Sheet metal workers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,630 | $18.57 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $61,800 | $29.71 |
| Mean (average) | $67,850 | $32.62 |
| 90th percentile | $105,650 | $50.79 |
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
Sheet metal workers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 52 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $47,530 | $35,510 | $71,270 | 1,450 | 0.89 |
| Alaska | $94,600 | $49,300 | $116,580 | 240 | 0.95 |
| Arizona | $50,260 | $36,350 | $80,750 | 3,060 | 1.23 |
| Arkansas | $45,820 | $35,800 | $57,380 | 1,230 | 1.22 |
| California | $76,590 | $47,410 | $132,190 | 8,390 | 0.6 |
| Colorado | $57,880 | $43,780 | $83,550 | 1,660 | 0.75 |
| Connecticut | $78,750 | $49,780 | $93,940 | 1,480 | 1.13 |
| Delaware | $61,460 | $37,290 | $85,790 | 440 | 1.18 |
| Florida | $49,640 | $36,140 | $71,740 | 8,040 | 1.05 |
| Georgia | $56,800 | $38,820 | $76,900 | 3,590 | 0.95 |
| Guam | $37,770 | $23,030 | $45,290 | 140 | 2.67 |
| Hawaii | $96,350 | $52,730 | $118,960 | 490 | 1.01 |
| Idaho | $46,350 | $36,340 | $78,470 | 1,290 | 1.95 |
| Illinois | $86,630 | $42,220 | $117,910 | 3,260 | 0.69 |
| Indiana | $64,040 | $42,620 | $104,080 | 4,580 | 1.86 |
| Iowa | $66,460 | $43,770 | $91,450 | 1,650 | 1.37 |
| Kansas | $62,670 | $38,690 | $108,530 | 1,730 | 1.56 |
| Kentucky | $60,680 | $40,570 | $85,310 | 2,210 | 1.44 |
| Louisiana | $50,320 | $34,650 | $77,790 | 1,080 | 0.72 |
| Maine | $62,120 | $47,930 | $75,490 | 830 | 1.68 |
| Maryland | $62,560 | $46,800 | $84,650 | 1,940 | 0.91 |
| Massachusetts | $82,100 | $46,440 | $121,050 | 2,890 | 1.03 |
| Michigan | $64,490 | $40,940 | $96,390 | 4,000 | 1.18 |
| Minnesota | $72,970 | $47,520 | $116,990 | 2,980 | 1.31 |
| Mississippi | $49,500 | $36,560 | $70,630 | 1,260 | 1.41 |
| Missouri | $63,560 | $38,090 | $110,580 | 2,640 | 1.17 |
| Montana | $61,420 | $44,310 | $84,220 | 410 | 1.04 |
| Nebraska | $64,440 | $32,140 | $94,980 | 440 | 0.56 |
| Nevada | $46,730 | $38,120 | $121,730 | 1,270 | 1.06 |
| New Hampshire | $59,800 | $34,170 | $79,930 | 760 | 1.44 |
| New Jersey | $92,840 | $46,290 | $130,630 | 2,790 | 0.84 |
| New Mexico | $56,720 | $36,410 | $84,690 | 640 | 0.96 |
| New York | $73,760 | $40,330 | $126,090 | 6,570 | 0.88 |
| North Carolina | $50,730 | $37,280 | $78,020 | 2,780 | 0.73 |
| North Dakota | $65,180 | $48,080 | $84,740 | 290 | 0.88 |
| Ohio | $74,790 | $43,200 | $94,240 | 4,180 | 0.98 |
| Oklahoma | $65,640 | $46,000 | $79,090 | 2,820 | 2.14 |
| Oregon | $73,750 | $48,150 | $120,600 | 3,250 | 2.14 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,400 | $45,660 | $126,430 | 3,260 | 0.7 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,340 | $21,840 | $33,450 | 210 | 0.3 |
| Rhode Island | $65,100 | $42,670 | $81,980 | 370 | 0.96 |
| South Carolina | $49,920 | $37,090 | $76,300 | 1,710 | 0.97 |
| South Dakota | $47,800 | $38,420 | $86,780 | 320 | 0.91 |
| Tennessee | $59,170 | $38,710 | $79,360 | 1,850 | 0.73 |
| Texas | $54,240 | $37,010 | $78,400 | 9,540 | 0.88 |
| Utah | $63,140 | $44,360 | $85,770 | 1,810 | 1.36 |
| Vermont | $58,250 | $42,920 | $82,940 | 370 | 1.58 |
| Virginia | $52,220 | $37,440 | $73,640 | 4,520 | 1.43 |
| Washington | $98,550 | $57,650 | $149,260 | 3,440 | 1.26 |
| West Virginia | $72,390 | $38,170 | $76,020 | 540 | 1 |
| Wisconsin | $77,760 | $45,160 | $107,060 | 3,180 | 1.4 |
| Wyoming | $58,740 | $42,350 | $72,400 | 160 | 0.72 |
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 sheet metal workers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 9,800. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 8.4%.
- 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 sheet metal workers
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Apprenticeship
- 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
- Sheet Metal Technology/Sheetworking CIP 48.0506
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Maintain equipment, making repairs or modifications when necessary.
- Fabricate ducts for high efficiency heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to maximize efficiency of systems.
- Fasten seams or joints together with welds, bolts, cement, rivets, solder, caulks, metal drive clips, or bonds to assemble components into products or to repair sheet metal items.
- Transport prefabricated parts to construction sites for assembly and installation.
- Install assemblies, such as flashing, pipes, tubes, heating and air conditioning ducts, furnace casings, rain gutters, or downspouts in supportive frameworks.
- Hire, train, or supervise new employees or apprentices.
- Lay out, measure, and mark dimensions and reference lines on material, such as roofing panels, using calculators, scribes, dividers, squares, or rulers.
- Fabricate or alter parts at construction sites, using shears, hammers, punches, or drills.
Technology skills
- Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Applied Production ProFab
- Applied Production ProFold
- Corte Certo
- FCC Software AutoPOL Series
- JETCAM Expert
- Merry Mechanization SMP/IS
- PTC Creo Parametric
- QuickPen DuctDesigner 3D
- Revcad Software Sheet Lightning
- Siemens NX
- Striker Systems SS-Profile
Transferable skills for career changers: Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management, Instructing, Complex Problem Solving, Operations Monitoring.
Common job titles: Commercial Sheet Metal Service Installer, Field Installer, HVAC Sheet Metal Installer (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Sheet Metal Installer), HVAC Sheet Metal Specialist (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Sheet Metal Specialist), Sheet Metal Fabricator, Sheet Metal Installer, Sheet Metal Journeyman, Sheet Metal Layout Mechanic, Sheet Metal Mechanic, Sheet Metal Worker.
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 sheet metal workers make?
The national median annual wage for sheet metal workers was $61,800 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $38,630 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $105,650. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do sheet metal workers need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and apprenticeship on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is sheet metal workers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of sheet metal workers to change +2.5% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 9,800 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay sheet metal workers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Washington ($98,550), Hawaii ($96,350), Alaska ($94,600). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.