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Sheet Metal Workers: Job Description
Fabricate, assemble, install, and repair sheet metal products and equipment, such as ducts, control boxes, drainpipes, and furnace casings. Work may involve any of the following: setting up and operating fabricating machines to cut, bend, and straighten sheet metal; shaping metal over anvils, blocks, or forms using hammer; operating soldering and welding equipment to join sheet metal parts; or inspecting, assembling, and smoothing seams and joints of burred surfaces. Includes sheet metal duct installers who install prefabricated sheet metal ducts used for heating, air conditioning, or other purposes.
The Daily Work of Sheet Metal Workers Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities of sheet metal workers span:
- 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.
What Sheet Metal Workers Need to Know
Effective sheet metal workers draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- AC Sheet Metal Installer (Air Conditioning Sheet Metal Installer)
- Air Duct Mechanic
- Aircraft Metalsmith
- Aircraft Sheet Metal Mechanic
- Angle Bender
- Aviation Metalsmith
- Beam Worker
- Ceiling Installer
Job Outlook
There are roughly 308,016 sheet metal workers working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +6.8% over the projection horizon.
Sheet Metal Workers Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $62,339 |
| Hourly median | $29.97 |
| 10th percentile | $36,280 |
| 25th percentile | $49,310 |
| 75th percentile | $75,369 |
| 90th percentile | $88,399 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Sheet Metal Workers Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New Jersey | $94,310 |
| Illinois | $93,570 |
| Washington | $93,230 |
| Hawaii | $91,540 |
| Alaska | $82,750 |
| California | $79,630 |
| Massachusetts | $79,260 |
| North Dakota | $78,910 |
| District of Columbia | $76,450 |
| Wisconsin | $75,970 |
| New York | $73,470 |
| West Virginia | $71,800 |
| Pennsylvania | $69,240 |
| Missouri | $66,340 |
| Idaho | $65,680 |
| Oregon | $65,190 |
| Oklahoma | $64,420 |
| Delaware | $63,850 |
| Ohio | $62,940 |
| Minnesota | $62,550 |
| Connecticut | $62,360 |
| Montana | $61,940 |
| Michigan | $61,680 |
| Maryland | $61,630 |
| Iowa | $61,620 |
| Utah | $60,490 |
| Maine | $60,320 |
| Indiana | $59,600 |
| New Mexico | $59,220 |
| Nebraska | $58,560 |
| Virginia | $58,490 |
| Colorado | $57,870 |
| Rhode Island | $56,950 |
| Vermont | $56,890 |
| Texas | $55,840 |
| Louisiana | $54,870 |
| Georgia | $53,960 |
| Tennessee | $53,680 |
| New Hampshire | $53,380 |
| North Carolina | $52,370 |
| Arizona | $51,440 |
| Wyoming | $51,240 |
| Kansas | $50,920 |
| South Dakota | $49,780 |
| Florida | $49,170 |
| Kentucky | $49,100 |
| Mississippi | $49,020 |
| Nevada | $47,590 |
| Alabama | $46,100 |
| South Carolina | $46,080 |
| Arkansas | $42,640 |
| Guam | $37,980 |
| Puerto Rico | $27,950 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Earnings for sheet metal workers shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $78,504 | 15.2% | 1.08 |
| Middle Atlantic | $73,204 | 11.0% | 0.78 |
| Great Lakes | $70,226 | 17.8% | 1.27 |
| Plains States | $61,734 | 9.1% | 1.38 |
| Rocky Mountains | $60,035 | 4.1% | 1.09 |
| New England | $58,685 | 3.1% | 1.40 |
| Southwest | $56,570 | 14.2% | 1.20 |
| Southeast | $51,632 | 25.2% | 1.06 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Sheet Metal Workers
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $115,970 | 860 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | WA | $103,350 | 250 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $102,680 | 2,340 |
| Napa, CA | CA | $100,950 | 30 |
| Salinas, CA | CA | $99,110 | 50 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $98,140 | 1,020 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $97,970 | 3,080 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | WA | $95,890 | 170 |
Which Industries Hire Sheet Metal Workers
The bulk of sheet metal workers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 72,710 | $62,250 |
| Manufacturing | 30,390 | $50,830 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 3,550 | $44,910 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 2,400 | $80,820 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1,100 | $39,880 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 430 | $56,580 |
| Educational Services | 320 | $84,230 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 210 | $61,240 |
Below are examples of industries where sheet metal workers work:
Tools and Technology
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of sheet metal workers is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Spend Time Standing
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Exposed to Contaminants
How to Become Sheet Metal Workers
Most sheet metal workers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Boilermakers (Supplemental)
- Carpenters (Primary-Long)
- Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers (Primary-Short)
- Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall (Primary-Long)
- Insulation Workers, Mechanical (Primary-Long)
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (Supplemental)
- Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers (Supplemental)
- Structural Iron and Steel Workers (Primary-Short)
Degree Programs
Future sheet metal workers commonly pursue programs in:
Precision Production
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 47-2211.00 (Sheet Metal Workers).
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