2026 Best Value Plumbing Technology/Plumber Schools in California
[Plumbing Technology/Plumber](/majors/construction-trades/plumbing-and-water-supply/plumbing-technology-plumber/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong plumbing technology/plumber education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 13 schools to find the best return on investment for plumbing technology/plumber students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Plumbing Technology/Plumber Schools in California
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the plumbing technology/plumber degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Plumbing Technology/Plumber Schools
For return on investment in plumbing technology/plumber, no school beat American River College this year. Located in the suburb of Sacramento, American River College is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $1,288, while out-of-state students pay about $12,616. Typical student debt for plumbing technology/plumber graduates is $14,105. Plumbing Technology/plumber graduates of American River College earn a median of $76,077 early in their careers. Set against $14,105 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #2 makes Foothill College one of the best values for plumbing technology/plumber. Foothill College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Los Altos Hills. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $1,565, with out-of-state students paying around $12,590. Typical student debt for plumbing technology/plumber graduates is $11,595. Soon after graduation, plumbing technology/plumber degree recipients from Foothill College generally make around $94,152. Set against $11,595 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Los Angeles Trade Technical College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in plumbing technology/plumber, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Trade Technical College is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $1,238 in tuition and fees, compared with $10,572 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $14,833 to complete the plumbing technology/plumber program here. Plumbing Technology/plumber graduates of Los Angeles Trade Technical College earn a median of $53,553 early in their careers. Set against $14,833 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in plumbing technology/plumber will find it at Summit College, which ranked #4. Set in the city of San Bernardino, Summit College is a small private for-profit institution. Plumbing Technology/plumber graduates carry a median of $9,190 in student loans. Soon after graduation, plumbing technology/plumber degree recipients from Summit College generally make around $31,464. Set against $9,190 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
