After finishing their training, they can work for a major company or even start their own business.
To reach this level, and get the license, you will need to pass the process that involves education and on-the-job training.
There are three types of licenses available through the Board of Registration of Plumbers and Gas Fitters: Apprentice, Journeyman, and Master Plumber.
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Massachusetts Master Plumbing License Requirements
As in the majority of states, the master plumber is the highest level of plumbing licenses.
Once you get it, you become an independent plumber without any supervision, you are allowed to train the next generation of young plumbers by supervising apprentices and journeymen, you can start your own company, make contracts and have workers.
To reach this level, you must work as a journeyman plumber for at least a year, and then you can apply to be a master plumber.
Even though you are eligible to apply for a master plumber’s license, you should know that this license also requires formal classes and a state-administered exam.
Massachusetts Plumbing Journeyman License Requirements
Those people who have worked at least three years with their apprentice license can apply to become a journeyman plumber.
A journeyman in Massachusetts can do all plumbing jobs but still under the supervision of a master plumber.
There are plumbers who do not proceed to the master level, but rather choose to stay at the journeyman level throughout their careers.
The move from apprentice to journeyman requires 8,000 hours of plumbing work as well as 150 hours of formal study at a technical college.
The cost of the programs ranges from $1500 to $2000 per semester.
Besides finishing the formal training and on-the-job experience, applicants for a journeyman license must pay a small application fee and pass a journeyman level exam.
Renewing the license every two years is obligatory.
Massachusetts Plumbing Apprenticeship Requirements
An apprentice plumber is someone who has completed some professional training on the job from a master plumber.
You can apply for your apprentice license after 5,100 hours of monitored plumbing work, which usually lasts four to five years.
To obtain your apprentice license, you will need to attend a technical school while older candidates must start with training at a technical college.
The classes involve both academic and practical courses and after completing the program, you can find a master plumber who will start your formal apprenticeship.
Plumbing Trade Schools in Massachusetts
What we have to offer you are six popular Plumbing Schools in Massachusetts with Program Overviews
All of them offer training in plumbing for adult postsecondary students.
Most programs are offered at vocational-technical high schools and it is a great thing that adult students can complete training in the evening hours.
The programs take about twelve months and the training meets the plumbing tier 1-5 requirements for licensure which is regulated by The Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters.
- Assabet Valley Regional Technical School – Located in Marlborough is a technical high school that offers a postgraduate program in plumbing for adults. Training runs for 10 months and after finishing it, students are equipped with skills needed to meet the Massachusetts plumbing and fuel gas code requirements. Students complete 1,000 hours of training that deals with residential and commercial heating, water, and gas systems. They will learn about the following as well: fixture and appliance installation, boiler installation, hydronic heating systems, and Victaulic piping systems.
- Bay Path Regional Vocational High School – This is a Charlton school that is a member of the Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational School District. If you want to enroll in this school, you can complete plumbing training through the Baypath Adult Evening School division. The admission is available only to those students who submit proof of a high school diploma and an apprentice license. There, you will be able to complete plumbing tier 1-5 coursework, which meets the requirements to become a licensed plumber in the state. Each tier consists of 110 contact hours and runs for 30 weeks. Those who already possess a license can benefit from this school as well as it offers classes for plumbers to meet the 12 continuing education units required to maintain licensure.
- Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology – This is a Boston school and one of the oldest colleges in the New England region. The school boasts the Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration (HVAC&R) Department where students may complete plumbing for tiers I-IV coursework, which is 110 hours of training per tier in two 5-month sessions. Students who complete this program also meet the state’s continuing education requirement.
- Motoring Technical Training Institute (MTTI) – This is a small school located in Seekonk with about 250 students who can complete training that includes basic plumbing installation and repair. The program lasts 27 weeks and includes 825 hours of training. Students are required to complete an internship at a building trades company to gain experience.
- Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical School (Shawsheen Institute) – This institute is located at the Shawsheen Valley Technical High School campus in Billerica. Adult learners can finish the course designed for plumbers who wish to meet the requirements for the state journeyman license. Students complete 110 hours of training that focuses on theoretical classroom instruction.
- Southeastern Technical Institute – this is a South Easton school where aspiring plumbers can enroll in a plumbing apprenticeship or master plumber program to prepare for state licensure. The admission is available to students who already work in the field as an apprentice. The program consists of plumbing tier 1-4 training, which includes 132 contact hours for each tier. For the master plumber program, students must be licensed as a journeyman plumber.
Salary
The average apprentice plumber pay rate is $17.66 per hour in Massachusetts, while the average plumber salary for a journeyman or master plumber is about $40 per hour.
If you reach the master level, you become an independent plumber who has more flexibility in deciding his or her rate, while at the same time you have more experience, causing your salary to be higher.
The average Plumber salary in Massachusetts is $62,431.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Plumbers in Massachusetts
City Name Salary Boston $64,767 Worcester $60,423 Springfield $59,964 Lowell $62,546 Cambridge $64,767 Brockton $62,144 New Bedford $60,480 Fall River $60,480 Lynn $64,767 Quincy $64,767 Regional Salary
Region Employed Avg. Annual Salary Avg. Hourly Pay Top 10% Annual Salary Bottom 10% Annual Salary Barnstable Town, MA 580 $74,610 $35.87 $100,940 $46,410 Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 12,000 $90,580 $43.55 $135,140 $47,620 Leominster-Gardner, MA 180 $74,030 $35.59 $101,190 $44,330 New Bedford, MA 180 $73,990 $35.57 $125,270 $42,790 Pittsfield, MA 190 $76,570 $36.81 $123,820 $42,120 Springfield, MA-CT 1,140 $83,700 $40.24 $125,830 $44,840 Worcester, MA-CT 1,100 $86,070 $41.38 $126,500 $45,340
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
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