Plumber Jobs in Philadelphia, PA

Plumbers in the Philadelphia area average about $42 an hour, and SEPTA is hiring first-class plumbers at $37.11 rising to $41.23. Here are the current openings, followed by who is hiring, the city's journeyman and master plumber licenses, and where to train.

Plumber Work in Philadelphia

A large share of Philadelphia's plumbing jobs are maintenance roles in big institutions with older buildings. SEPTA keeps plumbers on staff for stations and shops from its Center City facilities to Fern Rock, while Penn, Drexel and Jefferson run in-house trades crews across University City and Center City campuses and hospitals. The School District of Philadelphia keeps its own plumbers for school buildings citywide, and property managers like University City Housing keep licensed plumbers busy in West Philly apartments. The city licenses plumbers itself, so a Philadelphia journeyman card is the credential employers ask for by name, and many postings list it as a hard requirement.

Top Philadelphia Employers Hiring Plumbers

These employers have posted plumber jobs in Philadelphia on their own careers sites:

• SEPTA - the transit authority hires first-class plumbers for its Building Trades crews, requiring a Philadelphia journeyman card.
• School District of Philadelphia - the district hires Plumber B mechanics to maintain school buildings citywide.
• University City Housing - the West Philadelphia property manager hires full-time licensed plumbers.
• University of Pennsylvania - Penn's facilities and real estate services group posts plumber jobs for its campus.
• Jefferson Health - the health system hires full-time evening plumbers for its Philadelphia hospitals.
• Drexel University - the university hires Class A plumbing mechanics for its University City buildings.

Plumber Salaries in Philadelphia

• Entry level: around $26 an hour, the state's entry-level average of $54,770 a year for the area; apprentices typically start below that.
• Experienced: roughly $37 to $42 an hour, where SEPTA's first-class plumber pay and the area average sit.
• Senior: around $50 an hour, with the state's experienced-worker average at $104,390 a year for top journeymen and master plumbers.

These are estimates from Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry wage data for the Philadelphia Metropolitan Division (May 2025), which groups plumbers with pipefitters and steamfitters, plus current postings. Pay moves with licensing level, union status, overtime and emergency calls; public and institutional jobs trade some top-end pay for pensions and steady hours.

How to Become a Plumber in Philadelphia

Pennsylvania has no statewide plumbing license, but Philadelphia does. The Department of Licenses and Inspections issues three levels: Plumber Apprentice, Journeyman Plumber and Master Plumber. A journeyman license takes four years as a registered Philadelphia apprentice and a passing score on the International Code Council journeyman exam, and lets you work under a licensed master plumber. A master license takes at least one year as a Philadelphia journeyman, the Philadelphia Master Plumber Examination and contractor insurance. Plumbers Local 690 runs a five-year union apprenticeship from its training center on Southampton Road in the Northeast, and Orleans Technical College on Red Lion Road offers a Plumbing and Heating program in 8 months of days or 14 months of evenings.

What the Job Involves

Plumbers install, maintain and repair water supply, drain, waste and vent piping, fixtures, water heaters and gas lines. A typical day includes clearing clogs, replacing valves and fixtures, cutting and joining copper, PVC and cast iron, reading plans, testing systems for leaks, and working to code so the job passes inspection. Maintenance plumbers in schools, hospitals and campuses also handle boilers, backflow devices and emergency calls.

Skills Employers Look For

• A Philadelphia Journeyman Plumber license, or progress toward one
• Knowledge of plumbing code and inspection requirements
• Soldering, threading, and joining copper, PVC and cast iron
• Troubleshooting drains, water heaters and gas appliances
• Blueprint reading for new work and renovations
• A valid driver's license, and for SEPTA, a CDL permit within 60 days

Career Path and Advancement

In Philadelphia the ladder is written into the license system: registered apprentice, then journeyman after four years, then master plumber after at least one more. Journeymen move into lead or foreman roles, institutional maintenance supervision or estimating, and master plumbers can pull permits and run their own shops across the city's rowhouse neighborhoods.

Related Careers in Philadelphia

If plumbing interests you, these related Philadelphia roles are close matches:

• HVAC Technician Jobs
• Electrician Jobs
• Construction Worker Jobs

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need a license to be a plumber in Philadelphia?

Yes. Pennsylvania has no statewide plumbing license, but the City of Philadelphia licenses apprentices, journeyman plumbers and master plumbers through the Department of Licenses and Inspections. Employers such as SEPTA and the School District list the Philadelphia journeyman license as a requirement.

How much do plumbers make in Philadelphia?

The area average for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters is about $42 an hour, or $87,850 a year. Entry-level workers average around $26 an hour, and SEPTA pays first-class plumbers $37.11 rising to $41.23 after a year.

How long does it take to become a journeyman plumber in Philadelphia?

The city requires four years as a registered Philadelphia apprentice plumber, or an equivalent license from another jurisdiction, before you can sit for the journeyman exam. The Plumbers Local 690 union apprenticeship runs five years with 2,000 hours of on-the-job training each year.

Is Plumbers Local 690 taking apprentice applications?

Local 690 usually takes applications in the second and third weeks of January, but its site says it will not offer apprentice applications in 2026. Watch its training page for the next window, and consider a trade school program in the meantime.

What does it take to get a master plumber license in Philadelphia?

You need at least one year as a licensed Philadelphia journeyman, a passing score on the Philadelphia Master Plumber Examination given by the International Code Council, and proof of insurance, including $500,000 in general liability and workers' compensation.

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