"How long does it take to become a plumber in Hawaii?"

"The primary Hawaii license requires approximately 10,000 hours of qualifying experience, which is roughly 5.0 years of full-time work."

"Do plumbers need a license in Hawaii?"

"Yes. Hawaii requires state-level licensing or registration for plumbers, administered by the Hawaii State Dept. of Commerce \u0026 Consumer Affairs - Board of Electricians and Plumbers. See the licensing section above for credential types and current requirements."

"What apprenticeships are available for plumbers in Hawaii?"

"In Hawaii, registered apprenticeships are administered through the Hawaii Workforce Development Division - Apprenticeships, which works with employers and trade union locals to register programs. See the apprenticeship section above for office contact details."

How to Become A Plumber in Hawaii

Q: "How much do plumbers earn in Hawaii?"

"According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), plumbers in Hawaii earned a median annual wage of approximately $78,060. Employment concentration in Hawaii is about 1.33 times the national average for this occupation."

Q: "What is the job outlook for plumbers in Hawaii?"

"Hawaii currently employs approximately 2,500 workers, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 4.5% national employment change for this occupation from 2024 to 2034."

Q: "What is the federal prevailing wage for plumbers in Hawaii?"

"Under the Davis-Bacon Act, plumbers on federally funded construction projects in Hawaii earn a prevailing wage of approximately $53.83 per hour in base pay plus $33.19 per hour in fringe benefits, for an effective hourly rate of about $87.02 (Source: U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division, Davis-Bacon wage determinations, 2026)."

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Hawaii plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters earn a median annual wage of $78,060 ($37.53/hr) according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), with about 2,500 workers employed statewide. The state median is approximately 22.4% above the national median of $63,800 for the same occupation.

Key Takeaways

Median annual pay: $78,060 ($37.53/hr)
25th percentile: $61,570 per year
75th percentile: $97,950 per year
Top 10% earn: more than $113,300 per year
Entry-level (bottom 10%): under $47,750 per year
Workers employed in Hawaii: 2,500
Versus national median: 22.4% above the U.S. median of $63,800
Job concentration: Location quotient 1.33 - this occupation is more concentrated in Hawaii than the national average

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Last reviewed June 8, 2026.

Hawaii employs approximately 2,500 plumbers according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $78,060 ¹. The state’s concentration of plumber jobs is 1.33x the national average, indicating strong demand. Nationally, plumber employment is projected to grow 4.5% from 2024 to 2034, with about 44,000 openings per year ². This page covers how to become a plumber in Hawaii, including licensing requirements, training programs, and salary data.

Quick Answers About Becoming A Plumber in Hawaii

How do I become a plumber in Hawaii? Hawaii requires credentials such as Plumber. The licensing authority is the Hawaii State Dept. of Commerce & Consumer Affairs - Board of Electricians and Plumbers ³. You also need to complete an approved training program or apprenticeship.

How long does it take? The primary license requires approximately 10,000 hours of experience (roughly 5.0 years of full-time work) ³.

Do I need a license in Hawaii? Yes. Hawaii has licensing or registration requirements for plumbers. The Hawaii State Dept. of Commerce & Consumer Affairs - Board of Electricians and Plumbers oversees licensing ³. See the licensing section below for details.

What do plumbers earn in Hawaii? The median annual wage for plumbers in Hawaii is $78,060 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $47,750 and experienced professionals can earn $113,300 or more ¹.

At a Glance

Training paths: trade school, community college, or apprenticeship
Typical timeline: 1 to 5 years depending on the path
Licensing authority: Hawaii State Dept. of Commerce & Consumer Affairs - Board of Electricians and Plumbers
Median wage (Hawaii): $78,060 per year ¹
Exam requirement: State exam required

Plumber License Requirements in Hawaii

The Hawaii State Dept. of Commerce & Consumer Affairs - Board of Electricians and Plumbers oversees plumber licensing in Hawaii ³.

License Types

License	Requirements
Plumber	DESCRIPTION OF OCCUPATION: A Plumber assembles, installs, and repairs pipe systems used to carry water, gas, steam, and air.

Additional Requirements

Background check: No criminal record prohibitions
Exam: State exam required
Experience: Work experience required

License information sourced from CareerOneStop ⁴.

Plumber Apprenticeship Information in Hawaii

Apprenticeships combine paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction and typically last 3 to 5 years. Hawaii’s apprenticeship program is administered by the Hawaii Workforce Development Division - Apprenticeships ⁵.

Contact Information:

Office: Hawaii Workforce Development Division
Address: 830 Punchbowl Street, Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: (808) 586-8877
Email: [email protected]

Plumber Wages by Metro Area in Hawaii

Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters Wages by Metro Area in Hawaii

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025 OES data), plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters wages in Hawaii vary by metro area.

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Urban Honolulu	1,810	$81,120	$83,910	$49,460	$115,080
Kahului-Wailuku	310	$77,610	$84,380	$47,780	$117,860

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

Top Metros for Plumbers in Hawaii

The metropolitan areas listed below report the highest plumber employment within Hawaii according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025).

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage
Urban Honolulu	1,810	$81,120
Kahului-Wailuku	310	$77,610

Federal Prevailing Wage in Hawaii

Under the Davis-Bacon Act, plumbers working on federally funded construction projects in Hawaii earn a prevailing wage set by the U.S. Department of Labor. Recent Hawaii general wage determinations show approximately $53.83 per hour in base pay plus $33.19 per hour in fringe benefits, for an effective hourly rate of about $87.02 (Source: DOL Wage and Hour Division, Davis-Bacon wage determinations, 2026) ⁶.

Prevailing wages apply to federal construction contracts above the Davis-Bacon threshold and may differ from typical private-sector pay reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Rates also vary by county and by classification within plumber work.

Explore More Trades in Hawaii

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for plumbers in Hawaii? Hawaii currently employs approximately 2,500 plumbers ¹. Nationally, plumber employment is projected to grow 4.5% from 2024 to 2034 ².

Can I work as a plumber in Hawaii with an out-of-state license? Contact the Hawaii State Dept. of Commerce & Consumer Affairs - Board of Electricians and Plumbers for details on reciprocity and credential transfer.

What training programs are available in Hawaii? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and apprenticeship programs. Use the school finder above to search for accredited programs in Hawaii. You can also contact the Hawaii Workforce Development Division - Apprenticeships for apprenticeship opportunities.

How much do plumbers earn in Hawaii compared to the national average? The median annual wage for plumbers in Hawaii is $78,060, which is $15,090 above the national median of $62,970 according to BLS data ¹.

Citations

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎
Hawaii State Dept. of Commerce & Consumer Affairs - Board of Electricians and Plumbers - Licensing Information: http://cca.hawaii.gov/pvl/boards/electrician/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
CareerOneStop - Licensed Occupations: https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Training/find-licenses.aspx ↩︎
Hawaii Workforce Development Division - Apprenticeships: http://labor.hawaii.gov/wdd/home/employers/apprenticeship/ ↩︎
U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division - Davis-Bacon General Wage Determinations: https://sam.gov/wage-determinations ↩︎

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

Data	Provider	Vintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	May 2025
Employment Projections	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System	National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)	2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirements	CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programs	CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2025-10-25)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)	U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)	O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)