Plumber
Plumbers install and maintain the water, gas and drainage systems a building relies on, from first fix on a new home to a burst main at midnight.
- Median salary
- $103,500
4.4%vs last year, before tax
- People employed
- 107,600
1.3%vs last year
- Projected growth
- +10.2%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- Low
- 2 out of 10
- Average hours
- 44/wk
+4h vs all jobs
- Shortage status
- In shortage
national
- You'll work on pipes, fixtures, drainage and hot water systems in houses, apartment blocks, shops and industrial sites.
- Most plumbers work for a plumbing business and split their week between new installations and repair work, with a share of after-hours emergency callouts.
- Gasfitting, drainlaying and roof plumbing are endorsements a licensed plumber can add, and all of it starts with an apprenticeship.
How much do plumbers earn?
The median full-time salary for a plumber is $103,500 per annum, before tax, up $21,900 since 2018.
Most plumbers are paid an hourly rate under an award or enterprise agreement, with penalty rates for after-hours and weekend callouts and extra when you take your turn on call. A gasfitting or drainlaying endorsement lets you take on work that pays more, and subcontracting changes the maths because your quoted price has to cover materials, travel and the gaps between jobs. When you take on a role, ask how callouts are shared around the team and whether the time is paid from when you leave home or from when you reach the site.
What does a plumber do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Digging trenches and running pipe for water, drainage and gas on a new build
- Sending a camera down a drain to find what's blocking it before choosing how to clear the line
- Replacing failed pipes, valves and hot water units in ceiling spaces and under floors
- Working out a pipe route from the plans, then changing it because the framing isn't where the drawing says
- Pressure-testing finished work and certifying it to the standard an inspector will check
What skills do plumbers need?
Employers look for hand and power tool work, reading plans and specifications, installation and maintenance, backed by Pipe wrench and adjustable wrench fluency and strong problem solving.
Specialist skills
- Hand and power tool work
- Reading plans and specifications
- Installation and maintenance
- Worksite safety management
- Building codes and standards
Software and tools
- Pipe wrench and adjustable wrench
- CCTV drain inspection camera
- Pressure testing gauge
- CAD blueprinting software
- Pipe threading machine
General skills
- Problem solving
- Attention to detail
Is the job growing?
About 107,600 people work as plumbers in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 10.2% over the decade to 2035. That's healthy, above-average growth, and the role should stay in solid demand.
How do you become a plumber?
Here's the path most plumbers take, step by step.
- 1Finish Year 10 or Year 12
Most employers ask for Year 10 at least, and maths plus a practical subject such as design and technology helps when you apply. Mature-age applicants are common, so a later start isn't a barrier.
- 2Line up an apprenticeship
The Certificate III in Plumbing is delivered as an apprenticeship, so you need an employer before you can enrol. Apply directly to plumbing businesses or through a group training organisation that places apprentices with several hosts.
- 3Complete the apprenticeship
You combine paid work on site with training at TAFE or a private RTO, usually over about four years, covering water, sanitary, drainage and roofing plumbing. The pay is a training wage, and it rises each year.
- 4Get registered or licensed
Plumbing is licensed and the rules differ by state and territory, so check your regulator's requirements early. You normally hold registration first, then apply for a contractor licence if you want to trade on your own account.
- 5Add the endorsements you want
Gasfitting, drainlaying, backflow prevention and roof plumbing each need extra training and a separate licence. They open up work that pays more and let you quote whole jobs instead of part of them.
Study routes we have checked
Qualifications that are a recognised way into this role, and what else you need.
- Certificate III in Plumbing
A recognised route into this role
Complete the apprenticeship or recognised trade pathway, required plumbing streams and construction induction; obtain the applicable plumbing registration or licence before regulated work. This catalogue groups awards: verify the chosen provider, programme and intake; the family-level link is not confirmation that every offering is approved.
Ready to apply as a plumber?
Whether you're working toward becoming a plumber or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can a plumber move to?
Moving into Construction Manager typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $91,600 a year more on average.
- Construction ManagerRecorded move$195,100+$91,600
- Air Conditioning TechnicianRecorded move$109,200+$5,700
- Plumbing InspectorRecorded move$91,000−$12,500
- Fire Protection TechnicianRecorded move$83,200−$20,300
Thick lines are moves people were recorded making in Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility (income tax records, 2011-12 to 2020-21). Thin lines are moves we suggest from skill overlap and entry requirements.
| Move to | Typical pay change | Overlap | Retraining |
|---|---|---|---|
Construction Manager Site experience and trade knowledge underpin supervising building projects, though a construction management qualification is needed.Known move | +$91,600 | 32% | reskill |
Air Conditioning Technician Mechanical services plumbing experience transfers to refrigeration and air conditioning systems, although a refrigeration licence and further study are required.Known move | +$5,700 | 85% | requalify |
Plumbing Inspector Trade knowledge of plumbing standards supports inspecting and certifying installations, with further study in building regulation.Known move | −$12,500 | 32% | reskill |
Gasfitter Plumbing pipework and appliance skills carry into gasfitting work once the required gasfitting registration and licence are obtained. | −$17,700 | 70% | reskill |
Fire Protection Technician Pipefitting skills carry into installing sprinkler and hydrant systems, with fire protection certification needed to work unsupervised.Known move | −$20,300 | 85% | reskill |
Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.
Who works as a plumber?
The typical plumber is 34 years old; 97% are men, 93% work full-time, and full-timers average 44 hours a week.
- 34
- Median age
- 3%
- Female share
- 93%
- Full-time
- +4h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being a plumber?
Your week moves between sites: a bathroom rough-in in the morning, a blocked sewer or a dead hot water unit in the afternoon. The job is hard on your body and often awkward, with long spells under floors, up ladders and in roof spaces, and you finish most days dirty. What keeps people in the trade is the problem solving and the customer contact, because you're the one who works out what's wrong and explains it in plain language. Anyone who wants a clean, predictable routine will find it frustrating, especially when the quote doesn't survive contact with the building.
What people like
- A problem you can put right the same day. A blocked line or a leaking tap has a physical answer, and by the end of the visit you usually know whether your fix worked.
- No two buildings hide their pipes the same way. A new house, an old terrace and a factory all throw up different routes and different obstacles, so the work doesn't settle into one routine.
- Your training is paid from the first week. An apprenticeship pays a wage from day one and leaves you with a trade qualification and no student debt.
- Working for yourself is realistic. Once you hold a contractor licence you can quote your own jobs, and plenty of plumbers build a business on repeat customers and local real estate agents.
What people find hard
- Dirt, heights and tight spaces. You'll spend mornings under floors and afternoons in roof cavities, and clearing a blocked sewer is a routine job, not a rare one.
- Emergency callouts. Nights and weekends go to whoever is on the roster, and a burst pipe in a laundry doesn't wait for Monday.
- Quotes that blow out. Opening a wall in an older home often reveals rotten framing or illegal pipework, and the extra hours come out of a price you already agreed.
- Training wages at the start. The first years of an apprenticeship pay well below qualified rates, so it helps to have savings or a second income in the household.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ plumbers?
Construction employs the largest share of plumbers.
Top employing industries
- 1Construction
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Certificate III/IV | 72.7% | |
|---|---|---|
| Year 12 or below | 22% | |
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 2.6% | |
| Bachelor degree | 1.2% | |
| Postgraduate | 0.2% |
Will AI replace plumbers?
Low exposure. Unlikely. AI will change some of the work around this job, not the job itself.
AI tools have little bearing on the daily work of a plumber. The technology that does matter is already in the trade: drain inspection cameras, thermal imaging, pressure-testing gear and job apps that handle quotes and scheduling, and none of them finds the leak or fits the pipe. A new plumber should learn the camera and the software employers run on, while building the hands-on judgement customers pay for.
How a typical week splits
- Quoting jobs and scheduling the week20% of the week
Quoting software now prices standard jobs from a template and sends the invoice, which cuts the paperwork but not the site visit.
- Certifying work and lodging compliance paperwork15% of the week
Digital certificates and council lodgement are increasingly automated, though whether the installation actually complies is decided on site.
- Installing and repairing pipework35% of the week
Measuring, cutting, threading and joining pipe in a ceiling cavity happens by hand, in a space no machine can reach.
- Diagnosing a blockage or a leak on site30% of the week
A camera shows what's in the pipe, but deciding whether to jet it, cut it out or dig comes from reading how the building is put together.
How we work this out
We break each job into its main tasks, estimate the share of a typical week each one takes, and judge how far current AI and automation tools reach into it. The score out of 10 starts from the job's overall rating (low is 1 to 3, moderate 4 to 6, high 7 to 10) and the task split places it within that range. Source: Career Tips analysis of each role's main tasks.
Common questions about becoming a plumber
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much do plumbers earn in Australia?
Full-time plumbers earn a median of $103,500 per year before tax. Your rate is set by the award or enterprise agreement you work under, with penalty rates for after-hours and weekend callouts, and endorsements such as gasfitting or drainlaying let you charge more for that work. Subcontractors get a different figure again, so compare the whole package and not only the hourly rate.
How do you become a plumber?
You complete a Certificate III in Plumbing as an apprenticeship, which means finding an employer before you can enrol with a TAFE or private RTO. Once your on-the-job hours and assessments are finished, you apply to your state or territory regulator for registration and, later, a contractor licence.
How long does it take to become a plumber?
Usually about four years from the start of an apprenticeship to being licensed, though the timing depends on your state's requirements and finishing your on-the-job hours on schedule. If you already have site experience, ask a registered training organisation whether any prior learning can be recognised.
Are plumbers in demand in Australia?
Plumbers are currently in shortage nationally, and employment is projected to grow 10.2% over the decade to 2035 over the decade to 2035. The work is split between new construction and repairs to buildings that already exist, which means a quiet patch in one part of the market doesn't stop the other. For someone looking for work, that spread matters more than any single project.
Will AI replace plumbers?
AI has changed the office side of plumbing more than the site work: quoting, invoicing, job scheduling and stock ordering are increasingly automated, and drain cameras now record and log their footage. The physical job of finding, cutting, joining and testing pipework still needs someone on site with a licence. A plumber who can read a camera survey and explain it clearly to a homeowner is more useful to an employer than one who can't.
What can a plumber move into later?
Plenty of plumbers end up running their own business, which means holding a contractor licence, quoting your own jobs and carrying the cost of tools, insurance and the quiet weeks. Air conditioning work is a common sideways move, since mechanical services experience carries across and you earn $5,700 more once the refrigeration qualification is done. Construction management pays $91,600 more and uses your site knowledge, though it needs a further qualification and moves you off the tools.
Related roles
- Air Conditioning Technician
- Fire Protection Technician
- Plumbing Inspector
- Construction Manager
- Gasfitter
- Plumber's Assistant
Not sure this is you? Take the career quiz and get a ranked shortlist of roles that fit how you like to work.
Career advice
- Overtime pay, time in lieu and what your award saysOvertime rates come from your award or agreement, not one national rule. How rates work, what happens on a salary, and how time off in lieu works.
- Contractor or employee, and who decides which you areYour paperwork does not decide whether you are a contractor or an employee. How the tests work, how tax and super differ, and what sham contracting is.
- How to change careers, and which moves are realisticData on 1,573 career moves across 350 Australian occupations shows 63.3% need no more than a short course, though skill overlap alone won't tell you which ones. Six worked examples, and how to check your own move.