How much do Plumbing schools cost in Illinois?

The median annual net price (what students actually pay after aid) across 4 plumbing schools in Illinois is $6,093. Individual schools range widely — the table above shows each school's real cost, not sticker price.

Can you get paid to train as a plumbing in Illinois?

Yes — Illinois has 48 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 Illinois?

Working plumbing professionals in Illinois earn a median of $99,950 per year, ranging from about $50,250 to $126,430 (U.S. Department of Labor). This is what people in the job earn, which differs from a school's reported graduate-earnings figure.

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Plumbing Schools in Illinois

4 schools in Illinois offer plumbing-related programs, compared below on official cost, completion, and earnings data. Prefer to earn while you learn? 48 registered apprenticeship programs in Illinois train plumbing apprentices — see apprenticeships.

Schools in Illinois

Median net price / yr (Illinois)

$6,093

national: $8,969

Median earnings (Illinois)

$38,022

national: $38,837

Apprenticeship sponsors

earn while training

Plumbing pay in Illinois (all workers)

$99,950

range $50,250–$126,430 · U.S. DOL occupation wage

Occupation pay is what working plumbing professionals in Illinois 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 Illinois: State license required

Illinois licenses plumbers at the state level through the Illinois Department of Public Health — all plumbing work must be done by a licensed plumber or a licensed apprentice working under one. Apprentices (16+) must be sponsored by a licensed plumber or an approved apprenticeship program, and after a minimum of 4 years (within a 6-year apprenticeship window) can sit for the state exam. Chicago plumbers are licensed by the city, with a reciprocity process to work under state jurisdiction elsewhere in Illinois.

Official source: Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), Plumbing Program · Exam: IDPH Illinois plumber's licensing examination (written and practical) · Typical requirement: Apprentice license first (age 16+, sponsored by an Illinois-licensed plumber or approved apprenticeship program; apprenticeship capped at 6 years). Plumber's license: minimum 4 years as a licensed apprentice, at least 2 years of high school (or equivalent) plus approved course instruction, then the state exam ($175 application fee).

Official license records related to plumbing in Illinois

From the U.S. Department of Labor's License Finder — these may include contractor, specialty, or related licenses beyond entry-level requirements:

PLUMBER — Illinois Department of Public Health
PLUMBER, APPRENTICE — Illinois Department of Public Health
WATER WELL PUMP INSTALLATION CONTRACTOR — Illinois Department of Public Health
SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM PUMPING CONTRACTOR, PRIVATE — Illinois Department of Public Health
WATER WELL AND PUMP INSTALLATION CONTRACTOR — Illinois Department of Public Health
FIRE SPRINKLERS CONTRACTORS — Illinois State Fire Marshall

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)
Lewis and Clark Community College	Godfrey	public	$3,349	50%	$37,724
Triton College	River Grove	public	$4,138	18.5%	$41,728
Parkland College	Champaign	public	$8,048	29.5%	$38,320
City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College	Chicago	public	$9,494	27.4%	$28,467

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 Illinois

How much do Plumbing schools cost in Illinois?: The median annual net price (what students actually pay after aid) across 4 plumbing schools in Illinois is $6,093. 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 Illinois?: Illinois licenses plumbers at the state level through the Illinois Department of Public Health — all plumbing work must be done by a licensed plumber or a licensed apprentice working under one. Apprentices (16+) must be sponsored by a licensed plumber or an approved apprenticeship program, and after a minimum of 4 years (within a 6-year apprenticeship window) can sit for the state exam. Chicago plumbers are licensed by the city, with a reciprocity process to work under state jurisdiction elsewhere in Illinois.
Can you get paid to train as a plumbing in Illinois?: Yes — Illinois has 48 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 Illinois?: Working plumbing professionals in Illinois earn a median of $99,950 per year, ranging from about $50,250 to $126,430 (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 Illinois

Federal and state aid programs have windows and deadlines. Get them for your trade and state, plus program matches.

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Plumbing schools in nearby states

See all states & the full plumbing guide →

Data: U.S. Dept of Education College Scorecard (most recent release, pulled July 2026) + U.S. Dept of Labor apprenticeship.gov. Methodology & provenance. Independent site — not affiliated with any government agency.