How Much Does a Sheet Metal Worker Make? (2024)
Metalwork · SOC Code 47-2211 · 4-year apprenticeship
The average sheet metal worker earns $67,236 per year ($32/hour) as of 2024, according to BLS data. Yearly income ranges from $46,800 to $102,680 depending on city, with entry-level workers earning about $55,420 and top earners making $145,690+.
Yes — top-decile sheet metal workers clear $100K in 13 of 30 metros
The 90th-percentile sheet metal worker in Seattle, WA earns $145,690 per year ($70/hour). Reaching that tier typically takes journeyman-to-master progression plus union membership, specialization, or running a small contracting business. Median sheet metal worker pay nationally is $67,236 — the $100K mark is the high-earner ceiling, not the middle.
National Salary Range
Sheet Metal Worker salaries range from $46,800 to $102,680 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Sheet Metal Worker Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | $102,680 | $55,420 – $145,690 | $68,913 | C | 2,340 |
| San Francisco, CA | $98,140 | $54,840 – $144,710 | $51,653 | D | 1,020 |
| Chicago, IL | $97,970 | $41,100 – $120,060 | $91,561 | C | 3,080 |
| St. Louis, MO | $82,150 | $37,790 – $108,680 | $91,278 | C | 1,520 |
| Kansas City, MO | $81,500 | $44,540 – $111,590 | $86,702 | C | 1,310 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $81,140 | $46,110 – $122,650 | $70,557 | C | 1,170 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $79,490 | $48,340 – $106,390 | $82,802 | C | 950 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $78,560 | $46,320 – $123,390 | $47,325 | D | 2,770 |
| Portland, OR | $77,950 | $48,760 – $121,640 | $59,962 | C | 2,070 |
| New York, NY | $77,350 | $46,150 – $133,020 | $41,364 | D | 4,560 |
| Boston, MA | $69,040 | $38,340 – $119,790 | $45,421 | D | 0 |
| Columbus, OH | $65,460 | $43,980 – $84,390 | $70,387 | C | 920 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $64,100 | $43,010 – $95,560 | $70,440 | C | 970 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $63,830 | $44,550 – $91,530 | $69,380 | C | 390 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $63,390 | $40,770 – $87,900 | $60,952 | C | 720 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $62,550 | $50,000 – $115,970 | $59,009 | C | 1,710 |
| Detroit, MI | $61,750 | $41,950 – $95,090 | $69,382 | C | 1,900 |
| New Orleans, LA | $61,090 | $39,260 – $75,360 | $64,305 | C | 230 |
| Denver, CO | $60,730 | $44,190 – $84,850 | $47,445 | D | 960 |
| Nashville, TN | $60,510 | $39,260 – $76,230 | $58,748 | C | 790 |
| Dallas, TX | $57,270 | $37,260 – $76,490 | $56,147 | C | 3,220 |
| Miami, FL | $56,580 | $38,840 – $85,880 | $46,377 | D | 2,200 |
| Houston, TX | $56,020 | $37,350 – $80,680 | $58,354 | C | 2,810 |
| San Antonio, TX | $54,830 | $37,500 – $72,630 | $60,922 | C | 690 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $53,320 | $36,510 – $80,260 | $51,767 | D | 2,460 |
| Charlotte, NC | $52,870 | $38,220 – $76,510 | $53,949 | D | 740 |
| Raleigh, NC | $51,610 | $37,860 – $73,980 | $51,610 | D | 650 |
| Atlanta, GA | $49,630 | $42,400 – $75,650 | $46,821 | D | 1,850 |
| Tampa, FL | $48,770 | $34,270 – $62,740 | $48,287 | D | 1,010 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $46,800 | $35,500 – $117,830 | $45,000 | D | 850 |
About Sheet Metal Worker Pay
Sheet Metal Workers earn a national median salary of $67,236 based on 2024 BLS occupational wage data. The highest-paying city for this trade is Seattle at $102,680 median, while Las Vegas offers the lowest at $46,800.
Becoming a sheet metal worker typically requires a 4-year apprenticeship program. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) can expect around $55,420, while master-level tradespeople (90th percentile) earn $145,690 or more. With 4% wage growth over the past 5 years, this trade is growing at a steady pace.
See how this compares to other trades on our highest paying trades ranking, or browse the best cities for trade workers.
Thinking about becoming a sheet metal worker?
Step-by-step path: 4-year apprenticeship, certifications, state licensing, and apprentice-to-master pay timeline.
Related Metalwork Trades
Frequently Asked Questions
The highest-paying sheet metal worker jobs are in Seattle, WA, where the 90th percentile reaches $145,690 and the median is $102,680. The pay-driving specialties tend to be metal fabrication and similar high-skill roles — workers who layer certifications and union membership on top of journeyman experience typically reach the 90th percentile within 10-15 years of entering the trade.
For most workers, yes. Sheet Metal Workers earn a national median of $67,236 (Trade Pay Score grade C), wages have grown 4% over the past 5 years, and the BLS counts roughly 45,860 sheet metal worker jobs nationwide. The work is physically demanding and the apprenticeship is real, but the trade clears the bar for living-wage, debt-free career entry.
Sheet Metal Workers earn a national median of $67,236 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 90th percentile reaching $145,690 in Seattle. Specific pay depends on city, certifications, union status, and specialization — see the per-city table above for any metro you're targeting.
Sheet Metal Worker work is physically demanding and can be stressful, especially under deadline pressure or in unsafe conditions. Sheet metal workers work in shops fabricating components and on construction sites installing them. Work involves sharp materials, power tools, and heights. The trade rewards problem-solving, attention to detail, and the ability to work safely with tools and equipment. Most sheet metal workers say the difficulty drops sharply once they finish their apprenticeship and gain field experience.
The average sheet metal worker salary is $67,236 per year ($32/hour) based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Average yearly income ranges from $46,800 to $102,680 depending on city, experience, and union status.
Sheet Metal Workers earn an average hourly wage of $32/hour based on a 2,080-hour work year. Entry-level (10th percentile) hourly pay is about $27/hour, while top earners (90th percentile) make $70/hour or more.
Seattle offers the highest median pay for sheet metal workers at $102,680. However, cost of living matters, the COL-adjusted pay may tell a different story. Check our city-by-city breakdown above.
With a Trade Pay Score of C and 4% wage growth over 5 years, sheet metal worker offers steady career prospects. There are approximately 45,860 jobs nationwide across 30 metro areas.
Becoming a sheet metal worker typically requires a 4-year apprenticeship program combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Entry-level pay starts around $55,420 (10th percentile).
Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024. Trade Pay Scores are a composite of median wage vs. metro income, wage growth, job demand, and COL-adjusted pay.
The this entity record above pulls directly from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. What follows is the per-entity context — how this entity sits in the broader U.S. skilled-trade wage data distribution and which underlying factors drive the headline numbers.
Every number on this page links back to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey; the methodology page describes the inputs, refresh cadence, and known limitations of the underlying data product.
Practical use of this page is in combination with the comparison and ranking pages elsewhere on the site, which surface the same data for this entity’s peers within U.S. trades, cities, and states. A single-entity reading without peer context can be misleading when an entity is an outlier on one axis but typical on another.