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Other Plumbing & Water Supply

Types of Degrees Other Plumbing & Water Supply Majors Are Earning

Those studying Other Plumbing & Water Supply can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Master’s Degree	71

What Other Plumbing & Water Supply Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Other Plumbing & Water Supply develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Other Plumbing & Water Supply graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Other Plumbing & Water Supply emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Mechanical — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• Building and Construction — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 5.5 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Design — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Engineering and Technology — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a Other Plumbing & Water Supply program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Installation — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Troubleshooting — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Judgment and Decision Making — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.0 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Other Plumbing & Water Supply careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Near Vision — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Finger Dexterity — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Extent Flexibility — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Other Plumbing & Water Supply graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Performing General Physical Activities	3.9 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.8 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	3.8 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.7 / 7
Handling and Moving Objects	3.7 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.7 / 7
Thinking Creatively	3.7 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.6 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Other Plumbing & Water Supply professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Computer-aided drafting or design software	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Cost estimating software	Project management software	—
Adobe Photoshop	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
National Instruments LabVIEW	Development environment software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
1CadCam Unigraphics	Computer aided manufacturing CAM software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Other Plumbing & Water Supply graduates include:

• Solar Technician
• Thermal Technician
• Solar Water Heater Installer
• Solar Installer
• Solar Maintenance Technician
• Solar System Installer
• Solar Hot Water Installer (SHW Installer)
• Solar Thermal Installer
• Solar Energy Technician
• Solar Thermal Technician
• Thermal Systems Technician
• Heat Exchanger
• Solar Power Installer
• Solar Installation Technician
• Solar Pool Heating Installer

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Other Plumbing & Water Supply graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	39.2%
Postsecondary certificate	24.5%
Some college courses	15.3%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	5.9%
Bachelor’s degree	5.9%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	5.4%
Less than a high school diploma	3.8%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Other Plumbing & Water Supply?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 97.2% of Other Plumbing & Water Supply degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	2	2.8%
Men	69	97.2%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Other Plumbing & Water Supply graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	14	19.7%
Hispanic or Latino	33	46.5%
Black or African American	4	5.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native	2	2.8%
Race Unknown	18	25.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Other Plumbing & Water Supply Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Other Plumbing & Water Supply graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$38,651
4 years	$39,033
5 years	$45,465

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $45,465 — roughly 18% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Other Plumbing & Water Supply Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Other Plumbing & Water Supply graduates earn a median of $39,033 four years after completion — roughly 3% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Plumbing and Related Water Supply Services	3,471
Plumbing Technology/Plumber	2,780
Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter	613
Well Drilling/Driller	7
Blasting/Blaster	—

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.