Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Base salary plus target annual bonus. Target bonus opportunity scales with role level, so a higher base carries a higher target percentage.
Base salary
$70,500
National baseline
Target bonus
$7,500
10.5% of base
Total target cash
$78,000
Base plus target bonus
Bonus percentiles:25th$4,50050th$7,50075th$12,500
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
About this role
Sheet Metal Worker is a professional role within the function in the Construction and Extraction job family.
Typical entry preparation: High School Diploma and up to 1 year of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.
Maintain equipment, making repairs or modifications when necessary.
Fabricate ducts for high efficiency heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to maximize efficiency of systems.
Fasten seams or joints together with welds, bolts, cement, rivets, solder, caulks, metal drive clips, or bonds to assemble components into products or to repair sheet metal items.
Transport prefabricated parts to construction sites for assembly and installation.
Install assemblies, such as flashing, pipes, tubes, heating and air conditioning ducts, furnace casings, rain gutters, or downspouts in supportive frameworks.
Top skills:Reading ComprehensionMonitoringCritical ThinkingCoordinationTime ManagementSpeaking
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Sheet Metal Worker pay by experience level
Entry level$40,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$49,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$64,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$84,500
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$109,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+2.4%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
10,600
projected openings per year
Growing slower than average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Sheet Metal Worker salary by industry
Specialty Trade Contractors
72,650 workers
$73,000
Building Equipment Contractors
53,690 workers
$77,000
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
21,380 workers
$60,500
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only)
20,780 workers
$60,500
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors
16,060 workers
$61,000
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS
5,780 workers
$76,500
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
5,370 workers
$74,500
Transportation Equipment Manufacturing
4,830 workers
$63,000
Construction of Buildings
4,540 workers
$76,500
Nonresidential Building Construction
3,470 workers
$73,000
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
Maintain equipment, making repairs or modifications when necessary.
Fabricate ducts for high efficiency heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to maximize efficiency of systems.
Fasten seams or joints together with welds, bolts, cement, rivets, solder, caulks, metal drive clips, or bonds to assemble components into products or to repair sheet metal items.
Transport prefabricated parts to construction sites for assembly and installation.
Install assemblies, such as flashing, pipes, tubes, heating and air conditioning ducts, furnace casings, rain gutters, or downspouts in supportive frameworks.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Non-exempt · Service, trades, or production work
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Non-exempt and eligible for overtime pay under FLSA rules. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
How this role compares
Sheet Metal Worker pays 8% above the average across 63 roles in the Construction and Extraction job family (family average $65,000).
Similar-paying roles in Construction and Extraction
Need Sheet Metal Worker pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
