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Pipe & Sprinkler Fitting

Types of Degrees Pipe & Sprinkler Fitting Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Pipe & Sprinkler Fitting can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	224
Associate’s Degree	222
Master’s Degree	167

What Pipe & Sprinkler Fitting Majors Need to Know

Studies in Pipe & Sprinkler Fitting emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Pipe & Sprinkler Fitting graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Pipe & Sprinkler Fitting emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Building and Construction — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• Mechanical — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Design — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set built by a Pipe & Sprinkler Fitting program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Coordination — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Pipe & Sprinkler Fitting careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Pipe & Sprinkler Fitting graduates report doing:

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

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Pipe & Sprinkler Fitting professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Cost estimating software	Project management software	—
Work scheduling software	Calendar and scheduling software	—
Salesforce software	Customer relationship management CRM software	—
Inventory tracking software	Inventory management software	—
Procore software	Analytical or scientific software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Pipe & Sprinkler Fitting graduates include:

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

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Pipe & Sprinkler Fitting graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	36.9%
Postsecondary certificate	21.1%
Some college courses	12.3%
Less than a high school diploma	11.4%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	7.9%
Bachelor’s degree	7.2%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	3.2%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Pipe & Sprinkler Fitting?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 95.4% of Pipe & Sprinkler Fitting degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	28	4.6%
Men	585	95.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Pipe & Sprinkler Fitting graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	411	67.0%
Asian	1	0.2%
Hispanic or Latino	69	11.3%
Black or African American	57	9.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native	5	0.8%
Two or More Races	6	1.0%
Race Unknown	63	10.3%
International Students	1	0.2%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Pipe & Sprinkler Fitting Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Pipe & Sprinkler Fitting 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 Pipe & Sprinkler Fitting Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Pipe & Sprinkler Fitting 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
Electrician	30,349
Carpentry/Carpenter	5,356
Plumbing and Related Water Supply Services	3,471
Plumbing Technology/Plumber	2,780
Construction Trades	2,761
Building/Property Maintenance	2,023
Building Construction Technology/Technician	1,924
Building/Construction Site Management/Manager	1,530
Building/Home/Construction Inspection/Inspector	312
Drywall Installation/Drywaller	254
Plumbing and Related Water Supply Services, Other	71
Concrete Finishing/Concrete Finisher	70

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.