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

"Most paths into the plumber field take 1 to 5 years, depending on whether you complete a trade school program, a registered apprenticeship, or a combination of both."

"Do plumbers need a license in Maine?"

"Yes. Maine requires state-level licensing or registration for plumbers, administered by the Maine Department of Professional \u0026 Financial Regulation - Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation. See the licensing section above for credential types and current requirements."

"What apprenticeships are available for plumbers in Maine?"

"In Maine, registered apprenticeships are administered through the Maine Apprenticeship Program, 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 Maine

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

"According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), plumbers in Maine earned a median annual wage of approximately $64,000. Employment concentration in Maine is about 1.41 times the national average for this occupation."

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

"Maine currently employs approximately 2,710 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 Maine?"

"Under the Davis-Bacon Act, plumbers on federally funded construction projects in Maine earn a prevailing wage of approximately $20.35 per hour in base pay plus $5.09 per hour in fringe benefits, for an effective hourly rate of about $25.44 (Source: U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division, Davis-Bacon wage determinations, 2026)."

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Maine plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters earn a median annual wage of $64,000 ($30.77/hr) according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), with about 2,710 workers employed statewide. The state median is approximately 0.3% above the national median of $63,800 for the same occupation.

Key Takeaways

Median annual pay: $64,000 ($30.77/hr)
25th percentile: $61,300 per year
75th percentile: $75,720 per year
Top 10% earn: more than $80,760 per year
Entry-level (bottom 10%): under $48,120 per year
Workers employed in Maine: 2,710
Versus national median: 0.3% above the U.S. median of $63,800
Job concentration: Location quotient 1.41 - this occupation is more concentrated in Maine than the national average

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

Maine employs approximately 2,710 plumbers according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $64,000 ¹. The state’s concentration of plumber jobs is 1.41x 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 Maine, including licensing requirements, training programs, and salary data.

Quick Answers About Becoming A Plumber in Maine

How do I become a plumber in Maine? Maine requires credentials such as Plumber, Trainee, Plumber, Journeyman, Plumber, Master. The licensing authority is the Maine Department of Professional & Financial Regulation - Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation ³. You also need to complete an approved training program or apprenticeship.

How long does it take? Most paths take 1 to 5 years depending on whether you choose trade school, an apprenticeship, or a combination of both.

Do I need a license in Maine? Yes. Maine has licensing or registration requirements for plumbers. The Maine Department of Professional & Financial Regulation - Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation oversees licensing ³. See the licensing section below for details.

What do plumbers earn in Maine? The median annual wage for plumbers in Maine is $64,000 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $48,120 and experienced professionals can earn $80,760 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: Maine Department of Professional & Financial Regulation - Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation
Median wage (Maine): $64,000 per year ¹
Exam requirement: No exam required

Plumber License Requirements in Maine

The Maine Department of Professional & Financial Regulation - Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation oversees plumber licensing in Maine ³.

License Types

License	Requirements
Plumber, Trainee	Trainee plumbers work with masters to learn to install, repair, and maintain pipes, valves, fittings, drainage systems, and fixtures in commercial and residential structures.
Plumber, Journeyman	Journeyman plumbers work with masters to learn how to install, repair, and maintain pipes, valves, fittings, drainage systems, and fixtures in commercial and residential structures.
Plumber, Master	Master plumbers install, repair, and maintain pipes, valves, fittings, drainage systems, and fixtures in commercial and residential structures.
Plumber, Journeyman in Training	Journeyman plumbers work with masters to learn to install, repair, and maintain pipes, valves, fittings, drainage systems, and fixtures in commercial and residential structures.

Additional Requirements

Background check: No criminal record prohibitions
Exam: No exam required

License information sourced from CareerOneStop ⁴.

Plumber Apprenticeship Information in Maine

Apprenticeships combine paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction and typically last 3 to 5 years. Maine’s apprenticeship program is administered by the Maine Apprenticeship Program ⁵.

Contact Information:

Office: Maine Department of Labor, Bureau of Employment Services
Address: 55 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0055
Phone: (207) 623-7969
Email: [email protected]

Plumber Wages by Metro Area in Maine

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

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

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Portland-South Portland	1,740	$64,500	$67,640	$49,920	$81,130
Bangor	220	$60,140	$60,060	$42,780	$77,650
Lewiston-Auburn	190	$62,140	$64,140	$44,990	$77,500

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 Maine

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

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage
Portland-South Portland	1,740	$64,500
Bangor	220	$60,140
Lewiston-Auburn	190	$62,140

Federal Prevailing Wage in Maine

Under the Davis-Bacon Act, plumbers working on federally funded construction projects in Maine earn a prevailing wage set by the U.S. Department of Labor. Recent Maine general wage determinations show approximately $20.35 per hour in base pay plus $5.09 per hour in fringe benefits, for an effective hourly rate of about $25.44 (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 Maine

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for plumbers in Maine? Maine currently employs approximately 2,710 plumbers ¹. Nationally, plumber employment is projected to grow 4.5% from 2024 to 2034 ².

Can I work as a plumber in Maine with an out-of-state license? Contact the Maine Department of Professional & Financial Regulation - Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation for details on reciprocity and credential transfer.

What training programs are available in Maine? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and apprenticeship programs. Use the school finder above to search for accredited programs in Maine. You can also contact the Maine Apprenticeship Program for apprenticeship opportunities.

How much do plumbers earn in Maine compared to the national average? The median annual wage for plumbers in Maine is $64,000, which is $1,030 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/ ↩︎ ↩︎
Maine Department of Professional & Financial Regulation - Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation - Licensing Information: https://www.maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/index.shtml ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
CareerOneStop - Licensed Occupations: https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Training/find-licenses.aspx ↩︎
Maine Apprenticeship Program: https://joblink.maine.gov/ada/r/search/jobs?keywords=apprentice ↩︎
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)