Sheet Metal Worker
Skilled trades
Sheet metal workers fabricate and install ductwork, roofing, and building components — skilled licensed work requiring physical presence on every job.
- BLS median pay
- $60,750 (May 2024)
- Job outlook
- 4% growth, 2024-34
- Training path
- Apprenticeship, 4-5 years
- Entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Apprenticeship
- Physical demand
- High
- Category
- Skilled trades
- AI resilience
- Strong
Why This Role Is More Resilient
This career scores strongly on AI resilience. The combination of physical presence, patient or client interaction, and specialized hands-on skills makes it difficult to automate or offshore.
Best For
People who like precision fabrication work and are comfortable with rooftops, ladders, and construction sites.
Avoid If
Sharp metal edges, heights, loud fabrication shops, and seasonal outdoor work sound unappealing.
First Step to Research
Look for SMART (International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers) apprenticeship openings.
How to Start: First Jobs, Common Mistakes, and Fit
Distilled from how working people and job postings describe the entry path. Use it for direction, then verify licensing, pay, and program details locally.
First job titles to search
Entry roles often aren't posted under "Sheet Metal Worker." Search and apply under these titles too:
- Sheet metal apprentice
- Sheet metal helper
- Duct installer
- HVAC installer helper
- Fabrication shop helper
- Architectural sheet metal apprentice
Common beginner mistakes to avoid
- Searching only "Sheet Metal Worker" and missing the real beginner titles: Sheet metal apprentice, Sheet metal helper, Duct installer, HVAC installer helper.
- Paying for training before verifying local employer demand and official eligibility.
- Assuming national wage data equals local first-year pay.
- Buying tools, products, equipment, or supplies before receiving a real list.
- Ignoring schedule, commute, physical strain, and first-setting realities.
Signs this could be a good fit
- You can tolerate physical work and a multi-year learning ladder.
- You like learning by watching and doing.
- You can be punctual, safe, coachable, and humble.
- You can handle jobsite discomfort and changing locations.
Warning signs it may not be
- You need immediate full wages and cannot handle apprentice/helper pay.
- You cannot reliably commute or handle physical jobsite work.
- Local paths require expensive school with weak employer demand.
- You dislike being supervised closely while learning.
What This Pays in Your State
Sheet Metal Worker salary & licensing by state
Real state and metro wages, license steps, and where to train as a sheet metal worker in every state we cover:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Sources and Verification
Pay, education, training, and outlook data sourced from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Sheet metal workers. Verified 2026-06-13. Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) 47-2211 / Occupational Information Network (O*NET) 47-2211.00.
View BLS Occupational Outlook · View O*NET Profile
National median pay is a starting point only. State licensing, local wages, training costs, clinical placement rates, and local employer demand vary. Always verify with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, O*NET, state licensing boards, and local training providers before making a decision.