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Plumbing & Water Supply

Types of Degrees Plumbing & Water Supply Majors Are Earning

Those studying Plumbing & Water Supply have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	1,771
Associate’s Degree	345
Master’s Degree	1,332

What Plumbing & Water Supply Majors Need to Know

Studies in Plumbing & Water Supply develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Plumbing & Water Supply graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Plumbing & Water Supply emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Mechanical — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Building and Construction — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Public Safety and Security — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Plumbing & Water Supply program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Coordination — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Plumbing & Water Supply careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Plumbing & Water Supply graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.2 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.0 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Performing General Physical Activities	3.9 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7
Handling and Moving Objects	3.8 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.8 / 7
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment	3.7 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.7 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Plumbing & Water Supply professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Work scheduling software	Calendar and scheduling software	—
Procore software	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Oracle Primavera Systems	Project management software	—
Prolog	Development environment software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Plumbing & Water Supply graduates include:

• Drain Cleaner
• Drain Technician
• Road Supervisor
• Gas Line Installer Supervisor
• Site Superintendent
• Concrete Foreman
• Plumbing Foreman
• Building Construction Superintendent
• Marble Supervisor
• Lathing Supervisor
• Pile Driving Supervisor
• Right-of-Way Maintenance Supervisor
• Ornamental Ironworking Supervisor
• Shipyard Painting Supervisor
• Paving Supervisor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Plumbing & Water Supply graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	40.5%
Postsecondary certificate	19.5%
Less than a high school diploma	15.9%
Some college courses	10.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	6.5%
Bachelor’s degree	5.5%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.0%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Plumbing & Water Supply?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 93.9% of Plumbing & Water Supply degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	212	6.1%
Men	3,259	93.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Plumbing & Water Supply graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	1,625	46.8%
Asian	57	1.6%
Hispanic or Latino	946	27.3%
Black or African American	436	12.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native	30	0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	9	0.3%
Two or More Races	61	1.8%
Race Unknown	292	8.4%
International Students	15	0.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Plumbing & Water Supply Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Plumbing & Water Supply graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$38,651
4 years	$39,033
5 years	$45,465

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $45,465 — roughly 18% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Plumbing & Water Supply Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Plumbing & Water Supply graduates earn a median of $39,033 four years after completion — roughly 3% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Construction Trades	46
Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection	46.04
Carpenters	46.02
Construction Trades, Other	46.99
CONSTRUCTION TRADES	46.00
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers	46.03
Mason/Masonry	46.01

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.