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How to become a sheet metal worker
Construction sheet metal workers typically learn the trade in a four- or five-year apprenticeship; those in manufacturing often learn on the job or at a technical school. Sheet Metal Workers earned a median $61,800 a year in May 2025, and BLS projects 2.5% growth in the job count from 2025 to 2035, with about 9,800 openings a year. Typical entry education: high school diploma or equivalent.
The steps
- Finish high school or the equivalent. A diploma or equivalent is typically needed. Take high school algebra and geometry; vocational courses such as blueprint reading, mechanical drawing and welding also help. Technical schools may have programs that teach welding and metalworking.
BLS wording
“Sheet metal workers typically need a high school diploma or equivalent. Those interested in becoming a sheet metal worker should take high school classes in algebra and geometry. Vocational-education courses such as blueprint reading, mechanical drawing, and welding are also helpful. Technical schools may have programs that teach welding and metalworking.”
- Enter an apprenticeship. Most construction sheet metal workers learn the trade through a four- or five-year apprenticeship of paid on-the-job training and related technical instruction, sponsored by unions and businesses. Apprentices learn basics such as blueprint reading, math, building code requirements, and safety and first aid; welding may be included. The basic qualifications are being 18 years old and having a high school diploma or equivalent; some workers start out as helpers.
BLS wording
“Most construction sheet metal workers learn their trade through 4- or 5-year apprenticeships, which include both paid on-the-job training and related technical instruction. Apprentices learn construction basics such as blueprint reading, math, building code requirements, and safety and first aid practices. Welding may be included as part of the training. Some workers start out as helpers before entering apprenticeships. Apprenticeship programs are sponsored by unions and businesses. The basic qualifications for entering an apprenticeship program are being 18 years old and having a high school diploma or the equivalent.”
- Check whether your state requires a license. Some states require licenses for sheet metal workers; check with your state. Certifications are not required, but workers may earn them for several tasks; some become certified in welding.
BLS wording
“Some states require licenses for sheet metal workers. Check with your state for more information. Although not required, sheet metal workers may earn certifications for several tasks that they perform. For example, some sheet metal workers become certified in welding.”
- Work as a journey worker. Completing the apprenticeship makes you a journey worker, qualified to perform tasks on your own.
BLS wording
“After completing an apprenticeship program, sheet metal workers are considered journey workers who are qualified to perform tasks on their own.”
Steps follow the Occupational Outlook Handbook: Sheet Metal Workers, read 2026-09-23.
How long it takes
Four or five years for most construction sheet metal workers, the length of their apprenticeship; workers in manufacturing often learn on the job or at a technical school.
What it costs
No state license fee is sourced here for sheet metal workers. The on-the-job training in an apprenticeship is paid.
License requirements by state
Do you need a license? Some states require one; check with yours. Certifications, such as in welding, are not required. No state licensing records are sourced here for sheet metal workers; the 50 state pages carry pay and employment.
Apprenticeships
Unions and businesses sponsor the programs. The basic qualifications are being 18 years old and having a high school diploma or equivalent; some workers start out as helpers. The federal Apprenticeship Finder searches apprenticeship openings by occupation and by city, state or ZIP code. Apprenticeship Finder →
BLS wording
“Some workers start out as helpers before entering apprenticeships. Apprenticeship programs are sponsored by unions and businesses. The basic qualifications for entering an apprenticeship program are being 18 years old and having a high school diploma or the equivalent.”
U.S. Department of Labor records list 11,480 registered apprentices active across the 50 states and DC in fiscal year 2024 under the occupation titles DOL maps to sheet metal workers; the state pages give each state's count and, where enough apprentices carry a wage DOL counts, the median starting and completing wages (how they are counted). Apprentice counts and wages in every state → · what those wages come to at your hours a week →
What sheet metal workers earn, by state
Sheet Metal Workers (SOC 47-2211) earned a national median of $61,800 a year in May 2025, $29.71 an hour, with 119,770 employed. Washington paid the most, $98,550, 59% above the national median.
Top five by median annual wage: Washington ($98,550), Hawaii ($96,350), Alaska ($94,600), New Jersey ($92,840), Illinois ($86,630). Lowest five: Arkansas ($45,820), Idaho ($46,350), Nevada ($46,730), Alabama ($47,530), South Dakota ($47,800).
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employed | Per 1,000 jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $98,550 | $47.38 | $57,650 | $149,260 | 3,440 | 1.0 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $96,350 | $46.32 | $52,730 | $118,960 | 490 | 0.8 |
| 3 | Alaska | $94,600 | $45.48 | $49,300 | $116,580 | 240 | 0.7 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $92,840 | $44.64 | $46,290 | $130,630 | 2,790 | 0.7 |
| 5 | Illinois | $86,630 | $41.65 | $42,220 | $117,910 | 3,260 | 0.5 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $82,100 | $39.47 | $46,440 | $121,050 | 2,890 | 0.8 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $78,750 | $37.86 | $49,780 | $93,940 | 1,480 | 0.9 |
| 8 | Wisconsin | $77,760 | $37.38 | $45,160 | $107,060 | 3,180 | 1.1 |
| 9 | California | $76,590 | $36.82 | $47,410 | $132,190 | 8,390 | 0.5 |
| 10 | Ohio | $74,790 | $35.96 | $43,200 | $94,240 | 4,180 | 0.8 |
| 11 | New York | $73,760 | $35.46 | $40,330 | $126,090 | 6,570 | 0.7 |
| 12 | Oregon | $73,750 | $35.46 | $48,150 | $120,600 | 3,250 | 1.7 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $72,970 | $35.08 | $47,520 | $116,990 | 2,980 | 1.0 |
| 14 | West Virginia | $72,390 | $34.81 | $38,170 | $76,020 | 540 | 0.8 |
| 15 | Iowa | $66,460 | $31.95 | $43,770 | $91,450 | 1,650 | 1.1 |
| 16 | Oklahoma | $65,640 | $31.56 | $46,000 | $79,090 | 2,820 | 1.6 |
| 17 | North Dakota | $65,180 | $31.34 | $48,080 | $84,740 | 290 | 0.7 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $65,100 | $31.30 | $42,670 | $81,980 | 370 | 0.7 |
| 19 | Michigan | $64,490 | $31.01 | $40,940 | $96,390 | 4,000 | 0.9 |
| 20 | Nebraska | $64,440 | $30.98 | $32,140 | $94,980 | 440 | 0.4 |
| 21 | Indiana | $64,040 | $30.79 | $42,620 | $104,080 | 4,580 | 1.4 |
| 22 | Missouri | $63,560 | $30.56 | $38,090 | $110,580 | 2,640 | 0.9 |
| 23 | Utah | $63,140 | $30.36 | $44,360 | $85,770 | 1,810 | 1.0 |
| 24 | Kansas | $62,670 | $30.13 | $38,690 | $108,530 | 1,730 | 1.2 |
| 25 | Maryland | $62,560 | $30.08 | $46,800 | $84,650 | 1,940 | 0.7 |
| 26 | Maine | $62,120 | $29.87 | $47,930 | $75,490 | 830 | 1.3 |
| 27 | Delaware | $61,460 | $29.55 | $37,290 | $85,790 | 440 | 0.9 |
| 28 | Montana | $61,420 | $29.53 | $44,310 | $84,220 | 410 | 0.8 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $61,400 | $29.52 | $45,660 | $126,430 | 3,260 | 0.5 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $60,680 | $29.17 | $40,570 | $85,310 | 2,210 | 1.1 |
| 31 | New Hampshire | $59,800 | $28.75 | $34,170 | $79,930 | 760 | 1.1 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $59,170 | $28.45 | $38,710 | $79,360 | 1,850 | 0.6 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $58,740 | $28.24 | $42,350 | $72,400 | 160 | 0.6 |
| 34 | Vermont | $58,250 | $28.00 | $42,920 | $82,940 | 370 | 1.2 |
| 35 | Colorado | $57,880 | $27.83 | $43,780 | $83,550 | 1,660 | 0.6 |
| 36 | Georgia | $56,800 | $27.31 | $38,820 | $76,900 | 3,590 | 0.7 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $56,720 | $27.27 | $36,410 | $84,690 | 640 | 0.7 |
| 38 | Texas | $54,240 | $26.08 | $37,010 | $78,400 | 9,540 | 0.7 |
| 39 | Virginia | $52,220 | $25.10 | $37,440 | $73,640 | 4,520 | 1.1 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $50,730 | $24.39 | $37,280 | $78,020 | 2,780 | 0.6 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $50,320 | $24.19 | $34,650 | $77,790 | 1,080 | 0.6 |
| 42 | Arizona | $50,260 | $24.16 | $36,350 | $80,750 | 3,060 | 0.9 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $49,920 | $24.00 | $37,090 | $76,300 | 1,710 | 0.7 |
| 44 | Florida | $49,640 | $23.87 | $36,140 | $71,740 | 8,040 | 0.8 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $49,500 | $23.80 | $36,560 | $70,630 | 1,260 | 1.1 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $47,800 | $22.98 | $38,420 | $86,780 | 320 | 0.7 |
| 47 | Alabama | $47,530 | $22.85 | $35,510 | $71,270 | 1,450 | 0.7 |
| 48 | Nevada | $46,730 | $22.47 | $38,120 | $121,730 | 1,270 | 0.8 |
| 49 | Idaho | $46,350 | $22.29 | $36,340 | $78,470 | 1,290 | 1.5 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $45,820 | $22.03 | $35,800 | $57,380 | 1,230 | 0.9 |
No published median for: District of Columbia. BLS suppresses estimates that do not meet its publication standards.
"Per 1,000 jobs" is how concentrated the trade is in that state's workforce. A state can pay well and still have few openings; the employment column and this one together say how much of a market there is.
As files: pay by state (CSV) · pay by metro area (CSV) · all files and how to credit them.
Job outlook, 2025 to 2035
BLS projects 2.5% growth in employment from 2025 to 2035 (131,100 to 134,400 jobs) and about 9,800 openings a year over the decade, counting growth and replacement.
| Figure | 2025 | 2035 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | 131,100 | 134,400 | +3,300 (2.5%) |
| Openings a year, average | 9,800 | ||
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent | ||
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program, Table 1.2 Occupational projections, 2025–35, and worker characteristics, 2025, retrieved 2026-10-03. Openings count growth plus the workers who leave the occupation.
Common questions
How long does it take to become a sheet metal worker?
Four or five years for most construction sheet metal workers, the length of their apprenticeship; workers in manufacturing often learn on the job or at a technical school.
How much does it cost to become a sheet metal worker?
No state license fee is sourced here for sheet metal workers. The on-the-job training in an apprenticeship is paid.
Do you need a license to be a sheet metal worker?
Some states require one; check with yours. Certifications, such as in welding, are not required.
How much do sheet metal workers make?
Sheet Metal Workers earned a median $61,800 a year in May 2025 ($29.71 an hour). The 10th to 90th percentile range is $38,630 to $105,650; Washington pays the most at $98,550.
What is the job outlook for sheet metal workers?
BLS projects 2.5% growth in employment from 2025 to 2035 (131,100 to 134,400 jobs) and about 9,800 openings a year over the decade, counting growth and replacement.
Sources
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Sheet Metal Workers, read 2026-09-23: the steps, training length and licensing pattern.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, retrieved 2026-10-03: every wage and employment figure. How the numbers are built.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program, Table 1.2, retrieved 2026-10-03: growth, openings and entry education.