Pipefitter
Install, assemble, and maintain high-pressure piping systems for industrial, commercial, and process facilities. Pipefitters work with steam, gas, hydraulic, and chemical lines that keep power plants, refineries, hospitals, and factories running.
Pipefitter goes by many names
On KinTrades, all of these job titles route to the Pipefitter trade — so search any of them and you'll find matching work.
Day to day on the job
Pipefitters lay out, fabricate, and install piping that carries high-pressure liquid, gas, or steam. A typical day includes reading isometric drawings, cutting and threading pipe, welding or bolting flange joints, and pressure-testing systems before they're put in service.
Specializations matter. A Steamfitter works on high-temperature steam systems in power plants and large boilers. A Process Pipefitter handles chemical lines in refineries and pharmaceutical plants. An Industrial Pipefitter covers manufacturing facilities, shipyards, and food processing. The core craft is shared; the systems and codes differ.
Most Pipefitters work on commercial and industrial sites — not residential. The work is physically demanding, often outdoors or in confined spaces, and frequently coordinated with welders, millwrights, and instrumentation techs.
How you move up as a Pipefitter
Progression follows the United Association (UA) of Plumbers and Pipefitters apprenticeship model used across UA Local 10 (Richmond VA), Local 110 (Norfolk VA), Steamfitters Local 602 (DC + suburban MD), Local 486 (Baltimore MD), and Local 421 (NC + SC). Pay ranges are U.S. national medians. BLS OES 47-2152, May 2024.
Apprentice — what this rung looks like
What Pipefitters earn in VA, DC, MD & NC
Pay data: BLS OEWS · May 2024 · VA · DC · MD · NC. Expanding nationally.
Core craft + supporting skills
Pulled from your taxonomy. Core skills (orange) are required for the Pipefitter trade; supporting skills (gray) round out a well-rounded journeyworker.
Paths into the Pipefitter trade
UA Local Apprenticeship
Paid 5-year program through United Association locals. Indenture combines OJT and classroom. Local 10 (Richmond VA), Local 110 (Norfolk VA), Steamfitters Local 602 (DC), Local 486 (MD), Local 421 (NC).
ABC / Open-Shop Apprenticeship
Associated Builders & Contractors runs DOL-Registered apprenticeships in pipefitting/pipewelding at non-union contractors. ABC Virginia, ABC Metro Washington (DC + suburban MD), ABC Greater Baltimore.
Community College Pre-Apprenticeship
Tidewater CC Pipefitter Cert (VA), UDC-CC Workforce Development (DC), Prince George's CC NCCER Plumbing (MD), Cape Fear CC Plumbing & Pipefitting Apprenticeship (NC). Many are Pell-eligible.
Certifications that help
NCCER Pipefitter Level 1–4, OSHA 10 (entry) / OSHA 30 (lead), AWS welding endorsements, EPA RCRA for chemical lines.
Common pathways into Pipefitter work
KinTrades welcomes Pipefitter workers from every walk of life. Whether you're a veteran transitioning out of service, a student planning your career, or someone returning to work — there's a clear path in.
Veterans
Navy Hull Maintenance Technician (HT), Damage Controlman (DC), Air Force 3E4X1 Water & Fuel Systems, and Seabee construction-battalion ratings all crosswalk directly into UA pipefitter apprenticeships.
Helmets to Hardhats connects transitioning service members to UA + ABC programs; UA VIP (Veterans in Piping) offers accelerated entry.
Federal pipefitting work at Navy Yard, NIH, and DoD shipyards favors veteran applicants.
Veterans on KinTradesHigh School Students
High school seniors can apply during their senior year — UA pipefitter apprenticeships start at age 18 and accept HS diploma or GED. NCCER pipefitting curriculum is taught at career-technical high schools across VA, DC, MD, and NC; credits transfer straight into apprenticeship.
Pell-eligible community college pre-apprenticeship programs (Tidewater CC, Cape Fear CC) bridge non-CTE high school grads.
FastForward VA covers tuition for Virginia students.
Students on KinTradesSecond Chance
Pipefitting is among the trades on KinTrades where employers actively hire workers with records.
UA Locals 10, 110, 486, 421, and Steamfitters Local 602 admit applicants with felony histories on a case-by-case basis; many ABC contractors do not require background checks for entry-level positions.
Federal facilities require background screening for site access — but commercial and industrial pipefitting work generally does not.
Second-chance hiringIf Pipefitter interests you, also look at
Common questions about becoming a Pipefitter
What does a Pipefitter do?
Pipefitters lay out, fabricate, and install piping that carries high-pressure liquid, gas, or steam. A typical day includes reading isometric drawings, cutting and threading pipe, welding or bolting flange joints, and pressure-testing systems before they're put in service.
What does a Pipefitter make in Virginia, DC, Maryland, and North Carolina?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2024, Pipefitters earn an annual median of $66K in Virginia (range $54K–$82K), $84K in DC ($68K–$104K), $76K in Maryland ($60K–$96K), and $58K in North Carolina ($48K–$74K).
How do you become a Pipefitter?
UA Local Apprenticeship: Paid 5-year program through United Association locals. Indenture combines OJT and classroom. Local 10 (Richmond VA), Local 110 (Norfolk VA), Steamfitters Local 602 (DC), Local 486 (MD), Local 421 (NC).
How long is Pipefitter apprenticeship in Virginia, DC, Maryland, or North Carolina?
4–5 years through the UA program. Ends with journeyworker exam + final project. Progression follows the United Association (UA) of Plumbers and Pipefitters apprenticeship model used across UA Local 10 (Richmond VA), Local 110 (Norfolk VA), Steamfitters Local 602 (DC + suburban MD), Local 486 (Baltimore MD), and Local 421 (NC + SC). Pay ranges are U.S. national medians.
Is Pipefitter a good career path for someone with a record?
Pipefitting is among the trades on KinTrades where employers actively hire workers with records. UA Locals 10, 110, 486, 421, and Steamfitters Local 602 admit applicants with felony histories on a case-by-case basis; many ABC contractors do not require background checks for entry-level positions. Federal facilities require background screening for site access — but commercial and industrial pipefitting work generally does not.