Three RoutesCompare · Ontario figures · updated 2 November 2026
Plumber vs Steamfitter / pipefitter
Same columns, no opinion about which is better for you. On typical Ontario figures, Steamfitter / pipefitter is ahead by year 10 ($823k against $578k), because it pays more per year once you are working. The gap is before tax, rent and loan interest, which hit both routes.
| Measure | Plumber | Steamfitter / pipefitter |
|---|---|---|
| Route | Apprenticeship | Apprenticeship |
| Credential | Certificate of Qualification (306A) | Certificate of Qualification (307A) |
| Years to finish | 5 | 5 |
| First real paycheque | Month one | Month one |
| Cost (tuition and fees) | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| Typical debt if you borrow | $0 | $0 |
| Earnings, first years | $39,000 | $46,000 |
| Earnings by year 5 | $63,000 | $92,000 |
| Net by year 10 (typical) | $578k | $823k |
| Demand in Ontario | Steady | Steady |
| Time in a classroom | 15% | 10% |
Earnings by year, roughly
Before tax. Years in school show as "school". Medians rise from the starting figure to the year-5 figure, then stay flat.
Plumber
A day looks like: Installing and repairing water, drainage and gas systems in homes and commercial buildings; paid on-the-job hours plus in-school blocks.
What stops people: Sponsoring employer, same as most construction trades.
Downside: Physically hard on knees and back over decades. Emergency and weekend calls are part of the job.
Steamfitter / pipefitter
A day looks like: Welding, threading and fitting high-pressure pipe for heating, process and nuclear systems, mostly on industrial sites, with eight weeks a year in trade school, paid throughout.
What stops people: Getting into a UA Local 46 or 787 intake, or finding a non-union sponsor. Intakes open only a few times a year and are competitive.
Downside: Five years to the ticket. Industrial, refinery and nuclear sites mean travel, shutdown schedules and long stretches away from home.
Quick answers
Which pays more, plumber or steamfitter / pipefitter?
By year five, Plumber is about $63,000 and Steamfitter / pipefitter about $92,000 (Ontario medians, before tax). By year ten, counting what each cost, Plumber nets roughly $578k and Steamfitter / pipefitter roughly $823k.
Which is faster to a real paycheque?
Plumber: month one. Steamfitter / pipefitter: month one.
What does each cost?
Plumber: $1,500 in tuition and fees, typical debt $0. Steamfitter / pipefitter: $1,500, typical debt $0.
What is the downside of each?
Plumber: Physically hard on knees and back over decades. Emergency and weekend calls are part of the job. Steamfitter / pipefitter: Five years to the ticket. Industrial, refinery and nuclear sites mean travel, shutdown schedules and long stretches away from home.
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Figures are Ontario medians and typical costs from Job Bank, Statistics Canada, Skilled Trades Ontario and institution fee pages; the data page lists every source and date. Switch province on either pathway page for BC, Alberta or Quebec figures.