How much does a sheet metal worker make?
a year · about $30 an hour
A typical sheet metal worker in the United States makes $61,800 a year, about $30 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They read plans, measure and mark thin metal, then cut, bend, drill, and join it into ducts or other parts. At a shop or building site, they install and secure the pieces, often lifting, climbing, or working in tight spaces.
Did you know? A sheet metal worker may shape raw metal into building parts, install them, and help test and balance the finished system—a job that follows the metal from shop to site.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $38,630 and $105,650How do you become one?
Finish high school or earn an equivalent diploma, then usually start a construction apprenticeship at 18. Most construction apprenticeships last four or five years and combine paid job training with classes; some states require a license.
School needed: High school plus some training
Good for people who like building and doing and keeping things organized
Why does pay differ?
In the United States, experienced workers and those with useful certifications or a required state license may earn more than beginners. Pay also changes by location, employer or industry, and how specialized or difficult the work is; overtime or certain shifts may bring extra pay.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Washington ($98,550), lowest in Arkansas ($45,820).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
In Japan, a sheet metal worker averages $30,283. Sheet metal worker salary in Japan
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $38,630 | $61,800 | $105,650 | about 120,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $98,550 | about 3,000 |
| New Jersey | $92,840 | about 3,000 |
| Illinois | $86,630 | about 3,000 |
| Massachusetts | $82,100 | about 3,000 |
| Connecticut | $78,750 | about 1,000 |
Official definition: 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.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/sheet-metal-workers.htm
- www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/print/sheet-metal-workers.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/details/47-2211.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.smacna.org/about-the-industry
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY