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Michigan offers many job opportunities for plumbers.
If you want to work in the industry, you should first have some tips and info.
Read on below for the steps necessary to take before you can start working.
Article Table of Contents
Plumber Job Description and Requirements
A plumber works with water systems, and some daily duties include the following:
- Reading or drafting blueprints
- Installing the piping system
- Maintaining the water system
- Repairing the system whenever needed
- Ensuring the safety standards
- Meeting building regulations
- Using the appropriate devices to measure or solder
In Michigan, there are 3 plumbing certifications you can get:
- Apprentice license,
- Journeyman license,
- Master license
How to Become an Apprentice in Michigan
If you want to get licensed, you first need to develop your skills through a training program.
The programs are usually offered through vocational colleges and trade schools.
When you decide on the school you want to attend, make sure it is approved by the state board.
You can also choose between in-person classes and online classes.
No matter what you choose, you will have to take both theory and practice.
In Michigan, the plumbing programs generally last for 4 to 5 years.
The theory classes include the next subjects:
- Drafting,
- Mathematics,
- Science,
- Sprinkler installation,
- Pipefitting
- Reading blueprints
To attend an apprenticeship program, you have to:
- Be 16 years old
- High-school diploma or a GED
- Driver’s license or ID copy
- Copy of the birth certificate
- Proof of US citizenship
- Submit an application form and a $15 application fee
- Take a background check and not have committed any felonies
You will also have to register with the Michigan state board.
As an apprentice, you will also be able to work in plumbing.
However, you will need to work only under supervision.
How to Get a Journeyman License in Michigan
As a journeyman plumber, you can easily work on and install plumbing systems without supervision.
You can choose whether you want to work independently or be hired by a plumbing company.
Regardless of your choice, you must first pass an exam before you can get licensed.
The topics of the exam usually include:
- Plumbing fundamentals and safety;
- Materials and their uses, and specifications;
- Traps, interceptors, and backwater valves;
- Plumbing fixtures, fixture fittings, and plumbing appliances;
- Water supply systems;
- Backflow preventions;
- Gas appliances and piping;
- Plumbing mathematics.
You will need to meet some requirements before you can apply for the exam.
These requirements are:
- Be 18 years olf at the minimum
- Submit an application form
- Be an apprentice for at least 4 years before the journeyman exam
- Have 6,000 hours of experience in an accredited apprenticeship program
- Notarized letter from your sponsor
- Submit a $40 license fee
In order to take the exam, you need to pay a fee of $100.
The journeyman exam has 125 questions, over a duration of 3 hours.
You will need a score of at least 70% to pass and get your license.
How to Get a Master License in Maryland
In order to be eligible for the master plumber license, you must:
- Have an experience of 2 years and 4,000 hours as a journeyman
- Take the master plumber exam
- Notarized letters from your place of employment
- Pay a $300 fee for licensing
The master plumber exam lasts for 3 hours and has 130 questions.
The exam is open book and you will need a 70% passing score.
The topics in the exam include:
- Plumbing fundamentals and safety;
- Materials their uses, and specifications;
- Traps, interceptors, and backwater valves;
- Plumbing fixtures, fixture fittings, and plumbing appliances;
- Water supply systems;
- Backflow prevention;
- Drain, waste, and vent systems;
- Special topics;
- Gas appliances and piping;
- Plumbing mathematics.
Plumber Employment and Salary Information
In Michigan, plumbers earn an average of $57,610 per year.
In this state, the plumber jobs keep increasing.
The job growth was noticed to reach 9.2%.
If you are just starting your career, you might earn less than other, more experienced plumbers.
However, after some years, your work prospects will improve.
Plumbers in Michigan have more chances for a better salary if they work in larger regions.
Another way to make more money is by joining a union or starting your own plumbing business.
Annual Salary Range:| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Detroit | $58,548 |
| Grand Rapids | $55,825 |
| Warren | $58,548 |
| Sterling Heights | $58,364 |
| Ann Arbor | $59,400 |
| Lansing | $55,722 |
| Clinton | $59,124 |
| Flint | $53,657 |
| Dearborn | $58,548 |
| Livonia | $58,364 |
Regional Salary in Michigan
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Arbor, MI | 320 | $73,880 | $35.52 | $98,980 | $40,290 |
| Battle Creek, MI | 110 | $64,700 | $31.11 | $91,110 | $38,670 |
| Bay City, MI | 80 | $70,860 | $34.07 | $99,620 | $45,610 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 5,740 | $71,670 | $34.46 | $101,400 | $39,440 |
| Flint, MI | 650 | $73,840 | $35.5 | $102,540 | $41,600 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | 1,700 | $68,230 | $32.8 | $96,840 | $38,370 |
| Jackson, MI | 220 | $76,770 | $36.91 | $106,440 | $40,890 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | 840 | $73,540 | $35.36 | $97,960 | $45,310 |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | 580 | $68,830 | $33.09 | $97,980 | $38,770 |
| Midland, MI | 80 | $65,450 | $31.47 | $107,440 | $38,800 |
| Monroe, MI | 170 | $72,120 | $34.67 | $105,540 | $42,910 |
| Muskegon, MI | 120 | $69,630 | $33.48 | $97,060 | $41,850 |
| Niles-Benton Harbor, MI | 90 | $64,190 | $30.86 | $101,060 | $37,600 |
| Saginaw, MI | 230 | $71,510 | $34.38 | $105,280 | $38,750 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Additional Information
Michigan has no reciprocity agreements with any other state in the US.
This means that you will have to apply for a license in Michigan if you come from another state.
If you want to keep up to date with the latest industry updates, the state provides a five-hour code course.
Once you finish your training and get your license, you can start building the career you always wanted.
Schools Offering Plumbing Programs in Michigan
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Macomb Community College | 14500 E. 12 Mile Road Warren, MI 48088 |
| UA Local 85 | 3535 Bay Road Saginaw, MI 48603 |
| Plumbers Local 98 & MCA Detroit Training Center | 1911 Ring Drive, Troy, MI 48083 |
| Delta College | 1961 Delta Road, University Center, Michigan 48710 |
| Henry Ford College | 5101 Evergreen Rd, Dearborn, Michigan 48128-1495 |
| Plumbers Training Institute | |
| Detroit Training Institute of Technology | 14701 Harper Ave Detroit, Michigan 48224 |
| A. Philip Randolph Career and Technical Center | 17101 Hubbell Ave, Detroit, MI 48235 |
| UA Local 357 Plumbers/Pipefitters & HVAC-R | 11847 Shaver Rd, Schoolcraft, MI 49087 |
| Greater Michigan Construction Academy | 7730 W Wackerly St, Midland, MI 48642 |
| UA Local 333 Plumbers & Pipefitters | 5405 S Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Lansing, MI 48911 |
| UA Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 671 | 309 Detroit Ave, Monroe, MI 48162 |
| UA Local 98 Plumbers | 555 Horace Brown Dr # 1, Madison Heights, MI 48071 |
Read the full guide: How to Become a Plumber
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Plumbing License by State