Apprenticeships
by State.
Real numbers from the Department of Labor. Free training. Paid wages from day one. No student debt.
Active Apprentices Nationally · By Trade
South
West
Midwest
Northeast
* NY and WA use state-level registration systems and underreport in federal RAPIDS. Actual apprentice populations are significantly higher. Source: DOL RAPIDS FY26 Q1 (March 2026).
What is a registered apprenticeship?
DOL-registered apprenticeships cost nothing to attend. Apprentices are employees, not students — you earn a paycheck from your first day. No tuition, no student loans, no debt at completion.
Starting wages are typically 40–50% of journeyman scale — $18–$28/hr — and increase every 6–12 months. By your final year, you're earning close to full journeyman pay. Most union programs also include health insurance and pension contributions from year one.
A journeyman card earned through a DOL-registered apprenticeship is recognized nationally by every union local and open-shop contractor. It is the gold standard credential for the trades — more valuable than any certificate from a for-profit school.
The DOL's Apprenticeship.gov has the complete database of registered programs nationwide. PlumbSquare verifies programs individually — coverage is growing.