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Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters: Career Overview
Fabricate, position, align, and fit parts of structural metal products.
The Daily Work of Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters Do?
The core tasks performed by structural metal fabricators and fitters include:
- Verify conformance of workpieces to specifications, using squares, rulers, and measuring tapes.
- Study engineering drawings and blueprints to determine materials requirements and task sequences.
- Position, align, fit, and weld parts to form complete units or subunits, following blueprints and layout specifications, and using jigs, welding torches, and hand tools.
- Lay out and examine metal stock or workpieces to be processed to ensure that specifications are met.
- Tack-weld fitted parts together.
- Move parts into position, manually or with hoists or cranes.
- Set up and operate fabricating machines, such as brakes, rolls, shears, flame cutters, grinders, and drill presses, to bend, cut, form, punch, drill, or otherwise form and assemble metal components.
- Position or tighten braces, jacks, clamps, ropes, or bolt straps, or bolt parts in position for welding or riveting.
What Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters Need to Know
Successful structural metal fabricators and fitters combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
These are the skills that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Other Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Component Fabricator
- Fabricator
- Fitter
- Ground Support Equipment Assembler
- Hand Former
- Industrial Fabricator
- Layout Man
- Machine Cage Maker
How Many Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters Are There?
There are roughly 673,064 structural metal fabricators and fitters working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +4.1% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $47,270 |
| Hourly median | $22.73 |
| 10th percentile | $26,999 |
| 25th percentile | $37,135 |
| 75th percentile | $57,405 |
| 90th percentile | $67,540 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $64,220 |
| Washington | $63,280 |
| Connecticut | $62,240 |
| Massachusetts | $61,220 |
| Oregon | $59,750 |
| California | $56,460 |
| New Jersey | $55,930 |
| Wisconsin | $54,640 |
| New Hampshire | $53,560 |
| Kentucky | $52,710 |
| South Dakota | $52,470 |
| Vermont | $52,190 |
| Minnesota | $51,830 |
| Virginia | $51,640 |
| Idaho | $51,370 |
| Maine | $51,360 |
| Ohio | $51,190 |
| North Dakota | $51,150 |
| Missouri | $50,870 |
| Maryland | $50,800 |
| Texas | $50,670 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,450 |
| Utah | $50,440 |
| Michigan | $50,160 |
| Oklahoma | $49,790 |
| South Carolina | $49,620 |
| Illinois | $49,250 |
| Iowa | $48,880 |
| North Carolina | $48,780 |
| Alabama | $48,730 |
| Kansas | $48,640 |
| Colorado | $48,550 |
| New Mexico | $48,520 |
| Indiana | $48,390 |
| Georgia | $48,090 |
| Florida | $48,030 |
| New York | $47,990 |
| Nebraska | $47,940 |
| Tennessee | $47,910 |
| Mississippi | $47,700 |
| Louisiana | $47,570 |
| Arizona | $46,590 |
| Nevada | $46,420 |
| West Virginia | $44,360 |
| Delaware | $43,910 |
| Arkansas | $41,930 |
| Puerto Rico | $25,650 |
Where Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters Earn the Most
Compensation for structural metal fabricators and fitters differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $58,753 | 3.1% | 0.70 |
| Far Western US | $58,545 | 10.3% | 0.77 |
| Great Lakes | $51,218 | 17.8% | 1.66 |
| Southwest | $50,546 | 14.3% | 1.33 |
| Middle Atlantic | $50,349 | 11.6% | 0.82 |
| Rocky Mountains | $50,239 | 3.8% | 1.33 |
| Plains States | $49,970 | 8.3% | 1.30 |
| Southeast | $48,322 | 30.5% | 1.63 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | WA | $74,520 | 40 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $73,460 | 610 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $71,050 | 60 |
| Evansville, IN | IN | $70,510 | 180 |
| Bellingham, WA | WA | $69,950 | 40 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | WA | $69,360 | 50 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | CT | $69,200 | 40 |
| Anchorage, AK | AK | $68,610 | 60 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of structural metal fabricators and fitters are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 42,900 | $49,920 |
| Construction | 4,380 | $50,890 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 3,030 | $46,590 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1,050 | $50,820 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 670 | $55,910 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 540 | $54,820 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 330 | $54,640 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 80 | $48,670 |
Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters work in the following industries:
Tech Stack
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for structural metal fabricators and fitters reflects the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Exposed to Contaminants
How to Become Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
Typical structural metal fabricators and fitters 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.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Boilermakers (Primary-Long)
- Carpenters (Supplemental)
- Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers (Primary-Long)
- Sheet Metal Workers (Primary-Short)
- Structural Iron and Steel Workers (Primary-Short)
- Millwrights (Primary-Long)
- Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers (Primary-Short)
- Electrical and Electronic Equipment Assemblers (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Future structural metal fabricators and fitters often complete programs in:
Precision Production
2 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced 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: 51-2041.00 (Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters).
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