How much do sheet metal workers make in the US in 2026?

Which state is best for sheet metal workers?

Different states win on different measures — here's the top on each. Pick the one that matters to you.

Across 25 states: $47,530–$98,550 (median $62,560).

Sheet Metal Worker pay by state

Where is the union premium biggest for Sheet Metal Workers?

Named locals and the premium over the BLS all-worker median.

We don't have union scale data for Sheet Metal Worker across our states yet — these states are predominantly non-union, or we haven't added IBEW/UA data. Submitting your pay helps build complete data for Sheet Metal Worker.

Union landscape

Some sheet metal workers are covered by a collective bargaining agreement, and that coverage can influence wages, benefits, and working conditions in meaningful ways. However, TradesPays does not currently have union scale data for sheet metal workers in any of the 25 states we cover. That means the figures on this page — the $61,800 national median, the state-level figures, all of it — reflect BLS OEWS survey data that blends union and non-union workers together. We can't tell you from our data alone whether a union worker in your state earns more or less than those benchmarks. If you're covered by a collective bargaining agreement or are considering a shop that is, the only reliable source for your actual scale rates is your local. Rates are set through negotiations and can change with each contract cycle, so a number posted anywhere online — including here — may already be out of date. Go straight to the source: contact your local directly and ask for the current wage scale and benefits package. That's the only number that counts for your paycheck.

What we don't track yet

Two gaps are worth being straight about before you lean too hard on any figure here. First, metro-level pay. The state figures on TradesPays are statewide averages. A sheet metal worker in Seattle is not earning the same as one in rural eastern Washington, even though both roll up into that $98,550 Washington figure. We don't yet have city or metro-area breakdowns for this trade, so if your market is a high-cost urban core or a lower-cost rural area, the state number may be off from your reality in either direction. Second, career-tier pay. Apprentice, journeyman, and master-level wages can differ substantially, but TradesPays does not currently break out pay by experience tier or license level for sheet metal workers beyond what union scale data would provide — and as noted above, we don't have that data here either. The BLS figures lump experience levels together. Both of these gaps matter, and we're working to fill them. If you have local or tier-specific wage data — a current scale card, a verified offer letter, a ratified contract rate — we want it. Use the submission link on this page to share what you know. Your data helps every worker who looks this up after you.

Sheet Metal Worker pay: FAQ

What is the national median wage for sheet metal workers?

Per BLS OEWS May 2025 data, the national median annual wage for sheet metal workers is $61,800. The 25th percentile sits at $47,830 and the 75th percentile at $81,610, so roughly half of all workers surveyed fall between those two figures.

Which states pay sheet metal workers the most?

Among the 25 states TradesPays covers for this trade, Washington leads at $98,550, followed by New Jersey at $92,840 and Illinois at $86,630. These are statewide figures from BLS OEWS May 2025 — metro-level data is not yet available on TradesPays.

Which state in your dataset pays the lowest for sheet metal workers?

Alabama is the lowest in our current dataset at $47,530 annually. That's just $300 above the national 25th-percentile threshold, and more than $51,000 below the Washington state figure.

Why is there such a large gap between the highest and lowest states?

State-level wages reflect a mix of factors — local cost of living, concentration of commercial and industrial construction, prevailing wage laws, and labor supply. TradesPays reports the BLS figures as-is; we don't model or explain the drivers behind state differences beyond what the data shows.

Does TradesPays have union scale rates for sheet metal workers?

Not currently. We have no union scale data for this trade in any of the 25 states we cover. If you're under a collective bargaining agreement, contact your local directly for current negotiated rates — those are the only figures that reflect your actual contract.

Does TradesPays break down pay by apprentice, journeyman, or master level?

Not for sheet metal workers at this time. The figures here are from BLS OEWS data, which aggregates across experience and license levels. Career-tier breakdowns are a gap we're actively working to fill — see the submission link on this page if you have verified tier-level data to share.

How current is the data on this page?

All figures come from BLS OEWS May 2025, which is the most recent Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes this survey annually, and TradesPays updates state figures when new releases are available.

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