Home › North Carolina › Plumbing schools
Plumbing Schools in North Carolina
8 schools in North Carolina offer plumbing-related programs, compared below on official cost, completion, and earnings data. Prefer to earn while you learn? 2 registered apprenticeship programs in North Carolina train plumbing apprentices — see apprenticeships.
Occupation pay is what working plumbing professionals in North Carolina 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 North Carolina: State license required
North Carolina requires a state Plumbing Contractor license (Class I) from the State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors to contract plumbing work: 2 years (4,000 hours) of on-site full-time experience — up to 2,000 hours creditable from related academic or technical training, including apprenticeship — plus the trade and business law exams. Employees may work under a licensed contractor's supervision without holding their own license.
Official source: North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors · Exam: Board plumbing contractor examination plus North Carolina business law exam · Typical requirement: Plumbing Class I contractor exam: 2 years (4,000 hours) of on-site full-time experience installing, maintaining, servicing, or repairing plumbing/heating systems; up to 2,000 hours may be satisfied by directly related academic or technical training (including apprenticeship classroom time). Restricted Technician licenses require 3,000 hours (Class I) or 2,500 hours (Class II). No license reciprocity with other states.
Official license records related to plumbing in North Carolina
From the U.S. Department of Labor's License Finder — these may include contractor, specialty, or related licenses beyond entry-level requirements:
- Underground Storage Tank Facility: Registration & Operation — NC Department of Environmental Quality~Waste Management
- Boiler Or Pressure Vessel Inspections — NC Department of Labor~Boiler Safety Bureau
- Corporate Irrigation Contractor — NC Board of Irrigation Contractors
- Drill Exploratory Oil Or Gas Well — NC Department of Environmental Quality~Energy, Mineral and Land Resources
- Wastewater Pumping And Hauling — NC Department of Environmental Quality~Water Resources
- Irrigation Contractor — NC Board of Irrigation Contractors
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Community College | Shelby | public | $995 | 30.6% | $33,755 |
| Pamlico Community College | Grantsboro | public | $1,321 | 55.3% | $30,005 |
| Fayetteville Technical Community College | Fayetteville | public | $3,589 | 28.2% | $31,861 |
| Wake Technical Community College | Raleigh | public | $8,759 | 31.8% | $41,769 |
| Forsyth Technical Community College | Winston-Salem | public | $7,200 | 32.9% | $34,139 |
| Cape Fear Community College | Wilmington | public | $9,610 | 39.7% | $38,654 |
| Halifax Community College | Weldon | public | $9,040 | 37.3% | $31,644 |
| Guilford Technical Community College | Jamestown | public | $15,002 | 27.4% | $33,934 |
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 North Carolina
- How much do Plumbing schools cost in North Carolina?
- The median annual net price (what students actually pay after aid) across 8 plumbing schools in North Carolina is $7,980. 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 North Carolina?
- North Carolina requires a state Plumbing Contractor license (Class I) from the State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors to contract plumbing work: 2 years (4,000 hours) of on-site full-time experience — up to 2,000 hours creditable from related academic or technical training, including apprenticeship — plus the trade and business law exams. Employees may work under a licensed contractor's supervision without holding their own license.
- Can you get paid to train as a plumbing in North Carolina?
- Yes — North Carolina has 2 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 North Carolina?
- Working plumbing professionals in North Carolina earn a median of $57,080 per year, ranging from about $38,860 to $75,850 (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 North Carolina
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
- Plumbing schools in Delaware
- Plumbing schools in Florida
- Plumbing schools in Georgia
- Plumbing schools in Alabama
- Plumbing schools in Arizona
- Plumbing schools in Arkansas
- Plumbing schools in California
- Plumbing schools in Colorado
- Plumbing schools in Connecticut
- Plumbing schools in Idaho
See all states & the full plumbing guide →