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

What is a pipe foreman and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A pipe foreman works for manufacturing companies and supervises the assembly and installation of piping systems. Pipe systems are vital in maintaining a municipality's water, sewage, and energy systems, so a pipe foreman needs to be careful not to make any mistakes. They supervise work crews installing pipes and make sure that they are complying with safety standards and the blueprint. A pipe foreman also handles the logistics of a construction project, such as the budget. However, that doesn't mean that a pipe foreman never gets their hands dirty. They are also expected to use hand tools and heavy equipment to assist in a construction project, leading by example.

Before they can earn this supervisory position, a pipe foreman needs several years of construction experience. It helps if they have specific knowledge of pipes by working as a pipe fitter. Formal education is less important--fewer than 10% of pipe foremen have a bachelor's degree.

A pipe foreman earns an average salary of $62,956 a year, making this a solid career for someone without a college degree.

ScorePipe ForemanUS Average

Salary

3.9

Avg. Salary $49,468

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 9.41%

Hispanic or Latino 18.57%

Unknown 4.22%

White 64.88%

Gender

female 4.09%

male 95.91%

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

9.0

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 foreman

Explore pipe foreman education requirements

Most common pipe foreman degrees

High School Diploma

50.6 %

Associate

16.4 %

Bachelor's

14.0 %

Start to develop specific pipe foreman skills

Skills	Percentages
Hand Tools	13.54%
OSHA	12.13%
Ladders	6.67%
Construction Sites	5.34%
Pipe Systems	5.07%

Complete relevant pipe foreman training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 4-10 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New pipe foremen 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 foreman based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real pipe foreman resumes.

Obtain the necessary licensing

Becoming a licensed pipe foreman usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed pipe foreman in most of states. 26 states require pipe foremen 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 foreman duties and responsibilities

Use hoists and cranes to lift work pieces to machines and manage work with little supervision.
Maintain a safe work environment ensuring that workers follow safety rules in accordance with client and OSHA.
Install HVAC systems, building control systems.
Form cast iron and PVC roof drains, sewer drains.

Prepare your pipe foreman resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your pipe foreman 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 foreman 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 Foreman Resume templates

Build a professional Pipe Foreman 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 Foreman resume.

Apply for pipe foreman jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a pipe foreman job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do pipe foremen rate their job?