Home › California › Plumbing schools
Plumbing Schools in California
12 schools in California offer plumbing-related programs, compared below on official cost, completion, and earnings data. Prefer to earn while you learn? 63 registered apprenticeship programs in California train plumbing apprentices — see apprenticeships.
Occupation pay is what working plumbing professionals in California earn (all experience levels) — school "earnings" figures above are medians for each school's recent federally-aided students across all its programs, which read lower.
Plumbing licensing in California: State license required
California requires a state C-36 Plumbing Contractor license from the CSLB to contract plumbing work of $1,000 or more (labor and materials) — and even under $1,000 a license is required if the job needs a building permit or the worker employs helpers. Employees working under a licensed contractor do not need an individual license; there is no journeyman license. The C-36 requires 4 years of journey-level experience within the past 10 years, passing the Law & Business and trade exams, and a $25,000 contractor bond, with apprenticeship time counting toward the experience requirement.
Official source: Contractors State License Board (CSLB), California Department of Consumer Affairs · Exam: CSLB Law & Business exam + C-36 Plumbing trade exam · Typical requirement: 4 years of journey-level plumbing experience within the last 10 years (roughly full-time — CSLB expects plumbing performed daily for 4 full years), documented and verifiable; $25,000 contractor bond. Narrow minor-work exemption: jobs under $1,000 (labor + materials) may be done unlicensed ONLY if the work requires no building permit and the person employs no one else on the job (AB 2622, effective 2025) — most permit-requiring plumbing work needs a licensed contractor regardless of price. Employees of a licensed contractor need no individual license.
Official license records related to plumbing in California
From the U.S. Department of Labor's License Finder — these may include contractor, specialty, or related licenses beyond entry-level requirements:
- Boiler, Hot Water Heating and Steam Fitting Contractor — Department of Consumer Affairs~Contractors State License Board
- Machinery and Pumps Limited Specialty Contractor — Department of Consumer Affairs~Contractors State License Board
- Wood Tanks Limited Specialty Contractor — Department of Consumer Affairs~Contractors State License Board
- Underground Storage Tank Tester — Division of Water Quality~State Water Resources Control Board
- Pipeline Contractor — Department of Consumer Affairs~Contractors State License Board
- Plumbing Contractor — Department of Consumer Affairs~Contractors State License Board
Wage and license data provided by CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA) and Minnesota DEED.
Schools, ranked by earnings per tuition dollar
| School | City | Type | Net price / yr | Completion | Earnings (10 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| College of San Mateo | San Mateo | public | $536 | 30.9% | $54,172 |
| College of the Canyons | Santa Clarita | public | $3,702 | 29.9% | $49,022 |
| Mission College | Santa Clara | public | $5,080 | 19.1% | $50,936 |
| Foothill College | Los Altos Hills | public | $7,653 | 25.3% | $57,072 |
| City College of San Francisco | San Francisco | public | $6,906 | 22.5% | $45,805 |
| Orange Coast College | Costa Mesa | public | $7,203 | 32.9% | $47,348 |
| Diablo Valley College | Pleasant Hill | public | $8,312 | 32.6% | $51,378 |
| American River College | Sacramento | public | $7,999 | 24.6% | $40,162 |
| San Diego City College | San Diego | public | $7,935 | 20.8% | $38,503 |
| Los Angeles Trade Technical College | Los Angeles | public | $12,323 | 20.2% | $35,233 |
| Bakersfield College | Bakersfield | public | $14,621 | 25.9% | $37,291 |
| Summit College | San Bernardino | private for-profit | $29,926 | 66.6% | $40,187 |
Ranking = median earnings 10 years after entry per $1,000 of average yearly net price (methodology). Figures are institution-wide federal medians for each school as a whole — not plumbing graduates specifically. Schools without both figures sort last — "not reported" means the federal dataset lacks the value, not that the school is bad.
Common questions: Plumbing school in California
- How much do Plumbing schools cost in California?
- The median annual net price (what students actually pay after aid) across 12 plumbing schools in California is $7,794. Individual schools range widely — the table above shows each school's real cost, not sticker price.
- Do you need a license to work as a plumbing in California?
- California requires a state C-36 Plumbing Contractor license from the CSLB to contract plumbing work of $1,000 or more (labor and materials) — and even under $1,000 a license is required if the job needs a building permit or the worker employs helpers. Employees working under a licensed contractor do not need an individual license; there is no journeyman license. The C-36 requires 4 years of journey-level experience within the past 10 years, passing the Law & Business and trade exams, and a $25,000 contractor bond, with apprenticeship time counting toward the experience requirement.
- Can you get paid to train as a plumbing in California?
- Yes — California has 63 registered apprenticeship programs where you earn wages while you train instead of paying tuition. See the plumbing apprenticeships page for the current list.
- What does a plumbing earn in California?
- Working plumbing professionals in California earn a median of $72,830 per year, ranging from about $47,350 to $131,100 (U.S. Department of Labor). This is what people in the job earn, which differs from a school's reported graduate-earnings figure.
Aid deadlines for plumbing programs in California
Federal and state aid programs have windows and deadlines. Get them for your trade and state, plus program matches.
We may share your info with matched school and program partners so they can contact you about enrollment. Unsubscribe anytime. See our Privacy Policy.
Plumbing schools in nearby states
See all states & the full plumbing guide →