains
- Interpreting and Comply With General Plumbing Practices
- Joining Pipes, Tubes, and Fittings
- And more
The program takes one year to complete.
It includes the following certifications:
- OSHA 10-Hour
- NOCTI
Contact Information
- Address: 1397 Stafford DrivePrinceton, WV 24740
- Phone: 304-425-9551
- Website: https://boe.merc.k12.wv.us
#3Academy of Careers and Technology
About the School
Academy of Careers and Technology is a career and technical education institution serving students from all four of Raleigh County’s high schools.
The center provides a broad spectrum of technical programs that provide secondary and adult students with the knowledge and skills needed for employment.
The Plumber Technician adult program includes 1080 hours of training and can be completed in two years.
Classes meet Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The program commonly follows the county school schedule.
Class starts in August each year.
Applicants must be 18 years of age within six weeks of the start of the class.
High school diploma or WV-approved equivalent.
A high school plumbing program is also available.
Contact Information
- Address:
- Phone: (304) 256-4615
- Website: https://www.wvact.net
#4Blue Ridge Community and Technical College
About the School
Blue Ridge Community and Technical College offers a Foundations of Plumbing course that teaches students specialized plumbing skills and terminology for residential, commercial, and industrial plumbing systems.
The course also teaches math, geometry, and physical principles.
Students learn:
- Basic concepts of plumbing safety
- The function of components required for the construction of standard piping and water supply systems
- The use and meaning of specialty drawings
- The application and installation of standard plumbing fixtures
- How to identify piping materials
- And more
Courses Offered
The syllabus includes the following courses:
- Plumbing History, Codes, and Principles
- Tools of the Plumbing Trade
- First Aid and Safety
- Piping Materials
- Water Heaters
- Building Plans, Drawings, and Scale Rulers
- Sketching
- Soldering, Brazing, Cutting, and Gas Welding
- Cross-Connection Protection and Pipe Identification
- And more
Contact Information
- Address:
- Phone: 855.520.6806
- Website: https://careertraining.blueridgectc.edu
#5Laurel Institutes
About the School
Laurel Institutes offers a Welding & Fabrication with Pipeline Technology.
The program is available in Hermitage, Uniontown, and can be completed in 12 months.
The curriculum covers skills such as:
- Welding procedures
- Blueprint reading
- Fabrication
- Layout
Coursework includes oxyacetylene welding, brazing and cutting, arc welding, and MIG welding.
Flux-cored welding, TIG welding, pipe welding, and certification test preparation are also available.
Students also take courses in math and blueprint reading.
Contact Information
- Address: 345 Patricia Lane, Suite 105, Fort Mill, SC 29708
- Website: https://www.laurel.edu
#6Plumbers Training Institute
About the School
Plumbers Training Institute offers the following West Virginia Online Plumber courses:
- Contractor exam prep
- Professional Development
The following exam prep classes are available:
- West Virginia Plumbing Contractor exam prep- a 15-hour course that costs $489
- West Virginia Business and Law exam prep- a six-hour course that costs $69
- West Virginia Master Plumber Isometrics- a three-hour course that costs $59
- West Virginia International Fuel and Gas Code exam prep- a three-hour video course that costs $59
- West Virginia Plumbing Vents- a one-hour course that costs $29.
Plumbers Training Institute classes may be completed from anywhere, anytime.
Contact Information
- Phone: 855-284-8738
- Website: https://www.plumberstraininginstitute.com
#7Carver Career and Technical Education Center
About the School
Carver Career and Technical Education Center offers a two-year Plumbing program for high school students.
The program is designed to provide the knowledge and skills needed to assemble, install, and repair pipes, and fixtures of heating, water, and drainage systems.
Courses Offered
Students learn how to use building plans and working drawings and hand and power tools, as well as how to cut, thread, and bend pipe, assemble and install valves, and many other related skills.
They are able to work as plumbers’ helpers and are eligible to take the International Code Council Building Codes Specialist with the plumbing option and 10-hour OSHA training.
The following certifications are included in the program:
- International Code Council Building Code Specialist
- Carver Career Center Plumbing Certification
- OSHA 10-Hour Construction Card
- Skills U.S.A. Participation
- NOCTI Plumbing Certification
Contact Information
- Address: 4799 Midland Drive Charleston, WV 25306
- Phone: 304-348-1965
- Website: https://kanawhacountyschoolswv.sites.thrillshare.com/o/carver
#8Virginia's Community Colleges
About the School
Virginia’s Community Colleges offers Principles of Plumbing Trade classes.
Classes are available in three levels.
The curriculum studies the plumbing trade, the structure of the plumbing trade, apprenticeship standards, job safety, tools of the trade, the approved installation of plumbing materials, and more.
Lectures take place three hours per week.
The course awards three credits.
Courses Offered
The college also offers other construction-related courses, such as:
- Construction Management
- Shop Practices and Procedures
- Introduction to Construction
- Blueprint Reading and the Building Code
- Plumbing Blueprint Reading
- And many more
Contact Information
- Address: 300 Arboretum Place, Suite 200, Richmond, VA 23236
- Phone: (804) 819-4901
- Website: https://www.vccs.edu/
#9New River Community and Technical College
About the School
New River Community and Technical College serves ten counties in southeast and south-central West Virginia, including Braxton, Fayette, Greenbrier, Mercer, Monroe, Nicholas, Raleigh, Summers, and Webster counties.
The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Courses Offered
New River Community and Technical College offers an HVAC AAS program that awards 60 credit hours and leads to an Associate of Applied Science Degree in HVAC.
Students learn, through hands-on training, theoretical instruction, and industry-related certifications, the technical skills needed to troubleshoot, service, and optimize heating, cooling, and refrigeration systems.
The program emphasizes safety, energy efficiency, and modern diagnostic techniques.
Graduates are well-equipped to meet the evolving demands of the HVAC industry.
Contact Information
- Address: 280 University Drive, Beaver, WV 25813-8987
- Phone: (804) 819-4901
- Website: https://newriver.edu
#10U.S. Career Institute
Plumbing classes are also available at schools located in other states, in an online format.
About the School
U.S. Career Institute offers a self-paced online plumbing school 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
There are no set class schedules, which means that students can complete the coursework 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
Plumbing Average Salary in West Virginia
Estimated Earnings Range:| Item | Percent |
|---|---|
|
$35K
|
|
|
$55K
|
|
|
$81K
|
Plumbing Salary by Metro Area in West Virginia
| Metro Area | Employed | Avg. Annual | Avg. Hourly | Top 10% | Bottom 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beckley, WV | 100 | $50,290 | $24.18 | $72,870 | $34,410 |
| Charleston, WV | 280 | $53,210 | $25.58 | $79,790 | $36,410 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 360 | $57,960 | $27.87 | $82,380 | $36,000 |
| Morgantown, WV | 160 | $55,860 | $26.86 | $83,370 | $36,470 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | 70 | $56,120 | $26.98 | $90,510 | $34,930 |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | 80 | $65,230 | $31.36 | $99,420 | $37,950 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | 120 | $65,310 | $31.40 | $83,460 | $37,350 |
* Employment opportunities may differ based on your location.
Final Thoughts
There are plenty of learning opportunities available for aspiring plumbers who live in the state of West Virginia.
Now that you have read our selection of the best Plumbing schools in your state and the programs they offer, it’s time to continue your research and apply for the one that best fits your lifestyle, schedule, and career aspirations.
