Sheet Metal Workers
Sheet Metal Workers (SOC 47-2211) earn a median $61,800 a year ($29.71 an hour) in the United States, with 119,770 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What sheet metal workers do
Sheet metal workers make, assemble, install and repair products and equipment of thin sheet metal, among them ducts, control boxes, drainpipes and furnace casings. Depending on the job, they set up and operate fabricating machines to cut, bend and straighten sheet metal, shape metal over anvils, blocks or forms with a hammer, operate soldering and welding equipment to join parts, or inspect, assemble and smooth seams and joints. Parts are laid out by measuring and marking dimensions and reference lines with calculators, scribes, dividers, squares or rulers, and seams are fastened with welds, bolts, cement, rivets, solder, caulks or metal drive clips. Some parts are fabricated or altered at construction sites with shears, hammers, punches or drills. Prefabricated parts are transported to the site, and assemblies such as flashing, pipes, ducts, rain gutters and downspouts are installed in supporting frameworks. The definition includes sheet metal duct installers, and the work can involve ducts for high efficiency heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems. Workers may also hire, train or supervise apprentices and new employees.
Typical entry: Most workers in this occupation report a high school diploma or equivalent as their level of education, according to O*NET.
Also called: AC Sheet Metal Installer (Air Conditioning Sheet Metal Installer), Air Duct Mechanic, Aircraft Metalsmith, Aircraft Sheet Metal Mechanic, Angle Bender.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $18.57 | $22.99 | $29.71 | $39.24 | $50.79 | $32.62 | 119,770 |
| Annual | $38,630 | $47,830 | $61,800 | $81,610 | $105,650 | $67,850 | ||
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 sheet metal workers 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 | $27.72 | $34.72 | $47.38 | $64.71 | $71.76 | $48.66 | 3,440 | 0.97 | 1.26 |
| Annual | $57,650 | $72,220 | $98,550 | $134,590 | $149,260 | $101,200 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $25.35 | $37.40 | $46.32 | $50.70 | $57.19 | $43.90 | 490 | 0.78 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $52,730 | $77,790 | $96,350 | $105,460 | $118,960 | $91,310 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $23.70 | $27.74 | $45.48 | $49.77 | $56.05 | $40.38 | 240 | 0.73 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $49,300 | $57,690 | $94,600 | $103,520 | $116,580 | $83,980 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $22.25 | $28.07 | $44.64 | $57.63 | $62.80 | $42.61 | 2,790 | 0.65 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $46,290 | $58,390 | $92,840 | $119,870 | $130,630 | $88,620 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $20.30 | $28.56 | $41.65 | $50.64 | $56.69 | $39.41 | 3,260 | 0.53 | 0.69 |
| Annual | $42,220 | $59,400 | $86,630 | $105,330 | $117,910 | $81,960 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $17.79 | $21.61 | $26.08 | $30.51 | $37.69 | $27.16 | 9,540 | 0.68 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $37,010 | $44,950 | $54,240 | $63,450 | $78,400 | $56,500 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $22.79 | $28.47 | $36.82 | $51.62 | $63.55 | $41.14 | 8,390 | 0.46 | 0.60 |
| Annual | $47,410 | $59,220 | $76,590 | $107,360 | $132,190 | $85,580 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $17.37 | $19.61 | $23.87 | $28.87 | $34.49 | $25.54 | 8,040 | 0.81 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $36,140 | $40,790 | $49,640 | $60,050 | $71,740 | $53,120 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $19.39 | $24.00 | $35.46 | $46.21 | $60.62 | $37.14 | 6,570 | 0.68 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $40,330 | $49,920 | $73,760 | $96,120 | $126,090 | $77,240 | ||||
| Indiana | Hourly | $20.49 | $23.47 | $30.79 | $43.81 | $50.04 | $33.67 | 4,580 | 1.43 | 1.86 |
| Annual | $42,620 | $48,820 | $64,040 | $91,130 | $104,080 | $70,030 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $29.49 | $37.23 | $52.80 | $64.78 | $71.76 | $52.21 | 2,190 | 1.05 | 1.36 |
| Annual | $61,330 | $77,440 | $109,830 | $134,740 | $149,260 | $108,590 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $26.35 | $31.47 | $52.54 | $70.75 | $74.75 | $50.82 | 750 | 0.67 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $54,810 | $65,460 | $109,280 | $147,150 | $155,470 | $105,710 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $26.71 | $34.66 | $49.35 | $70.04 | $74.42 | $50.85 | 880 | 0.37 | 0.48 |
| Annual | $55,560 | $72,090 | $102,660 | $145,690 | $154,790 | $105,760 | ||||
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | Hourly | $30.14 | $36.25 | $48.39 | $67.27 | $67.27 | $50.25 | 100 | 0.78 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $62,690 | $75,400 | $100,650 | $139,930 | $139,930 | $104,520 | ||||
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | Hourly | $22.61 | $29.97 | $48.30 | $59.71 | $59.71 | $44.18 | 150 | 0.91 | 1.17 |
| Annual | $47,020 | $62,330 | $100,470 | $124,200 | $124,200 | $91,890 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $20.00 | $25.96 | $36.89 | $57.11 | $62.34 | $40.57 | 6,080 | 0.64 | 0.83 |
| Annual | $41,600 | $53,990 | $76,730 | $118,790 | $129,670 | $84,380 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $18.11 | $22.13 | $27.04 | $30.48 | $37.72 | $27.87 | 2,890 | 0.72 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $37,680 | $46,030 | $56,240 | $63,390 | $78,460 | $57,970 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $17.71 | $20.46 | $24.94 | $30.47 | $39.86 | $27.08 | 2,610 | 0.79 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $36,830 | $42,550 | $51,870 | $63,370 | $82,900 | $56,330 | ||||
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | Hourly | $17.52 | $18.25 | $24.63 | $33.14 | $39.23 | $27.59 | 2,550 | 1.07 | 1.39 |
| Annual | $36,440 | $37,970 | $51,230 | $68,940 | $81,600 | $57,390 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $22.70 | $26.43 | $34.96 | $50.45 | $62.12 | $39.27 | 2,440 | 0.39 | 0.50 |
| Annual | $47,210 | $54,970 | $72,710 | $104,940 | $129,220 | $81,680 | ||||
Top industries employing sheet metal workers
Building Equipment Contractors employ 44.8% of sheet metal workers nationally (53,690 jobs) at a median $69,850 a year ($33.58 an hour), followed by Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) (17.3%) and Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors (13.4%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building Equipment Contractors NAICS 238200 | 53,690 | 44.8% | $69,850 | $33.58 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) NAICS 3320A2 | 20,780 | 17.3% | $49,780 | $23.93 |
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors NAICS 238100 | 16,060 | 13.4% | $51,790 | $24.90 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 5,370 | 4.5% | $70,640 | $33.96 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction NAICS 236200 | 3,470 | 2.9% | $59,440 | $28.58 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (119,770). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $53,440 for sheet metal workers in May 2021 and $61,800 in May 2025, with employment of 122,630 and 119,770.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $53,440 | $25.69 | 122,630 |
| May 2022 | $55,350 | $26.61 | 120,810 |
| May 2023 | $58,780 | $28.26 | 116,190 |
| May 2024 | $60,850 | $29.26 | 117,470 |
| May 2025 | $61,800 | $29.71 | 119,770 |
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
50 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 | $47.38 | $98,550 | $57,650 | $149,260 | 3,440 | 0.97 | 1.26 |
| 2 | Hawaii profile | $46.32 | $96,350 | $52,730 | $118,960 | 490 | 0.78 | 1.01 |
| 3 | Alaska profile | $45.48 | $94,600 | $49,300 | $116,580 | 240 | 0.73 | 0.95 |
| 4 | New Jersey profile | $44.64 | $92,840 | $46,290 | $130,630 | 2,790 | 0.65 | 0.84 |
| 5 | Illinois profile | $41.65 | $86,630 | $42,220 | $117,910 | 3,260 | 0.53 | 0.69 |
| 6 | Massachusetts profile | $39.47 | $82,100 | $46,440 | $121,050 | 2,890 | 0.80 | 1.03 |
| 7 | Connecticut profile | $37.86 | $78,750 | $49,780 | $93,940 | 1,480 | 0.87 | 1.13 |
| 8 | Wisconsin profile | $37.38 | $77,760 | $45,160 | $107,060 | 3,180 | 1.08 | 1.40 |
| 9 | California profile | $36.82 | $76,590 | $47,410 | $132,190 | 8,390 | 0.46 | 0.60 |
| 10 | Ohio profile | $35.96 | $74,790 | $43,200 | $94,240 | 4,180 | 0.75 | 0.98 |
| 11 | New York profile | $35.46 | $73,760 | $40,330 | $126,090 | 6,570 | 0.68 | 0.88 |
| 12 | Oregon profile | $35.46 | $73,750 | $48,150 | $120,600 | 3,250 | 1.65 | 2.14 |
| 13 | Minnesota profile | $35.08 | $72,970 | $47,520 | $116,990 | 2,980 | 1.01 | 1.31 |
| 14 | West Virginia profile | $34.81 | $72,390 | $38,170 | $76,020 | 540 | 0.77 | 1.00 |
| 15 | Iowa profile | $31.95 | $66,460 | $43,770 | $91,450 | 1,650 | 1.06 | 1.37 |
| 16 | Oklahoma profile | $31.56 | $65,640 | $46,000 | $79,090 | 2,820 | 1.65 | 2.14 |
| 17 | North Dakota profile | $31.34 | $65,180 | $48,080 | $84,740 | 290 | 0.68 | 0.88 |
| 18 | Rhode Island profile | $31.30 | $65,100 | $42,670 | $81,980 | 370 | 0.74 | 0.96 |
| 19 | Michigan profile | $31.01 | $64,490 | $40,940 | $96,390 | 4,000 | 0.91 | 1.18 |
| 20 | Nebraska profile | $30.98 | $64,440 | $32,140 | $94,980 | 440 | 0.43 | 0.56 |
| 21 | Indiana profile | $30.79 | $64,040 | $42,620 | $104,080 | 4,580 | 1.43 | 1.86 |
| 22 | Missouri profile | $30.56 | $63,560 | $38,090 | $110,580 | 2,640 | 0.90 | 1.17 |
| 23 | Utah profile | $30.36 | $63,140 | $44,360 | $85,770 | 1,810 | 1.04 | 1.36 |
| 24 | Kansas profile | $30.13 | $62,670 | $38,690 | $108,530 | 1,730 | 1.20 | 1.56 |
| 25 | Maryland profile | $30.08 | $62,560 | $46,800 | $84,650 | 1,940 | 0.70 | 0.91 |
| 26 | Maine profile | $29.87 | $62,120 | $47,930 | $75,490 | 830 | 1.30 | 1.68 |
| 27 | Delaware profile | $29.55 | $61,460 | $37,290 | $85,790 | 440 | 0.91 | 1.18 |
| 28 | Montana profile | $29.53 | $61,420 | $44,310 | $84,220 | 410 | 0.80 | 1.04 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania profile | $29.52 | $61,400 | $45,660 | $126,430 | 3,260 | 0.54 | 0.70 |
| 30 | Kentucky profile | $29.17 | $60,680 | $40,570 | $85,310 | 2,210 | 1.11 | 1.44 |
| 31 | New Hampshire profile | $28.75 | $59,800 | $34,170 | $79,930 | 760 | 1.11 | 1.44 |
| 32 | Tennessee profile | $28.45 | $59,170 | $38,710 | $79,360 | 1,850 | 0.56 | 0.73 |
| 33 | Wyoming profile | $28.24 | $58,740 | $42,350 | $72,400 | 160 | 0.55 | 0.72 |
| 34 | Vermont profile | $28.00 | $58,250 | $42,920 | $82,940 | 370 | 1.22 | 1.58 |
| 35 | Colorado profile | $27.83 | $57,880 | $43,780 | $83,550 | 1,660 | 0.58 | 0.75 |
| 36 | Georgia profile | $27.31 | $56,800 | $38,820 | $76,900 | 3,590 | 0.74 | 0.95 |
| 37 | New Mexico profile | $27.27 | $56,720 | $36,410 | $84,690 | 640 | 0.74 | 0.96 |
| 38 | Texas profile | $26.08 | $54,240 | $37,010 | $78,400 | 9,540 | 0.68 | 0.88 |
| 39 | Virginia profile | $25.10 | $52,220 | $37,440 | $73,640 | 4,520 | 1.10 | 1.43 |
| 40 | North Carolina profile | $24.39 | $50,730 | $37,280 | $78,020 | 2,780 | 0.56 | 0.73 |
| 41 | Louisiana profile | $24.19 | $50,320 | $34,650 | $77,790 | 1,080 | 0.56 | 0.72 |
| 42 | Arizona profile | $24.16 | $50,260 | $36,350 | $80,750 | 3,060 | 0.94 | 1.23 |
| 43 | South Carolina profile | $24.00 | $49,920 | $37,090 | $76,300 | 1,710 | 0.74 | 0.97 |
| 44 | Florida profile | $23.87 | $49,640 | $36,140 | $71,740 | 8,040 | 0.81 | 1.05 |
| 45 | Mississippi profile | $23.80 | $49,500 | $36,560 | $70,630 | 1,260 | 1.08 | 1.41 |
| 46 | South Dakota profile | $22.98 | $47,800 | $38,420 | $86,780 | 320 | 0.70 | 0.91 |
| 47 | Alabama profile | $22.85 | $47,530 | $35,510 | $71,270 | 1,450 | 0.68 | 0.89 |
| 48 | Nevada profile | $22.47 | $46,730 | $38,120 | $121,730 | 1,270 | 0.82 | 1.06 |
| 49 | Idaho profile | $22.29 | $46,350 | $36,340 | $78,470 | 1,290 | 1.51 | 1.95 |
| 50 | Arkansas profile | $22.03 | $45,820 | $35,800 | $57,380 | 1,230 | 0.94 | 1.22 |
Part of Construction and Extraction 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 47-2211 Sheet Metal Workers.
- 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 47-2211, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 47-2211.00, 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.