Sheet Metal Tech

Types of Degrees Sheet Metal Tech Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many sheet metal technology/sheetworking graduations there were in 2021-2022 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Undergraduate Certificate	214
Associate Degree	68
Basic Certificate	37

What Sheet Metal Tech Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to sheet metal tech were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.

Knowledge Areas for Sheet Metal Tech Majors

Sheet Metal Tech majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Skills for Sheet Metal Tech Majors

A major in sheet metal tech prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

• Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
• Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
• Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Abilities for Sheet Metal Tech Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a sheet metal tech student include the following:

• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
• Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
• Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

What Can You Do With a Sheet Metal Tech Major?

People with a sheet metal tech degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Sheet Metal Workers	8.6%	$48,460

Who Is Getting an Associate’s Degree in Sheet Metal Tech?

This major tends to be male dominated. About 93% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of sheet metal tech majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	2
Black or African American	5
Hispanic or Latino	8
White	48
International Students	0
Other Races/Ethnicities	5

How Much Do Sheet Metal Tech Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Sheet Metal Tech majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $40,790 to $52,710 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Sheet Metal Tech

Some careers associated with sheet metal tech require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

Find out what the typical degree level is for sheet metal tech careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	10.5%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	58.2%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	15.6%
Some College Courses	11.8%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	4.3%
Bachelor’s Degree	0.0%

Online Sheet Metal Tech Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	24	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	5	0
Associate’s Degree	20	0
Bachelor’s Degree	0	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	0	0
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Sheet Metal Tech Worth It?

The median salary for a sheet metal tech grad is $47,130 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 18% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $144,600 after 20 years!

Trades Related to Sheet Metal Tech

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to sheet metal tech.

Major	Number of Grads
Welding Technology/Welder	46,029
Machine Tool Technology/Machinist	3,181
Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) Machinist Technology/CNC Machinist	2,275
Machine Shop Technology/Assistant	1,588
Tool & Die Technology/Technician	541
Metal Fabricator	413
Ironworking/Ironworker	226
Other Precision Metal Working	218

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020

More about our data sources and methodologies.