How Long Does it Take to Become a Plumber: Timeline & Career Options

Specializing in a trade enables you to flex your entrepreneurial muscle and offers the potential for a fulfilling future. If you’re weighing the pros and cons of a skilled trade, discover how long it takes to become a plumber and some advice for planning your future career path.

Upside of Skilled Trades

High school graduates often choose traditional, four-year colleges for the promise of career flexibility and higher earnings potential. Unfortunately, nearly 24% of the people who graduated from college in 2022 between the ages of 20 to 29 years old were still unemployed by October of that year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

A four-year college degree is not the only way to achieve your career goals. Demand for skilled trades is high. Trained workers are needed in areas such as construction, plumbing, electrical work, auto repair, and many others. Yet at least 3 million skilled trade jobs will remain unfilled by 2028.

Pursuing a skilled trade offers a shorter timeline to a real paycheck and a rewarding future. And whether it's constructing a building, fixing a vehicle, or installing electrical systems, you can take pride in your visible contributions and the value they provide to individuals and communities.

Pathways to Success in the Plumbing Industry

The plumbing industry can provide lucrative opportunities for a young person interested in following a different path. Becoming a professional plumber entails dedication, education, and

practical experience. Many people learn how to be a plumber at vocational schools or through community college programs. Alternatively, you can enter an apprenticeship program, which offers a combination of on-the-job training and classroom instruction. Apprenticeships last four to five years and allow you to work under the guidance of experienced plumbers while earning a wage. You’ll also have to meet licensing requirements specific to your location to serve customers.

Once you’ve obtained your plumbing license, you can start a business from scratch, join an established company, or start a franchise. Joining a plumbing franchise offers unique advantages, particularly for those in the early stages of their career. Franchise opportunities provide access to a proven business model, established brand, and ongoing support from the franchisor. While franchise fees and requirements vary, the benefits are worth considering.

Opening a franchise early in your career allows you to start a turnkey business as an owner-operator and slowly scale your business as you gain more experience in the industry. Sharing best practices with fellow franchisees can provide valuable insight as your business grows. Franchising still allows you to control your work schedule, clients, and projects.

RooterMan: A Plumbing Franchise Opportunity

When it comes to plumbing, customers want to do business with a brand they trust. RooterMan has more than 50 years of experience helping customers solve their plumbing issues quickly. We’re one of the largest plumbing, sewer, and drain-cleaning companies in North America with 672 locations. RooterMan ranked No. 1 in its category in Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 for 2023.

For an initial investment of $45,075 to $82,475, including a $4,975 franchise fee, you can buy a plumbing business with a proven operational system and brand recognition. We provide marketing strategies, sales guidance, and ongoing support to help you establish your business as a leader in the territory you serve. To ensure you’re ready to serve customers, here’s how long it takes to become a plumber with RooterMan: We provide a weeklong onboarding program to learn back-office operations,40 hours of online training, 36 hours of in-person training at our corporate headquarters, and four hours of field training.

RooterMan is one of Premium Service Brands’ nine home services concepts. Joining the PSB family gives you access to award-winning concepts and complementary business options to diversify your portfolio and become a home services authority.

Get started pursuing a future where you can work with your hands and generate a steady income in a high-demand industry.