Plumbing School – Best Training Programs for 2024

Preppy is an online education platform that is in partnership with Auburn University, which is a nonprofit university.

Choosing Preppy for your training is highly recommended, as it offers several benefits and perks over its alternatives.

Let’s take a look at some of them:

• 100% Online – No textbooks, no classes, and no schedules, which means that you won’t need to set aside any schedules for learning and can learn from anywhere and at any time.
• Hands-On Training and Experience – Apart from gaining theoretical knowledge, Preppy also offers hands-on training in the form of externships so that you gain practical experience and can apply what you have learned.
• Complete In 4 Months – That’s right! If you choose Preppy, you can finish your course in as little as 4 months and get started with your career ASAP, as opposed to spending years of schooling.
• Certification From an Accredited Institution – Upon completion of your course, you will get to take home certification with Auburn University, something to proudly hang on the walls of your shop or home.
• Free Laptop – You also get a free laptop when you sign up with Preppy, which is yours to keep even after you complete the course!
• Highly Affordable – The best part about choosing Preppy is the extremely affordable tuition costs, so there is no need for student debts.

That’s not all, Preppy also prepares you for nationally recognized certification exams, apart from their plumbing technician course, such as the OSHA 10-Hour Course Completion Card.

Checkout Preppy’s Plumbing School

Summit College is a private for-profit college based in California. They are nationally accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET).

Summit College offers a thorough hands-on course in plumbing, wherein you also get to attend live practical classes to apply what you learn in theory.

The main campus locations are in Santa Ana, El Cajon, and San Bernardino cities, spread across California.

Summit College offers a comprehensive curriculum that can be completed in just 8 months, which helps you prepare for the national certifications that you might need later when you start to apply for jobs.

Here are some of the downsides: First, this program does have high tuition fees compared to others on the list, which is $15,000.  There’s also a lack of flexibility, which means you will have to attend regular classes set on a schedule. That’s challenging for many people.

This also means that you may need to resort to undertaking financial aid, such as student debt, which is highly unfavorable.

Another disadvantage is the lack of externship opportunities, which are required for a hands-on practical approach in a real-world setting.

Minnesota State and Technical College, also known as M State, is a technical and public community college based in Minnesota, with several campuses spread out across the state.

Minnesota State offers a thorough Diploma course in Plumbing Tech, which is a 36-credit course containing all the basics of plumbing.

Minnesota State Community and Technical College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, which makes earning a diploma from this college reputable.

There are four main campuses at M State University, all based in Minnesota, in Detroit Lakes, Fergus Falls, Moorhead, and Wadena cities. Apart from these campuses, M State also offers a plumbing tech course online.

The biggest con of this program is that it is more expensive than others on the list, and the tuition fee is around $19,760. This likely means you could need to take on the burden of a student loan.

There is also no externship included with their online program, so it’s missing the hands-on learning component.

Sheridan Technical College and Technical High School is a public post-secondary technical educational institution based in Broward County, Florida.

This program includes an all-inclusive course that focuses on training in plumbing for residential, commercial, and industrial systems.

Sheridan Technical College has campuses spread throughout Florida, in cities such as Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, and Fort Lauderdale.

Enrolling in this program also helps individuals prepare for nationally recognized industry certification or licensure exams in their field of study.

The plumbing tech program can be completed in 10 months.  While that’s shorter than some on the list, we feel that’s still a longer period of time to dedicate.  It costs around $3,900, which is on the more affordable end of the spectrum.

However, the main disadvantage, in addition to the lengthy duration of the program, is the fact that you will still need to attend scheduled in-person classes, which can be a hassle.

Tyler Junior College is a public community college based out of Texas. It is one of the largest community colleges in the state.

The Plumbing Technician program offered by TJC equips students with the fundamental skills needed to initiate a career in plumbing.

Specifically designed to address safety concerns and practices, the course thoroughly covers topics such as personal protective equipment, utilization of essential safety information, and confined space safety, ensuring students are well-prepared for their plumbing journey.

There are three main campuses offered by the TJC, all based in Texas, in cities such as Baxter Avenue, SW Loop, and Lindale.

The advantage offered by TJC is that it offers one of the cheapest courses in plumbing tech, which costs around $2,299, which means you don’t have to burn a hole in your pocket.

The plumbing tech course offered by TJC has one of the biggest disadvantages in terms of the duration of the course, though…it’s  12 months long.

Another disadvantage is the lack of flexible or online classes. You’ll need to attend in person in Texas and be able to break away from your job to attend those classes on campus.  Finally,  the lack of externship opportunities, once you finish the program is a con as well.