Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 51-2041

Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters

Median pay sits 31% below the mid peer in Production Occupations (neighbors include Power Plant Operators, Plant and System Operators, All Other, Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers, Chemical Plant and System Operators).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters: Power Plant Operators ($102K) , Plant and System Operators, All Other ($62K) , Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers ($97K) , Chemical Plant and System Operators ($78K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-2041 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Verify conformance of workpieces to specifications, using squares, rulers, and measuring tapes
  2. 2. Study engineering drawings and blueprints to determine materials requirements and task sequences
  3. 3. Position, align, fit, and weld parts to form complete units or subunits, following blueprints and layout specifications, and using jigs…
  4. 4. Lay out and examine metal stock or workpieces to be processed to ensure that specifications are met
  5. 5. Tack-weld fitted parts together
  6. 6. Move parts into position, manually or with hoists or cranes
  7. 7. Set up and operate fabricating machines, such as brakes, rolls, shears, flame cutters, grinders, and drill presses, to bend, cut, form, p…
  8. 8. Mark reference points onto floors or face blocks and transpose them to workpieces, using measuring devices, squares, chalk, and soapstone
  9. 9. Position or tighten braces, jacks, clamps, ropes, or bolt straps, or bolt parts in position for welding or riveting
  10. 10. Lift or move materials and finished products, using large cranes
  11. 11. Set up face blocks, jigs, and fixtures
  12. 12. Align and fit parts according to specifications, using jacks, turnbuckles, wedges, drift pins, pry bars, and hammers

Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters: O*NET ranks Reading Comprehension first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-2041 - lead skill Reading Comprehension at 3.0 ; lead knowledge Mathematics. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Reading Comprehension 3.0
  2. 2. Active Listening 3.0
  3. 3. Speaking 3.0
  4. 4. Critical Thinking 3.0
  5. 5. Monitoring 2.9
  6. 6. Operations Monitoring 2.9
  7. 7. Social Perceptiveness 2.6
  8. 8. Time Management 2.6

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Mathematics 3.4
  2. 2. Production and Processing 3.3
  3. 3. Mechanical 3.3
  4. 4. English Language 3.0
  5. 5. Administration and Management 2.9
  6. 6. Education and Training 2.8
Pay vs Production Occupations peers
-31%
vs mid peer median $74,450
This role $51,330/yr
$51K
National median
↓ -16%
Growth 2024-2034
4,100
Annual openings
52,360
Estimated US jobs
Power Plant Operators
Highest-pay peer · $102K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters

1. Wisconsin $56,310
2. California $57,590
3. Oregon $62,220
4. Washington $61,850
5. Indiana $60,180
6. Idaho $58,140
7. Maine $64,760
8. Massachusetts $62,040
9. Alaska $63,420
10. Connecticut $58,760

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers $96,710
  2. 2. Chemical Plant and System Operators $78,120
  3. 3. Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers $65,380
  4. 4. Plant and System Operators, All Other $62,470
  5. 5. Power Plant Operators $102,040
  6. 6. Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers $62,750

Among Production Occupations peers on this card, Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters sits 31% below the mid peer median ($74,450). Its own median is $51,330.

Employment Projections expect -16% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 4,100 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Wisconsin at $56,310. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Power Plant Operators at $102,040. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters pay-rank #31 in Production Occupations

Among 105 detailed Production Occupations with a published OEWS median, Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters is pay-rank #31, the upper third of that major group. The order is ROW_NUMBER on national median (title as tiebreak), not a worker-level percentile.

Other upper-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters pays 31% below its major-group peer median. See the state map and the peers closest to (and furthest from) this line.

Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-2041

Wisconsin · top state for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters

$56K published median

California · #2 state pay

$58K · behind Wisconsin

Power Plant Operators

Highest-pay peer vs Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters · $102K

Plant and System Operators, All Other

Lower-pay peer beside Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters · $62K

Compare Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters

Against another occupation

Power Plant Operators card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Production Occupations titles sit near Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters at the top of the pay table? ▼
Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters is pay-rank #31 of 105 detailed Production Occupations with an OEWS median, upper third. Nearest upper-third titles: Semiconductor Processing Technicians ($51K), Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders ($52K), Pourers and Casters, Metal ($52K), Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators ($51K). Rank is ROW_NUMBER on national median.
What do structural metal fabricators and fitters do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters. Leading ones include: Verify conformance of workpieces to specifications, using squares, rulers, and measuring tapes; Study engineering drawings and blueprints to determine materials requirements and task sequences; Position, align, fit, and weld parts to form complete units or subunits, following blueprints and layout specifications, and using jigs…; Lay out and examine metal stock or workpieces to be processed to ensure that specifications are met. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for structural metal fabricators and fitters? ▼
For SOC 51-2041, O*NET importance scores lead with Reading Comprehension (3.0), Active Listening (3.0), Speaking (3.0), Critical Thinking (3.0). Knowledge areas emphasize Mathematics, Production and Processing, Mechanical. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $51,330 as the national median for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters. The published 10th-90th range is $37,960 to $72,280. Beside Power Plant Operators ($102,040), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters is -16%. Projected annual openings: about 4,100. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters? ▼
Wisconsin ($56,310), California ($57,590), Oregon ($62,220) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-2041. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics