Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters (SOC 51-2041) earn a median $51,330 a year ($24.68 an hour) in the United States, with 52,360 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Maine.
What structural metal fabricators and fitters do
Structural metal fabricators and fitters prepare and join the metal parts that become structural metal products. They read engineering drawings to work out what material is needed and the order of work, then lay out stock and verify dimensions with squares, rules, and tape measures. A fitter's central job is positioning and aligning cut parts, often using jigs, clamps, and cranes or hoists for heavy pieces, and holding them accurately until they are fixed together. Fitted parts are tack-welded together, and fitters may also weld parts into complete units or subunits. Finished units are checked against the layout for squareness and size. Fitters also operate shop machines, among them brakes, rolls, shears, and flame cutters, to bend, cut, form, and punch metal components. Shipfitters are counted with layout workers in a separate code.
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: Component Fabricator, Fabricator, Fitter, Ground Support Equipment Assembler, Hand Former.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $18.25 | $21.93 | $24.68 | $29.45 | $34.75 | $25.98 | 52,360 |
| Annual | $37,960 | $45,610 | $51,330 | $61,250 | $72,280 | $54,030 | ||
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 structural metal fabricators and fitters 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 | ||||||
| Maine | Hourly | $23.73 | $27.46 | $31.13 | $31.13 | $36.44 | $30.01 | 770 | 1.20 | 3.58 |
| Annual | $49,350 | $57,120 | $64,760 | $64,760 | $75,790 | $62,410 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $24.53 | $25.13 | $30.49 | $32.49 | $39.03 | $30.16 | 70 | 0.21 | 0.62 |
| Annual | $51,020 | $52,270 | $63,420 | $67,580 | $81,190 | $62,740 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $21.42 | $23.74 | $29.92 | $37.89 | $40.12 | $30.87 | 560 | 0.29 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $44,560 | $49,370 | $62,220 | $78,810 | $83,440 | $64,210 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $22.80 | $23.52 | $29.83 | $37.37 | $40.99 | $31.15 | 690 | 0.19 | 0.56 |
| Annual | $47,430 | $48,910 | $62,040 | $77,730 | $85,260 | $64,790 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $22.71 | $26.35 | $29.74 | $37.00 | $41.25 | $31.99 | 1,050 | 0.30 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $47,240 | $54,820 | $61,850 | $76,970 | $85,800 | $66,540 | ||||
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 | $17.53 | $20.40 | $23.31 | $28.24 | $34.11 | $24.63 | 4,440 | 0.32 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $36,470 | $42,420 | $48,490 | $58,740 | $70,950 | $51,240 | ||||
| Indiana | Hourly | $19.56 | $22.66 | $28.93 | $32.96 | $32.97 | $27.69 | 3,870 | 1.21 | 3.59 |
| Annual | $40,680 | $47,130 | $60,180 | $68,560 | $68,580 | $57,600 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $21.70 | $22.46 | $27.69 | $31.25 | $36.59 | $27.96 | 3,420 | 0.19 | 0.56 |
| Annual | $45,140 | $46,730 | $57,590 | $65,000 | $76,110 | $58,160 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $16.98 | $17.97 | $22.54 | $24.61 | $28.73 | $22.55 | 2,950 | 0.30 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $35,310 | $37,380 | $46,880 | $51,190 | $59,760 | $46,900 | ||||
| Louisiana | Hourly | $10.77 | $18.30 | $23.62 | $28.13 | $31.55 | $23.39 | 2,520 | 1.30 | 3.86 |
| Annual | $22,400 | $38,050 | $49,120 | $58,510 | $65,630 | $48,650 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | Hourly | $22.37 | $29.79 | $36.33 | $36.75 | $43.70 | $33.74 | 30 | 0.35 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $46,540 | $61,960 | $75,570 | $76,440 | $90,900 | $70,180 | ||||
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Hourly | $24.05 | $25.42 | $32.86 | $36.01 | $36.01 | $31.17 | 690 | 0.45 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $50,030 | $52,880 | $68,350 | $74,910 | $74,910 | $64,830 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $22.13 | $28.00 | $32.83 | $32.97 | $32.97 | $29.97 | 2,290 | 0.51 | 1.51 |
| Annual | $46,020 | $58,240 | $68,280 | $68,580 | $68,580 | $62,340 | ||||
| Mobile, AL | Hourly | $22.65 | $24.84 | $32.12 | $32.12 | $32.12 | $28.82 | 780 | 4.51 | 13.40 |
| Annual | $47,110 | $51,670 | $66,820 | $66,820 | $66,820 | $59,940 | ||||
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | Hourly | $18.32 | $21.51 | $31.79 | $37.34 | $37.34 | $30.02 | 70 | 0.60 | 1.79 |
| Annual | $38,110 | $44,740 | $66,110 | $77,670 | $77,670 | $62,440 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $22.13 | $28.00 | $32.83 | $32.97 | $32.97 | $29.97 | 2,290 | 0.51 | 1.51 |
| Annual | $46,020 | $58,240 | $68,280 | $68,580 | $68,580 | $62,340 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $20.96 | $22.61 | $27.34 | $29.29 | $35.71 | $27.43 | 2,240 | 0.24 | 0.70 |
| Annual | $43,600 | $47,030 | $56,870 | $60,920 | $74,270 | $57,040 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $17.57 | $20.88 | $24.29 | $28.05 | $37.24 | $25.11 | 1,580 | 0.48 | 1.43 |
| Annual | $36,540 | $43,420 | $50,520 | $58,350 | $77,470 | $52,240 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $17.64 | $19.73 | $23.69 | $28.77 | $32.64 | $24.59 | 1,170 | 0.29 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $36,690 | $41,030 | $49,280 | $59,830 | $67,880 | $51,150 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $21.50 | $22.16 | $27.40 | $29.77 | $37.05 | $27.21 | 920 | 0.15 | 0.44 |
| Annual | $44,730 | $46,090 | $56,990 | $61,920 | $77,070 | $56,600 | ||||
Top industries employing structural metal fabricators and fitters
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) employ 45.0% of structural metal fabricators and fitters nationally (23,560 jobs) at a median $49,560 a year ($23.83 an hour), followed by Ship and Boat Building (9.7%) and Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) (4.8%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) NAICS 3320A2 | 23,560 | 45.0% | $49,560 | $23.83 |
| Ship and Boat Building NAICS 336600 | 5,100 | 9.7% | $64,180 | $30.85 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) NAICS 3330A1 | 2,500 | 4.8% | $51,660 | $24.84 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) NAICS 3320A1 | 2,440 | 4.7% | $50,850 | $24.45 |
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors NAICS 238100 | 2,200 | 4.2% | $57,450 | $27.62 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (52,360). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $45,480 for structural metal fabricators and fitters in May 2021 and $51,330 in May 2025, with employment of 61,070 and 52,360.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $45,480 | $21.87 | 61,070 |
| May 2022 | $47,200 | $22.69 | 58,870 |
| May 2023 | $48,480 | $23.31 | 57,810 |
| May 2024 | $49,900 | $23.99 | 53,380 |
| May 2025 | $51,330 | $24.68 | 52,360 |
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
47 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 | Maine profile | $31.13 | $64,760 | $49,350 | $75,790 | 770 | 1.20 | 3.58 |
| 2 | Alaska profile | $30.49 | $63,420 | $51,020 | $81,190 | 70 | 0.21 | 0.62 |
| 3 | Oregon profile | $29.92 | $62,220 | $44,560 | $83,440 | 560 | 0.29 | 0.85 |
| 4 | Massachusetts profile | $29.83 | $62,040 | $47,430 | $85,260 | 690 | 0.19 | 0.56 |
| 5 | Washington profile | $29.74 | $61,850 | $47,240 | $85,800 | 1,050 | 0.30 | 0.88 |
| 6 | Indiana profile | $28.93 | $60,180 | $40,680 | $68,580 | 3,870 | 1.21 | 3.59 |
| 7 | Connecticut profile | $28.25 | $58,760 | $41,740 | $75,200 | 500 | 0.29 | 0.87 |
| 8 | Idaho profile | $27.95 | $58,140 | $36,330 | $81,990 | 320 | 0.37 | 1.11 |
| 9 | California profile | $27.69 | $57,590 | $45,140 | $76,110 | 3,420 | 0.19 | 0.56 |
| 10 | Wisconsin profile | $27.07 | $56,310 | $40,670 | $66,050 | 1,810 | 0.62 | 1.83 |
| 11 | Minnesota profile | $27.03 | $56,210 | $39,860 | $75,990 | 640 | 0.22 | 0.65 |
| 12 | New Jersey profile | $26.76 | $55,650 | $44,520 | $73,330 | 1,540 | 0.36 | 1.07 |
| 13 | Illinois profile | $26.63 | $55,380 | $36,960 | $72,480 | 1,910 | 0.31 | 0.93 |
| 14 | Kentucky profile | $26.56 | $55,250 | $44,360 | $63,020 | 450 | 0.23 | 0.67 |
| 15 | New York profile | $26.48 | $55,080 | $41,400 | $73,350 | 2,040 | 0.21 | 0.62 |
| 16 | North Dakota profile | $26.17 | $54,430 | $48,480 | $61,900 | 140 | 0.34 | 1.00 |
| 17 | Virginia profile | $25.93 | $53,940 | $43,510 | $79,870 | 1,220 | 0.30 | 0.88 |
| 18 | New Hampshire profile | $25.92 | $53,920 | $45,140 | $72,800 | 100 | 0.15 | 0.45 |
| 19 | Missouri profile | $25.77 | $53,610 | $38,810 | $67,180 | 550 | 0.19 | 0.56 |
| 20 | Ohio profile | $25.14 | $52,300 | $38,230 | $61,440 | 1,090 | 0.20 | 0.58 |
| 21 | Alabama profile | $25.11 | $52,220 | $38,180 | $66,820 | 2,130 | 1.01 | 3.00 |
| 22 | Wyoming profile | $24.88 | $51,740 | $31,200 | $95,760 | 60 | 0.21 | 0.62 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania profile | $24.83 | $51,640 | $41,870 | $67,860 | 1,690 | 0.28 | 0.83 |
| 24 | Iowa profile | $24.69 | $51,360 | $40,080 | $65,850 | 650 | 0.42 | 1.23 |
| 25 | Colorado profile | $24.58 | $51,120 | $45,930 | $63,770 | 330 | 0.12 | 0.35 |
| 26 | South Dakota profile | $24.42 | $50,800 | $33,280 | $61,530 | 180 | 0.40 | 1.20 |
| 27 | Tennessee profile | $24.26 | $50,460 | $38,760 | $64,350 | 2,260 | 0.69 | 2.05 |
| 28 | Oklahoma profile | $24.22 | $50,380 | $38,990 | $65,770 | 710 | 0.42 | 1.24 |
| 29 | Maryland profile | $24.09 | $50,110 | $37,310 | $74,500 | 620 | 0.23 | 0.67 |
| 30 | Georgia profile | $24.05 | $50,010 | $37,630 | $69,330 | 560 | 0.11 | 0.34 |
| 31 | Louisiana profile | $23.62 | $49,120 | $22,400 | $65,630 | 2,520 | 1.30 | 3.86 |
| 32 | North Carolina profile | $23.55 | $48,990 | $35,480 | $68,790 | 1,070 | 0.22 | 0.64 |
| 33 | Nebraska profile | $23.47 | $48,820 | $39,710 | $68,720 | 580 | 0.56 | 1.67 |
| 34 | New Mexico profile | $23.41 | $48,700 | $37,440 | $60,320 | 240 | 0.28 | 0.82 |
| 35 | Texas profile | $23.31 | $48,490 | $36,470 | $70,950 | 4,440 | 0.32 | 0.94 |
| 36 | Arizona profile | $23.15 | $48,150 | $39,430 | $60,970 | 940 | 0.29 | 0.86 |
| 37 | Utah profile | $23.14 | $48,130 | $35,780 | $70,270 | 780 | 0.45 | 1.34 |
| 38 | Michigan profile | $23.05 | $47,950 | $37,960 | $67,580 | 1,270 | 0.29 | 0.85 |
| 39 | Kansas profile | $23.00 | $47,840 | $38,280 | $60,830 | 620 | 0.43 | 1.28 |
| 40 | Delaware profile | $22.57 | $46,940 | $31,720 | $71,160 | 110 | 0.22 | 0.66 |
| 41 | South Carolina profile | $22.56 | $46,910 | $41,110 | $61,200 | 1,020 | 0.44 | 1.31 |
| 42 | Florida profile | $22.54 | $46,880 | $35,310 | $59,760 | 2,950 | 0.30 | 0.88 |
| 43 | West Virginia profile | $22.54 | $46,880 | $37,790 | $65,560 | 180 | 0.25 | 0.75 |
| 44 | Hawaii profile | $21.03 | $43,750 | $35,760 | $69,570 | 60 | 0.10 | 0.29 |
| 45 | Mississippi profile | $20.46 | $42,550 | $30,300 | $59,740 | 700 | 0.60 | 1.78 |
| 46 | Arkansas profile | $19.84 | $41,260 | $32,230 | $56,990 | 640 | 0.49 | 1.46 |
| 47 | Nevada profile | $19.03 | $39,570 | $31,680 | $85,240 | 150 | 0.10 | 0.29 |
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 51-2041 Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters.
- 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 51-2041, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-2041.00, 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.