How To Become A Pipe Fitter: What It Is and Career Path

What is a pipe fitter and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Pipe Fitters are artisans responsible for the layout, construction, installation, fabrication, and maintenance of piping systems. This involves commercial and industrial piping systems like in commercial spaces, power plants, laboratories, and factories. They study blueprints and schematics to understand requirements and execute any possible modifications. Also, they conduct inspections to ensure pipelines are properly installed and as specified by the client. Additionally, pipefitters oversee the selection and purchase of pipes and other necessary materials.

Pipefitters must have a high school diploma to qualify for the job. However, some employers prefer a vocational degree, and some provide on-the-job training. Regardless, you need a state license and previous work experience. You must also possess problem-solving, attention to detail, troubleshooting, and communication skills. Applicants must be experienced with using computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software. The base salary for a pipe fitter ranges between $45,182 and $70,774, with an average salary of $57,114.

ScorePipe FitterUS Average

Salary

4.0

Avg. Salary $51,055

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.8

Growth rate 2%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

8.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.05%

Asian 1.87%

Black or African American 9.39%

Hispanic or Latino 20.08%

Unknown 4.22%

White 63.40%

Gender

female 3.80%

male 96.20%

Age - 41

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41

Stress level

7.8

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.4

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a pipe fitter

Explore pipe fitter education requirements

Most common pipe fitter degrees

High School Diploma

50.7 %

Associate

17.4 %

Bachelor's

12.6 %

Start to develop specific pipe fitter skills

Skills	Percentages
Carbon Steel	16.48%
Hand Tools	10.75%
Safety Procedures	6.94%
Isometric Drawings	5.50%
Hot Water	4.90%

Complete relevant pipe fitter training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 4-10 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New pipe fitters learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a pipe fitter based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real pipe fitter resumes.

Obtain the necessary licensing

Becoming a licensed pipe fitter usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed pipe fitter in most of states. 26 states require pipe fitters to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.

State	Education	Exam	License url
Alabama	-	-	Certified Master Gas Fitter
Maryland	Specific course required	State exam required	GAS FITTER
Arkansas	Degree required	Both state and third-party exams required	Gas Fitter
Colorado	-	State exam required	Master Plumber
Connecticut	-	State exam required	Plumbing & Piping Unlimited Contractor

Research pipe fitter duties and responsibilities

Certify GTAW & SMAW in various alloys on pipe and pipeline within various refineries.
Join piping by threading, caulking, wiping, soldering, brazing, fuse, or cement joints.
Cut, thread, or hammer pipes to specifications, using tools such as saws, cutting torches, pipe theaters.
Read blue prints and ISO metric drawings.

Prepare your pipe fitter resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your pipe fitter resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a pipe fitter resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable pipe fitter resume templates

Build a professional pipe fitter resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your pipe fitter resume.