Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators
Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators (SOC 51-2051) earn a median $46,880 a year ($22.54 an hour) in the United States, with 16,170 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What fiberglass laminators and fabricators do
Fiberglass laminators and fabricators build molded products by layering glass fiber and resin in or on a mold, with boat hulls and decks the best-known examples, along with bodies for golf carts and automobiles. The worker prepares the mold surface, then either lays precut mats and cloth into place by hand or sprays chopped fiber and resin from a chopper gun. Brushes saturate the cloth with a mixture of resin and catalyst, and rollers press out air bubbles and flatten seams so the layers bond solidly. Wood reinforcing strips may be bonded to decks and cabin structures with resin-saturated fiberglass. After curing, the laminator checks the product against specifications with rulers or micrometers, by eye, or by tapping for dead spots, and trims or repairs flaws. Working out air bubbles and smoothing wrinkles and seams is a recurring step, done with rollers, squeegees, or the hands.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, a high school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education reported by workers in this occupation.
Also called: Boat Assembler, Boat Builder, Boat Carpenter, Chopper Gun Operator, Composite Bond Technician.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.75 | $18.96 | $22.54 | $26.20 | $30.65 | $23.82 | 16,170 |
| Annual | $36,910 | $39,430 | $46,880 | $54,490 | $63,760 | $49,550 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where fiberglass laminators and fabricators earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $21.36 | $23.52 | $28.08 | $37.26 | $49.30 | $30.80 | 1,100 | 0.31 | 2.97 |
| Annual | $44,440 | $48,930 | $58,410 | $77,500 | $102,550 | $64,070 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $21.15 | $22.41 | $26.92 | $28.86 | $30.51 | $26.09 | 200 | 0.06 | 0.53 |
| Annual | $44,000 | $46,620 | $55,980 | $60,030 | $63,460 | $54,270 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $19.41 | $20.99 | $26.35 | $52.39 | $52.39 | $35.56 | 270 | 0.04 | 0.42 |
| Annual | $40,380 | $43,660 | $54,800 | $108,970 | $108,970 | $73,960 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $19.52 | $23.26 | $26.00 | $27.18 | $30.73 | $25.33 | 680 | 0.16 | 1.54 |
| Annual | $40,590 | $48,390 | $54,080 | $56,530 | $63,920 | $52,680 | ||||
| Idaho | Hourly | $18.43 | $24.35 | $25.50 | $25.89 | $25.93 | $24.07 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $38,330 | $50,650 | $53,040 | $53,850 | $53,930 | $50,060 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Florida | Hourly | $17.92 | $18.79 | $22.66 | $23.90 | $33.38 | $23.60 | 2,870 | 0.29 | 2.78 |
| Annual | $37,270 | $39,070 | $47,140 | $49,720 | $69,430 | $49,090 | ||||
| Indiana | Hourly | $17.90 | $20.55 | $22.03 | $26.47 | $29.57 | $23.50 | 2,010 | 0.63 | 6.04 |
| Annual | $37,230 | $42,740 | $45,820 | $55,050 | $61,510 | $48,870 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $21.36 | $23.52 | $28.08 | $37.26 | $49.30 | $30.80 | 1,100 | 0.31 | 2.97 |
| Annual | $44,440 | $48,930 | $58,410 | $77,500 | $102,550 | $64,070 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $17.03 | $18.04 | $21.37 | $23.61 | $31.22 | $22.72 | 1,050 | 0.07 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $35,420 | $37,530 | $44,450 | $49,110 | $64,940 | $47,250 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $17.84 | $20.13 | $22.96 | $28.29 | $31.13 | $24.29 | 850 | 0.05 | 0.45 |
| Annual | $37,110 | $41,860 | $47,750 | $58,840 | $64,740 | $50,520 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Bellingham, WA | Hourly | $21.74 | $27.36 | $35.54 | $35.54 | $36.00 | $32.59 | 30 | 0.34 | 3.24 |
| Annual | $45,230 | $56,910 | $73,920 | $73,920 | $74,880 | $67,780 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $19.52 | $25.30 | $28.91 | $31.44 | $41.55 | $30.01 | 150 | 0.02 | 0.15 |
| Annual | $40,590 | $52,610 | $60,130 | $65,400 | $86,420 | $62,410 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $20.07 | $20.92 | $28.56 | $29.12 | $30.71 | $26.58 | 50 | 0.05 | 0.45 |
| Annual | $41,740 | $43,520 | $59,400 | $60,570 | $63,880 | $55,280 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $23.00 | $25.15 | $28.42 | $39.60 | $50.23 | $33.19 | 770 | 0.37 | 3.54 |
| Annual | $47,850 | $52,320 | $59,110 | $82,370 | $104,470 | $69,030 | ||||
| St. Louis, MO-IL | Hourly | $21.73 | $22.54 | $28.00 | $35.30 | $37.42 | $28.50 | 90 | 0.06 | 0.62 |
| Annual | $45,190 | $46,890 | $58,230 | $73,420 | $77,840 | $59,290 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | Hourly | $18.52 | $21.66 | $23.06 | $28.60 | $33.67 | $24.82 | 1,050 | 8.20 | 78.83 |
| Annual | $38,530 | $45,050 | $47,960 | $59,490 | $70,040 | $51,630 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $23.00 | $25.15 | $28.42 | $39.60 | $50.23 | $33.19 | 770 | 0.37 | 3.54 |
| Annual | $47,850 | $52,320 | $59,110 | $82,370 | $104,470 | $69,030 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $22.12 | $23.26 | $26.00 | $27.43 | $52.39 | $30.12 | 560 | 0.19 | 1.86 |
| Annual | $46,000 | $48,390 | $54,080 | $57,050 | $108,970 | $62,640 | ||||
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | Hourly | $17.72 | $18.96 | $19.59 | $23.45 | $24.85 | $21.51 | 450 | 0.31 | 3.02 |
| Annual | $36,850 | $39,430 | $40,750 | $48,780 | $51,700 | $44,750 | ||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $17.93 | $18.50 | $22.21 | $23.09 | $28.62 | $22.37 | 430 | 0.15 | 1.47 |
| Annual | $37,290 | $38,470 | $46,200 | $48,030 | $59,530 | $46,530 | ||||
Top industries employing fiberglass laminators and fabricators
Ship and Boat Building employ 40.1% of fiberglass laminators and fabricators nationally (6,490 jobs) at a median $47,480 a year ($22.83 an hour), followed by Plastics Product Manufacturing (20.6%) and Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing (7.7%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ship and Boat Building NAICS 336600 | 6,490 | 40.1% | $47,480 | $22.83 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing NAICS 326100 | 3,330 | 20.6% | $42,730 | $20.55 |
| Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing NAICS 336200 | 1,240 | 7.7% | $46,220 | $22.22 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing NAICS 336400 | 1,030 | 6.4% | $58,440 | $28.10 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing NAICS 339900 | 520 | 3.2% | $69,430 | $33.38 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (16,170). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $37,650 for fiberglass laminators and fabricators in May 2021 and $46,880 in May 2025, with employment of 17,380 and 16,170.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $37,650 | $18.10 | 17,380 |
| May 2022 | $38,110 | $18.32 | 21,910 |
| May 2023 | $40,200 | $19.33 | 20,380 |
| May 2024 | $45,760 | $22.00 | 18,520 |
| May 2025 | $46,880 | $22.54 | 16,170 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
36 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington profile | $28.08 | $58,410 | $44,440 | $102,550 | 1,100 | 0.31 | 2.97 |
| 2 | Massachusetts profile | $26.92 | $55,980 | $44,000 | $63,460 | 200 | 0.06 | 0.53 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania profile | $26.35 | $54,800 | $40,380 | $108,970 | 270 | 0.04 | 0.42 |
| 4 | New Jersey profile | $26.00 | $54,080 | $40,590 | $63,920 | 680 | 0.16 | 1.54 |
| 5 | Idaho profile | $25.50 | $53,040 | $38,330 | $53,930 | ** | ** | ** |
| 6 | Tennessee profile | $25.06 | $52,120 | $39,990 | $55,590 | 590 | 0.18 | 1.74 |
| 7 | Maine profile | $24.38 | $50,710 | $41,720 | $62,020 | 320 | 0.49 | 4.73 |
| 8 | Iowa profile | $24.25 | $50,450 | $40,050 | $56,650 | 40 | 0.03 | 0.27 |
| 9 | Oregon profile | $23.97 | $49,850 | $34,700 | $62,830 | 160 | 0.08 | 0.80 |
| 10 | Rhode Island profile | $23.68 | $49,260 | $47,450 | $64,070 | 170 | 0.35 | 3.33 |
| 11 | Ohio profile | $23.62 | $49,130 | $38,340 | $60,190 | 490 | 0.09 | 0.84 |
| 12 | South Dakota profile | $23.27 | $48,410 | $35,040 | $56,230 | 70 | 0.15 | 1.43 |
| 13 | California profile | $22.96 | $47,750 | $37,110 | $64,740 | 850 | 0.05 | 0.45 |
| 14 | Nevada profile | $22.93 | $47,700 | $35,680 | $77,330 | 120 | 0.08 | 0.77 |
| 15 | Nebraska profile | $22.80 | $47,420 | $40,580 | $53,680 | 90 | 0.09 | 0.82 |
| 16 | New York profile | $22.74 | $47,300 | $38,440 | $93,540 | 120 | 0.01 | 0.11 |
| 17 | Florida profile | $22.66 | $47,140 | $37,270 | $69,430 | 2,870 | 0.29 | 2.78 |
| 18 | Missouri profile | $22.42 | $46,640 | $39,070 | $75,490 | 240 | 0.08 | 0.78 |
| 19 | Indiana profile | $22.03 | $45,820 | $37,230 | $61,510 | 2,010 | 0.63 | 6.04 |
| 20 | South Carolina profile | $21.76 | $45,250 | $37,040 | $61,030 | 480 | 0.21 | 2.02 |
| 21 | Utah profile | $21.40 | $44,510 | $35,010 | $56,660 | 50 | 0.03 | 0.25 |
| 22 | Texas profile | $21.37 | $44,450 | $35,420 | $64,940 | 1,050 | 0.07 | 0.72 |
| 23 | Wisconsin profile | $21.18 | $44,060 | $37,770 | $57,570 | 250 | 0.09 | 0.83 |
| 24 | Michigan profile | $21.14 | $43,980 | $31,200 | $53,370 | 520 | 0.12 | 1.14 |
| 25 | North Carolina profile | $21.10 | $43,890 | $33,210 | $60,260 | 850 | 0.17 | 1.65 |
| 26 | Colorado profile | $20.60 | $42,840 | $31,860 | $55,160 | 80 | 0.03 | 0.26 |
| 27 | Mississippi profile | $20.23 | $42,080 | $31,370 | $63,070 | 180 | 0.15 | 1.47 |
| 28 | Kansas profile | $19.45 | $40,460 | $32,810 | $46,540 | 210 | 0.15 | 1.43 |
| 29 | Louisiana profile | $19.23 | $40,000 | $30,360 | $59,760 | 220 | 0.11 | 1.07 |
| 30 | West Virginia profile | $18.97 | $39,450 | $38,020 | $55,190 | 80 | 0.12 | 1.14 |
| 31 | Arkansas profile | $18.90 | $39,320 | $34,980 | $49,650 | 360 | 0.28 | 2.65 |
| 32 | Oklahoma profile | $18.88 | $39,260 | $31,560 | $61,250 | 120 | 0.07 | 0.69 |
| 33 | Virginia profile | $18.82 | $39,140 | $37,310 | $46,080 | 160 | 0.04 | 0.37 |
| 34 | Alabama profile | $18.44 | $38,360 | $35,360 | $43,530 | 170 | 0.08 | 0.78 |
| 35 | Minnesota profile | $17.99 | $37,410 | $36,260 | $48,420 | ** | ** | ** |
| 36 | Georgia profile | $17.15 | $35,670 | $33,330 | $45,800 | 130 | 0.03 | 0.25 |
Part of Production Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 51-2051 Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 51-2051, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-2051.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.