Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$38,630
- 25th Percentile — Junior$47,830
- 50th Percentile — Median$61,800
- 75th Percentile — Senior$81,610
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$105,650
The top 10% of Sheet Metal Workers earn $105,650 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $38,630, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia (est.) | $103,132 | +52.0% |
| Washington | $101,200 | +49.2% |
| Hawaii | $91,310 | +34.6% |
| New Jersey | $88,620 | +30.6% |
| California | $85,580 | +26.1% |
| Alaska | $83,980 | +23.8% |
| Illinois | $81,960 | +20.8% |
| Oregon | $80,290 | +18.3% |
| Massachusetts | $78,900 | +16.3% |
| Minnesota | $78,420 | +15.6% |
| New York | $77,240 | +13.8% |
| Wisconsin | $76,130 | +12.2% |
| Connecticut | $74,720 | +10.1% |
| Pennsylvania | $72,910 | +7.5% |
| Missouri | $71,050 | +4.7% |
| Indiana | $70,030 | +3.2% |
| Ohio | $68,810 | +1.4% |
| Kansas | $68,590 | +1.1% |
| Michigan | $68,100 | +0.4% |
| Nebraska | $67,250 | -0.9% |
| North Dakota | $66,540 | -1.9% |
| Iowa | $65,480 | -3.5% |
| Montana | $64,660 | -4.7% |
| Nevada | $64,490 | -5.0% |
| Maryland | $64,410 | -5.1% |
| Rhode Island | $64,060 | -5.6% |
| Kentucky | $63,790 | -6.0% |
| Utah | $63,690 | -6.1% |
| Oklahoma | $63,510 | -6.4% |
| Maine | $61,830 | -8.9% |
| West Virginia | $61,250 | -9.7% |
| Delaware | $61,140 | -9.9% |
| Colorado | $60,390 | -11.0% |
| Wyoming | $60,080 | -11.5% |
| New Mexico | $59,950 | -11.6% |
| Vermont | $59,740 | -12.0% |
| Tennessee | $59,390 | -12.5% |
| New Hampshire | $59,190 | -12.8% |
| Georgia | $58,010 | -14.5% |
| Texas | $56,500 | -16.7% |
| Arizona | $56,480 | -16.8% |
| Idaho | $55,090 | -18.8% |
| Virginia | $55,090 | -18.8% |
| North Carolina | $54,560 | -19.6% |
| South Dakota | $54,140 | -20.2% |
| South Carolina | $53,200 | -21.6% |
| Florida | $53,120 | -21.7% |
| Louisiana | $52,960 | -21.9% |
| Mississippi | $52,190 | -23.1% |
| Alabama | $51,190 | -24.6% |
| Arkansas | $45,800 | -32.5% |
What Factors Affect Sheet Metal Workers Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Sheet Metal Workers is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Washington pays an average of $101,200, while Arkansas pays $45,800 — a gap of $55,400 per year.
The middle half of Sheet Metal Workers earn between $47,830 and $81,610 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $38,630, while the top 10% earn more than $105,650.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- Electricians $71,490/yr United States +5.4% vs this role
- Plumbers Pipefitters and Steamfitters $72,170/yr United States +6.4% vs this role
- Carpenters $65,630/yr United States 3.3% vs this role
- Construction Laborers $52,030/yr United States 23.3% vs this role
- First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades $86,450/yr United States +27.4% vs this role
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons $68,280/yr United States +0.6% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +49.5% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +102.4% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Sheet Metal Workers?
The average salary for Sheet Metal Workers in the United States is $67,850 per year, with a median of $61,800.
What is the starting salary for Sheet Metal Workers?
Entry-level Sheet Metal Workers typically earn between $38,630 and $47,830 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Sheet Metal Workers the most?
Washington pays Sheet Metal Workers the most at $101,200 per year on average, followed by Hawaii ($91,310) and New Jersey ($88,620).
How much do Sheet Metal Workers make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $67,850, Sheet Metal Workers earn approximately $32.62 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Sheet Metal Workers a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 119,770 Sheet Metal Workers jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $67,850 and a median of $61,800 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
Related Salary Pages
Explore more salary data