Sheet Metal Workers Salary: $60,850 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 117,470 sheet metal workers work nationally, and $60,850 is the BLS national median annual wage. Employment in the series shown fell about 11% from the first to the last year; projections imply about 3.3% annual decline.
Sheet Metal Workers: what the data shows
Common questions about sheet metal workers careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a sheet metal workers?
Sheet Metal Workers is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 47-2211.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 117,470 workers.
What does a sheet metal workers do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Getting Information, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships, Communicating with People Outside the Organization, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a sheet metal workers make?
BLS national median annual wage: $60,850 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $89,073 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $48,176 |
| 25th percentile | $61,486 |
| Median (50th) | $81,971 |
| 75th percentile | $110,804 |
| 90th percentile | $136,106 |
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Coordination, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Monitoring, Mathematics, Time Management, and knowledge areas including Mechanical, Building and Construction, Mathematics, Design. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is sheet metal workers in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 3.3% annual decline (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: -15.4%.
Ten-year projected employment change: -28.5%.
Current U.S. headcount: 117,470.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do sheet metal workerss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 117,470 | 18.1% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 111,170 | 17.1% |
| Construction | 72,710 | 11.2% |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | 68,300 | 10.5% |
| Building Equipment Contractors | 50,370 | 7.7% |
| Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors | 48,420 | 7.4% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Sheet Metal Workers in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Machinists | 298,790 | $56,150 |
| Tool and Die Makers | 55,130 | $63,180 |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | 424,040 | $51,000 |
| Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 31,510 | $41,600 |
| Model Makers, Metal and Plastic | 3,230 | $62,700 |
| Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters | 53,380 | $49,900 |
| Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 14,590 | $47,450 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Sheet Metal Workers workforce.
Employment Over Time
117,470 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for Sheet Metal Workers shrank from 61,820 in 2009 to 36,140 in 2025 (41.5%).
Historical employment for Sheet Metal Workers from the California OEWS series, 2009–2025. The U.S. workforce figure is national and is not the endpoint of this line.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$60,850 Median pay (BLS national)
Sheet Metal Workers earn $60,850 as the BLS national median annual wage.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Sheet Metal Workers.
Salary distribution for Sheet Metal Workers.
Employment Growth Projections
-3.3% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
30,558 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: -15.4%
25,838 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: -28.5%
This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Sheet Metal Workers.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Sheet Metal Workers and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Sheet Metal Workers employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Sheet Metal Workers.
Wage Trends by Industry
2.1% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Sheet Metal Workers.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Sheet Metal Workers.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- TX: 10,270 employees, $56,250 avg wage
- FL: 9,470 employees, $51,970 avg wage
- CA: 9,180 employees, $86,530 avg wage
- NY: 6,190 employees, $75,610 avg wage
- OH: 5,350 employees, $63,540 avg wage
- MI: 4,590 employees, $66,560 avg wage
- IL: 4,240 employees, $84,990 avg wage
- WA: 3,870 employees, $96,130 avg wage
- VA: 3,870 employees, $56,580 avg wage
- GA: 3,850 employees, $55,910 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Sheet Metal Workers.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 4,560 employees, $84,950 avg wage
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 3,220 employees, $57,560 avg wage
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 3,080 employees, $88,930 avg wage
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: 2,810 employees, $57,480 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 2,770 employees, $82,090 avg wage
- Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ: 2,460 employees, $58,130 avg wage
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA: 2,340 employees, $103,850 avg wage
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL: 2,200 employees, $60,130 avg wage
- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA: 2,070 employees, $82,500 avg wage
- Oklahoma City, OK: 2,070 employees, $62,450 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Sheet Metal Workers.
Diversity
Demographic information on Sheet Metal Workers in the US.
Gender and Age
The U.S. workforce for Sheet Metal Workers is about 117,470 people in our OEWS extract.
Gender and age distribution for Sheet Metal Workers.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Sheet Metal Workers.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Sheet Metal Workers.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Sheet Metal Workers in 2023 were Business Administration, Engineering, Business.
Common majors for Sheet Metal Workers.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Sheet Metal Workers workers.
Education level distribution for Sheet Metal Workers.
Skills
Sheet Metal Workers need many skills, but most especially Coordination, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Monitoring, Mathematics.
Required skills for Sheet Metal Workers.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Sheet Metal Workers.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Sheet Metal Workers include Mechanical, Building and Construction, Mathematics, Design, English Language.
Knowledge areas required for Sheet Metal Workers.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Sheet Metal Workers include Near Vision, Visualization, Manual Dexterity, Multilimb Coordination, Arm-Hand Steadiness.
Required abilities for Sheet Metal Workers.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Sheet Metal Workers.
Daily Activities
Sheet Metal Workers spend their time on activities such as Getting Information, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships, Communicating with People Outside the Organization.
Most important work activities for Sheet Metal Workers.
About
Sheet Metal Workers
Sheet Metal Workers earn $60,850 as the BLS national median annual wage.
SOC Code
47-2211 - Sheet Metal Workers
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: Sheet Metal Workers reports an average salary of $89,073.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 117,470 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -3.3%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.