Plumbing school in North Carolina

8 plumbing programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

6 schools offer these plumbing programs, and North Carolina has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Plumbers install and repair pipes, fixtures and piping systems. Most learn the trade in a four- or five-year apprenticeship, and most states and some cities require plumbers to be licensed.¹ In North Carolina, 6 of the 8 programs take students without a high school diploma, and 2 are taught partly or fully online.

See the 8 programs

How much does plumbing school cost in North Carolina?

$249 to $3,193 is what most plumbing programs in North Carolina cost if you pay yourself

That is the middle half of the 8 programs with a price. All of them: $180 to $3,885

In the typical program

Finished the program: Too few programs to say
Working 6 months later: Too few programs to say
Earned a year, estimated: Too few programs to say
Length: 16 to 44 weeks

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in North Carolina may also offer plumbing school. How these figures are made

Is there free plumbing school in North Carolina?

Yes, if you qualify. WIOA (public workforce funding) can pay for any program on this page, in full or in part, depending on local limits.²³⁴
Ask an American Job Center whether you qualify, or call 1-877-872-5627.⁵ Before funding training, the center goes through an assessment and a career plan with you.⁴
Or pay yourself. Most plumbing programs in North Carolina cost $249 to $3,193. Prices on this page run from $180 to $3,885.

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: paid apprenticeships, financial aid and the GI Bill

Plumbing school in Wilmington, New Bern, Shelby and other North Carolina cities

Choosing an area filters the list below. 1 program is online.

All 8 plumbing programs in North Carolina approved for WIOA funding

8 programs

Plumbing certificate or diplomaIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Plumbing
Cape Fear Community College
Wilmington
High school diploma or equivalent
Cape Fear Community College, Wilmington · Plumbing certificate or diploma · In person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$37,300
Price if you pay yourself$3,885
School website, Plumbing at Cape Fear Community College
More details about Plumbing at Cape Fear Community College
Finished
62%
Working at 6 months
72%
Earned in a quarter
$9,316
Length
42 weeks, 29 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$580
Students counted
61
a year, estimated
$37,300
price
$3,885
Plumbing certificate or diplomaHybridHigh school diploma or equivalent
Plumbing
Fayetteville Technical Community College
Fayetteville
High school diploma or equivalent
Fayetteville Technical Community College, Fayetteville · Plumbing certificate or diploma · Hybrid · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$28,200
Price if you pay yourself$3,344
School website, Plumbing at Fayetteville Technical Community College
More details about Plumbing at Fayetteville Technical Community College
Finished
47%
Working at 6 months
54%
Earned in a quarter
$7,039
Length
48 weeks, 30 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
55
a year, estimated
$28,200
price
$3,344
Short course or single levelIn personNo diploma needed
NCCER Plumbing Level 2 WFD/CE
Craven Community College
New Bern
No diploma needed
Craven Community College, New Bern · Short course or single level · In person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimated$33,800
Price if you pay yourself$180
Program website, NCCER Plumbing Level 2 WFD/CE at Craven Community College
More details about NCCER Plumbing Level 2 WFD/CE at Craven Community College
Finished
94%
Working at 6 months
64%
Earned in a quarter
$8,442
Length
14 weeks, 12 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$301
Students counted
21
a year, estimated
$33,800
price
$180
Short course or single levelIn personNo diploma needed
NCCER Plumbing Level 1 WFD/CE
Craven Community College
New Bern
No diploma needed
Craven Community College, New Bern · Short course or single level · In person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimated$38,400
Price if you pay yourself$180
Program website, NCCER Plumbing Level 1 WFD/CE at Craven Community College
More details about NCCER Plumbing Level 1 WFD/CE at Craven Community College
Finished
94%
Working at 6 months
62%
Earned in a quarter
$9,597
Length
15 weeks, 15 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$316
Students counted
20
a year, estimated
$38,400
price
$180
Plumbing certificate or diplomaIn personNo diploma needed
Plumbing Technician
Brunswick Community College
Supply
No diploma needed
Brunswick Community College, Supply · Plumbing certificate or diploma · In person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$273
Program website, Plumbing Technician at Brunswick Community College
More details about Plumbing Technician at Brunswick Community College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
16 weeks, 8 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
Not reported
a year, estimated
Not reported
price
$273
Plumbing certificate or diplomaIn personNo diploma needed
Plumbing, Certificate (C35300)
Cleveland Community College
Shelby
No diploma needed
Cleveland Community College, Shelby · Plumbing certificate or diploma · In person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$1,377
School website, Plumbing, Certificate (C35300) at Cleveland Community College
More details about Plumbing, Certificate (C35300) at Cleveland Community College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
32 weeks, 17 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$510
Students counted
Not reported
a year, estimated
Not reported
price
$1,377
Plumbing certificate or diplomaOnlineNo diploma needed
Plumbing, Foundations of - Continuing Education
Gaston College
Based in Dallas, NC
No diploma needed
Gaston College, based in Dallas, NC · Plumbing certificate or diploma · Online · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$2,195
Program website, Plumbing, Foundations of - Continuing Education at Gaston College
More details about Plumbing, Foundations of - Continuing Education at Gaston College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
52 weeks, 8 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
Not reported
a year, estimated
Not reported
price
$2,195
Plumbing certificate or diplomaIn personNo diploma needed
Plumbing, Diploma (D35300)
Cleveland Community College
Shelby
No diploma needed
Cleveland Community College, Shelby · Plumbing certificate or diploma · In person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$3,143
School website, Plumbing, Diploma (D35300) at Cleveland Community College
More details about Plumbing, Diploma (D35300) at Cleveland Community College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
42 weeks, 12 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$1,194
Students counted
Not reported
a year, estimated
Not reported
price
$3,143

How to pay for plumbing school in North Carolina

WIOA funding can pay for plumbing school in North Carolina

Every program on this page is approved for WIOA funding: public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. It can pay for training for eligible adults, people who lost their job and young people.²People on public assistance, with a low income or lacking basic skills come first, and veterans have priority.³Your state or local area may limit how much WIOA pays and for how long. If a program costs more, a Pell Grant, a scholarship or severance pay can cover the rest.⁴

Ask at an American Job Center

Eligibility rules apply, and services vary from state to state. Your local American Job Center can tell you whether you qualify. The Department of Labor's page links to the center finder, or call 1-877-US-2JOBS (1-877-872-5627).⁵

Paid plumbing apprenticeships

An apprenticeship is a job: you're paid to learn, with a raise as your skills grow, and most include classroom teaching. You apply to the employer or the program sponsor. Ask what you'll pay for the classroom part and what you'll earn on the job.⁶

Financial aid and grants for plumbing school

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.⁷⁸

GI Bill for plumbing school

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.⁹

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Does WIOA pay for job training? Who qualifies and how to apply

Quick facts: Plumbing school in North Carolina

programs with a price cost under $1,000: 3 of 8
lowest typical price among the states with enough programs to compare: 4th of 17
plumbing programs here, against the typical state's 4: 8 vs 4

State comparisons use the same figures as the plumbing school by state table: the middle program of each state, and only states with three or more schools for prices. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).

Plumbing apprenticeships in North Carolina

Most plumbers train in a four- or five-year apprenticeship. Each year usually brings about 2,000 hours of paid work on the job plus classes in safety, local plumbing codes and blueprint reading. Unions, trade associations and businesses run the programs; some people start as helpers or with a pre-apprenticeship course. To work on your own, states and cities often ask for two to five years of experience and a passed exam.¹

You apply to the employer or the program sponsor, not through a school.⁶ The Department of Labor's Apprenticeship Finder lists openings by place and job. None of the plumbing programs on this page is an apprenticeship.

What is an apprenticeship, and can WIOA pay for one?

Where the North Carolina plumbing program numbers come from

Which North Carolina plumbing programs are on this list?

These are the plumbing programs North Carolina approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).¹⁰ The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what North Carolina offers.

How North Carolina plumbing program prices are reported

The price is tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported it. "Trained with WIOA funding" on a program counts the people whose training there WIOA paid toward through a training account in program year 2024; the file never gives counts under 3, so a program without the line may still take WIOA students. It does not say how much of the price WIOA covered. Prices under $100 are treated as not reported, because the file holds many blanks entered as $0. Check the current price with the school.

What the graduate results of these programs measure

The figures at the top of this page are the middle program among those that report results: half did better, half did worse. Results describe students who left each program in recent years: the share who finished, the share working in the second quarter after leaving, and the middle earnings of those working in that quarter. States report earnings for that one quarter because they take them from the wage reports employers file every three months. The yearly figure here is that quarter times four, rounded to the nearest $100: an estimate, and an early one, since it is measured about half a year after training. The quarter as reported is under "More details" on each program. Results are withheld for small programs, and they describe past students, so they are no guarantee.

Why do some plumbing programs say "Not reported"?

Where a school or the state left a field empty, or the Department of Labor withheld it, the page says "Not reported". Nothing here is estimated to fill a gap.

Why the kind of school is left off each program

The file also records whether a school is public, private or nonprofit, but those entries are wrong too often to print next to a school's name, so this page leaves them out.

Other training in North Carolina

Sources for the facts about plumbing school in North Carolina

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