Fiberglass laminators and fabricators salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,910 | $17.75 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $46,880 | $22.54 |
| Mean (average) | $49,550 | $23.82 |
| 90th percentile | $63,760 | $30.65 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Fiberglass laminators and fabricators pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 36 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $38,360 | $35,360 | $43,530 | 170 | 0.78 |
| Arkansas | $39,320 | $34,980 | $49,650 | 360 | 2.65 |
| California | $47,750 | $37,110 | $64,740 | 850 | 0.45 |
| Colorado | $42,840 | $31,860 | $55,160 | 80 | 0.26 |
| Florida | $47,140 | $37,270 | $69,430 | 2,870 | 2.78 |
| Georgia | $35,670 | $33,330 | $45,800 | 130 | 0.25 |
| Idaho | $53,040 | $38,330 | $53,930 | ||
| Indiana | $45,820 | $37,230 | $61,510 | 2,010 | 6.04 |
| Iowa | $50,450 | $40,050 | $56,650 | 40 | 0.27 |
| Kansas | $40,460 | $32,810 | $46,540 | 210 | 1.43 |
| Louisiana | $40,000 | $30,360 | $59,760 | 220 | 1.07 |
| Maine | $50,710 | $41,720 | $62,020 | 320 | 4.73 |
| Massachusetts | $55,980 | $44,000 | $63,460 | 200 | 0.53 |
| Michigan | $43,980 | $31,200 | $53,370 | 520 | 1.14 |
| Minnesota | $37,410 | $36,260 | $48,420 | ||
| Mississippi | $42,080 | $31,370 | $63,070 | 180 | 1.47 |
| Missouri | $46,640 | $39,070 | $75,490 | 240 | 0.78 |
| Nebraska | $47,420 | $40,580 | $53,680 | 90 | 0.82 |
| Nevada | $47,700 | $35,680 | $77,330 | 120 | 0.77 |
| New Jersey | $54,080 | $40,590 | $63,920 | 680 | 1.54 |
| New York | $47,300 | $38,440 | $93,540 | 120 | 0.11 |
| North Carolina | $43,890 | $33,210 | $60,260 | 850 | 1.65 |
| Ohio | $49,130 | $38,340 | $60,190 | 490 | 0.84 |
| Oklahoma | $39,260 | $31,560 | $61,250 | 120 | 0.69 |
| Oregon | $49,850 | $34,700 | $62,830 | 160 | 0.8 |
| Pennsylvania | $54,800 | $40,380 | $108,970 | 270 | 0.42 |
| Rhode Island | $49,260 | $47,450 | $64,070 | 170 | 3.33 |
| South Carolina | $45,250 | $37,040 | $61,030 | 480 | 2.02 |
| South Dakota | $48,410 | $35,040 | $56,230 | 70 | 1.43 |
| Tennessee | $52,120 | $39,990 | $55,590 | 590 | 1.74 |
| Texas | $44,450 | $35,420 | $64,940 | 1,050 | 0.72 |
| Utah | $44,510 | $35,010 | $56,660 | 50 | 0.25 |
| Virginia | $39,140 | $37,310 | $46,080 | 160 | 0.37 |
| Washington | $58,410 | $44,440 | $102,550 | 1,100 | 2.97 |
| West Virginia | $39,450 | $38,020 | $55,190 | 80 | 1.14 |
| Wisconsin | $44,060 | $37,770 | $57,570 | 250 | 0.83 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for fiberglass laminators and fabricators
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 1,700. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.6%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for fiberglass laminators and fabricators
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Release air bubbles and smooth seams, using rollers.
- Spray chopped fiberglass, resins, and catalysts onto prepared molds or dies using pneumatic spray guns with chopper attachments.
- Mix catalysts into resins, and saturate cloth and mats with mixtures, using brushes.
- Check completed products for conformance to specifications and for defects by measuring with rulers or micrometers, by checking them visually, or by tapping them to detect bubbles or dead spots.
- Pat or press layers of saturated mat or cloth into place on molds, using brushes or hands, and smooth out wrinkles and air bubbles with hands or squeegees.
- Select precut fiberglass mats, cloth, and wood-bracing materials as required by projects being assembled.
- Bond wood reinforcing strips to decks and cabin structures of watercraft, using resin-saturated fiberglass.
- Trim excess materials from molds, using hand shears or trimming knives.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Operations Monitoring, Complex Problem Solving, Coordination, Instructing, Operation and Control, Quality Control Analysis.
Common job titles: Boat Builder, Boat Carpenter, Chopper Gun Operator, Fiberglass Laminator, Fiberglass Technician, Fiberglasser, Gel-Coater, Lamination Technician, Laminator, Roller.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do fiberglass laminators and fabricators make?
The national median annual wage for fiberglass laminators and fabricators was $46,880 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $36,910 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $63,760. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do fiberglass laminators and fabricators need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is fiberglass laminators and fabricators a growing career?
BLS projects employment of fiberglass laminators and fabricators to change +4.6% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 1,700 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay fiberglass laminators and fabricators the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Washington ($58,410), Massachusetts ($55,980), Pennsylvania ($54,800). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.