US: Apprenticeships and internships · 5 min read
How do apprenticeship programs work in the US?
How registered apprenticeships work in the US: paid on-the-job training plus classes over 1 to 5 years, who sponsors them, typical pay and the credential.
The short answer
A registered apprenticeship is a paid job with structured training: you work for an employer under experienced workers, take related classroom instruction (usually 144 hours a year or more), get scheduled raises as you progress, and finish with a nationally recognized credential and often a state license. Programs run one to five years depending on the trade. Around 680,000 people were in registered apprenticeships in 2025, mostly in construction trades, but programs now exist in healthcare, IT, advanced manufacturing, finance and even teaching. You pay nothing; the sponsor pays you from day one, and the Department of Labor's Apprenticeship.gov lists openings by state.
Key takeaways
- Paid from day one, with raises built in: apprentices typically start at 40 to 50% of the journey-level wage and reach it at completion.
- Electricians, plumbers and HVAC technicians, the three biggest trades, had median pay above $59,000 in 2024, and growth for electricians and HVAC is projected faster than average.
- Sponsors are unions, employer associations, individual companies, community colleges and the military. Union programs are competitive but cover all costs.
- No tuition and no debt. The trade-off is a multi-year commitment and physical work in most programs.
On this pageHow a registered program is built
How a registered program is built
| Part | What it is | Typical amount |
|---|---|---|
| On-the-job learning | Paid work under a journey-level mentor | 2,000 hours a year; 2,000 to 10,000 total |
| Related instruction | Classroom or online courses in the trade's theory, math and code | 144 hours or more a year |
| Wage progression | Scheduled raises tied to hours or competencies | Start at 40 to 60% of the full rate; reach 100% at completion |
| Mentorship | Assigned experienced worker | Throughout |
| Credential | Certificate of completion from the Department of Labor or state agency; often a state license | At the end |
Who sponsors them
Joint labor-management programs run by a union and contractors together are the largest sponsors in construction: electrical workers, plumbers and pipefitters, carpenters, sheet metal workers, ironworkers and operating engineers each have training centers in most regions, with no tuition and strong wages but competitive entry. Non-union contractor associations run parallel programs. Individual companies sponsor programs in manufacturing, utilities and healthcare. Community colleges host many, combining the classroom hours with an associate degree. The military's United Services Military Apprenticeship Program lets service members earn a credential for their occupation.
The main fields in 2026
- Electrical: four to five years; median electrician pay $62,350 in 2024; 9% projected growth to 2034.
- Plumbing and pipefitting: four to five years; median $62,970; steady demand from an aging workforce.
- HVAC: three to five years; median $59,810; 8% projected growth.
- Carpentry, sheet metal, ironwork, elevator installation: three to five years; elevator mechanics among the highest-paid trades.
- Lineworkers and utilities: three to four years; high pay and high demand from grid investment.
- Healthcare, IT, manufacturing and finance: one to three years; growing fast from a small base.
Finding and getting in
- Search Apprenticeship.gov's job finder by trade and zip code, and your state's apprenticeship agency site.
- Call the local training center for the trade you want and ask when applications open; many take them only a few weeks a year.
- Take a free pre-apprenticeship if you need to pass the aptitude test or want a recommendation.
- Prepare for the interview like any job: why this trade, evidence you show up, any hands-on experience at all.
- Apply to two or three trades, not one. Entry classes are small and the trades overlap more than people think.
Illustrative example: the waitlist that was worth it
A 19 year old working in a warehouse takes a free eight-week pre-apprenticeship at a community college, passes the electrical aptitude test, and is ranked but waitlisted by the union program. He takes a job with a non-union contractor's registered program in the meantime at $19 an hour. Fourteen months later the union calls; he transfers his hours, and finishes as a journey-level electrician at 24 earning $44 an hour with a pension and no debt.
Questions people ask
- How much do apprentices get paid in the US?
- It depends on the trade and the local journey-level wage. Most construction apprentices start at $17 to $24 an hour in 2026 and rise in steps every six months or 1,000 hours to the full rate, which is often $35 to $50 an hour in union programs in high-cost areas. Healthcare and IT apprenticeships often start near $18 to $22. You also usually get benefits, and in union programs a pension.
- What are the requirements for an apprenticeship?
- Usually 18 or older (16 in some programs), a high school diploma or GED, a driver's license, passing a drug test, and for many trades an aptitude test in math and reading. Union programs often interview and rank applicants. Pre-apprenticeship programs, many free, help you pass the test and get a recommendation.
- Are apprenticeships only for the trades?
- No, though the trades are the majority. The Department of Labor has registered programs in nursing and medical assisting, pharmacy tech, IT support and cybersecurity, software development, advanced manufacturing, insurance and banking, early childhood education and teaching. Some large employers run them as an alternative to college hiring.
- Can I do an apprenticeship after college?
- Yes, and many do. Graduates with degrees in unrelated fields enter electrical, plumbing and lineworker apprenticeships for the pay and stability, and IT and healthcare apprenticeships often prefer applicants with some college. The degree sometimes shortens the related instruction requirement.
Exercises are practice, not evidence of career fit or a qualification. How to read our guides and report a correction.
Sources
- Apprenticeship.gov · US Department of Labor
- Construction and extraction occupations · US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Apprenticeship Job Finder · US Department of Labor, Apprenticeship.gov
How this page is written
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