What Sheet Metal Workers Do

Sheet metal workers fabricate or install products that are made from thin metal sheets.

Work Environment

Sheet metal workers often lift heavy materials and stand for long periods of time. Those who install sheet metal must often bend, climb, and squat. Most work full time.

How to Become a Sheet Metal Worker

Sheet metal workers employed in construction typically learn their trade through an apprenticeship. Those employed in manufacturing typically learn on the job or at a technical school.

Pay

The median annual wage for sheet metal workers was $58,780 in May 2023.

Job Outlook

Employment of sheet metal workers is projected to show little or no change from 2022 to 2032.

Despite limited employment growth, about 11,400 openings for sheet metal workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.