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
- automation risk
- Average hours
- 44/wk
+4h vs all jobs
- Shortage status
- In shortage
national
Plumbers work on pipes, fixtures, drainage and hot water systems in houses, apartment blocks, shops and industrial sites, following plans but often changing the route on the spot when the building doesn't match the drawing. Most are hired by plumbing businesses and split their week between new installations and repair work, with after-hours emergency callouts forming a steady part of the job. It differs from gasfitting or drainlaying, which are separate endorsements a plumber can add, and from a plumbing inspector, who checks the work rather than doing it.
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.
Pay depends heavily on where you work and how you are engaged: an award or enterprise agreement sets the base in most jobs, while emergency and after-hours callouts attract penalty rates that lift a week's earnings. Plumbers who hold extra endorsements such as gasfitting or backflow can charge for a wider range of jobs, and those who run their own business set their own rates but carry the costs that come with it.
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 new builds
- Sending a camera down a drain to find the blockage before deciding how to clear it
- Replacing failed pipes, valves and hot water units in tight ceiling spaces and under floors
- Reading plans to size and route pipework before the walls go up
- Pressure-testing finished work and signing it off against the standards 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.
- 1Start with a Certificate III in Plumbing as an apprentice
The Certificate III in Plumbing (CPC32420) is the qualification behind registration, and it is usually completed over four years as a paid apprentice with a licensed plumbing business. You need an employer to take you on before you can enrol, so approach local plumbers directly or through a group training organisation.
- 2Register with your state or territory plumbing regulator
Once you finish the apprenticeship you apply for registration or licensing through the plumbing authority in your state, such as the Victorian Building Authority or NSW Fair Trading. Requirements and the names of the licences differ between states, so check the rules where you intend to work.
- 3Add endorsements for the work you want
Gasfitting, drainage, roof plumbing, backflow prevention and mechanical services each need their own endorsement or licence on top of the base qualification. These widen the jobs you can legally take on and are often what employers are looking for when hiring.
- 4Build experience across the work you want to specialise in
New housing, maintenance and commercial mechanical services each teach different skills, and moving between them early in your career makes it easier to choose a direction or start your own business later. Many plumbers spend a few years with a larger firm before going out on their own.
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.
| 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?
The work is physical and varied: a morning roughing in pipework on a building site and an afternoon clearing a blocked drain give the week a rhythm that rarely repeats. Much of the day is spent crawling, digging and lifting in spaces that were never designed for a person, and the job has to be finished properly because water and gas don't forgive shortcuts. Plumbers tend to be practical people who like solving a problem with their hands and seeing a system work once they have fixed it.
What people like
- The problem-solving is hands-on. A leak or blockage rarely turns out to be where it first appears, and tracing it through a wall or under a slab is satisfying work that rewards patience and method.
- Your skills stay in demand. Buildings always need water, gas and drainage, so there is steady work in new construction, maintenance and emergencies even when parts of the building industry slow down.
- You can run your own business. Many plumbers eventually go out on their own or take on apprentices, which gives control over the work you take and the hours you keep.
- Every job has a visible result. You leave a house with running water and a working hot water system, and the customer knows whether you have done it properly.
What people find hard
- The conditions are genuinely rough. Ceiling spaces, subfloors and trenches mean heat, dust, mud and cramped positions, and the physical toll builds over a career rather than fading.
- Emergency callouts land at bad hours. Burst pipes and blocked drains don't wait for business hours, so weekend and night work is part of the job, especially for plumbers who run their own business.
- The work is hard on your body. Lifting, kneeling and repetitive tool work cause wear on knees, backs and shoulders, which is why experienced plumbers often move towards supervising or specialist work.
- Customers can be stressed when you arrive. A leaking ceiling or a failed hot water service is urgent and expensive for the householder, and you are the person standing in front of them when they find out how much it will cost.
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?
Plumbing has little exposure to AI because the core of the job is physical: finding the fault, getting to the pipe and making the repair happen in a real space. Software already handles scheduling, quoting and plan review, and drain cameras help with diagnosis, but none of it touches the work of cutting, joining and testing pipework on site.
Share of typical working time by exposure level
- Installing and repairing pipework and fixturesCutting, threading, joining and mounting pipe under a house or behind a wall is hands-on work that no current machine can do on site.45%low
- Testing, certifying and compliance checksA rough-in under a new slab has to hold pressure for the set time before the concrete goes down, and the certificate carries the plumber's own licence number.25%low
- Diagnosing leaks and blockagesCCTV drain cameras and pressure gauges speed up finding the fault, but interpreting what they show still comes down to the plumber's judgement.15%moderate
- Quoting, scheduling and customer paperworkQuoting software and job management apps already generate estimates from past jobs and schedule callouts, cutting time spent on admin.15%high
Common questions about becoming a plumber
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much does a plumber earn?
The median full-time plumber earns $103,500 per year before tax. Pay rises with endorsements, penalty-rate callouts and years of experience, and plumbers who run their own business set their own rates.
How do you become a plumber?
You complete a Certificate III in Plumbing (CPC32420) as a paid apprentice, usually over four years, then register or get licensed with your state or territory plumbing regulator. You need an employer to take you on before you can start the apprenticeship, so it helps to approach plumbing businesses directly.
Are plumbers in demand?
Plumbers are currently in shortage nationally, and employment is projected to grow 10.2% over the decade to 2035. That means there is steady work for qualified plumbers, though you still need to complete the apprenticeship and hold the licence for the work you are doing.
Will AI replace plumbers?
No, the physical work of diagnosing and repairing pipes is largely out of reach for AI, which is why the role's exposure is low. Software can help with quoting, scheduling and reading plans, but someone still has to get under the floor and fix the leak.
What jobs can a plumber move into?
Air conditioning technician is a common step across, since mechanical services plumbing already overlaps with refrigeration and air conditioning systems; the pay is $5,700 more and you need a refrigeration licence to work unsupervised. Moving into construction management pays $91,600 more, though it takes a construction management qualification, and becoming a plumbing inspector pays $12,500 less with further study in building regulation. Plumber's assistants often move the other way into plumbing through the apprenticeship.
Can plumbers run their own business?
Yes, and many do once they hold their licence and have a few years of experience behind them. Going out on your own means finding customers, quoting, chasing invoices and managing apprentices, but it is often where earnings grow.
Related roles
- Air Conditioning Technician
- Fire Protection Technician
- Plumbing Inspector
- Construction Manager
- Gasfitter
- Plumber's Assistant
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