5 Best Plumbing Schools in Denver, CO

About the School

Emily Griffith Technical College is a nationally accredited institution with various programs.

Whether you’re prepping for your GED, want to get some hands-on experience, or need workplace training, this college has it all.

Courses Offered/Program Name

You can attend their plumbing apprenticeship as long as you already have a GED, are over 18, and have a valid driver’s license.

The college has partnered with several local unions and trade organizations, ensuring you’ll get a job.

The program takes students around two to five years to complete depending on how many credit hours they are enrolled in.

Students will also get paid between $13-$23 per hour while taking an apprenticeship.

There are a total of 45 credits that can be transferred to any community college in Colorado.

About the School

Red Rocks Community College is a public college part of the Colorado Community College System.

This ensures that any student can transfer to a different college inside of the system.

Aside from that, they include multiple advancement opportunities to further education and degrees.

Courses Offered/Program Name

The certificate program preps potential plumbers for entry-level jobs.

There are a total of 18.5 total credit hours.

However, additional educational opportunities enable students to upgrade to service plumbing.

The certificate includes piping, plumbing, soldering, and brazing skills.

Aside from that, students will learn international plumbing codes, first aid, CPR, and all safety precautions for on-the-job use.

Lastly, students will also learn electrical for HVAC/R systems or basic electricity.

After completing these classes, students must find entry-level jobs to further their knowledge.

That means joining apprenticeships or finding entry-level work with a local business.

About the School

Construction Industry of Colorado Training has existed since 1988 and was originally associated with only construction work.

However, since then, the institution has grown and now has a handful of training programs.

All CITC students get to be a part of a non-profit corporation with accreditation from the Emily Griffith Technical College and the US Department of Labor Offices.

Courses Offered/Program Name

The CITC offers a plumbing apprenticeship that requires 576 hours of in-class instruction.

Aside from that, students will be required to do around 8,000 hours of paid on-the-job training.

The starting pay is $13.50, but we can see increases from $28,080 to $62,400.

In each year, going up to four years, students will take 144 hours of classroom training and 2,000 hours of on-the-job training.

Each year will cover different subjects and applications that prepare them for becoming a professional in the field.

About the School

The Western States College of Construction is a trade school mainly focusing on other trades.

However, they have been expanding to have new programs, including plumbing.

The Denver campus includes a full plumbing program.

Courses Offered/Program Name

The full program costs $50 to $500 for supplies and a $30 to $300 fee.

Students will spend 1,700 hours per year doing on-the-job training and need 246 hours of classroom instruction.

During this time, students will make a salary of up to $78,404 in compensation during the apprenticeship and $106,400 once they graduate.

If attending the program full-time, students can expect to take an average of three years.

However, most students complete it within a four-year time span.

What’s unique about the program is that students get on-the-job training one on one with an instructor.

However, classroom hours limit the class to ten students per instructor.

This ensures that everyone gets adequate training.

About the School

Plumb-Tech Trade School is registered with the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA).

The school focuses on providing potential plumbers with all requirements to meet the Colorado State Plumbing Board’s Continuing Education.

Courses Offered/Program Name

There are three levels of plumbing licensed in Colorado including; Residential, JJourneyman, and Master.

Each level has its own required training hours, licensing fees, and exams.

Here is a quick breakdown of the levels:

• Residential Plumber – US citizenship, 3,400 hours of practical experience (2 years), $100 licensing fee, $75 exam, and must score over 70%.
• Journeyman Plumber – US citizenship, 6,800 hours of practical experience (4 years), $120 licensing fee, $75 exam, and must score over 70%.
• Master Plumber – US citizenship, 8,500 hours of practical experience (5 years), $140 licensing fee, $75 exam, and must score over 70%.

The college offers in-person training and online courses for those who don’t have time to attend.

If you sign up for the online courses, you will be self-paced and not get any hands-on experience.

On the other hand, the in-person courses will include both classroom and on-the-job training.