51 Series · SOC 51-2051
Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $46,880
- Median / year
- $63,760
- Top 10% earn
- +4.2%
- Growth '23–'33
- 16,170
- US workers
Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators earn a median of $46,880 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $46,880, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $36,910 (10th percentile) to $63,760 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 16,170 US workers. Washington pays the most ($58,410), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators earn a median of $46,880, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 25% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #54 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 4.2% by 2033.
- $46,880
- Median annual wage
- Top 75%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #54 of 105
- in Production
- 1.7×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Washington at $58,410. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators (SOC 51-2051) pays a national median of $46,880 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $36,910 at the 10th percentile to $63,760 at the 90th, with a mean of $49,550 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 16,170 Americans work in this occupation across 36 reporting states and 65 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +4.2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as about average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 2,100 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 3.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.2 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Washington pays the highest state median at $58,410, which is +25% above the national figure. The top metro is Bellingham, WA at $73,920 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$46,880
per year
Median Hourly
$22.54/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$49,550
average
Employment
16,170
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$46,880 Bottom 25% higher than 25% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 51-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators sits on the slower-growing side at +4.2% growth and $46,880 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+4.2%
About average
Annual Openings
2,100
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
3.5/100K
Injury Rate
3.2/100
Danger Index
14.6/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Release air bubbles and smooth seams, using rollers.
- ▸ Spray chopped fiberglass, resins, and catalysts onto prepared molds or dies using pneumatic spray guns with chopper attachments.
- ▸ Apply layers of plastic resin to mold surfaces prior to placement of fiberglass mats, repeating layers until products have the desired thicknesses and plastics have jelled.
- ▸ Mix catalysts into resins, and saturate cloth and mats with mixtures, using brushes.
- ▸ Check completed products for conformance to specifications and for defects by measuring with rulers or micrometers, by checking them visually, or by tapping them to detect bubbles or dead spots.
- ▸ Pat or press layers of saturated mat or cloth into place on molds, using brushes or hands, and smooth out wrinkles and air bubbles with hands or squeegees.
- ▸ Inspect, clean, and assemble molds before beginning work.
- ▸ Select precut fiberglass mats, cloth, and wood-bracing materials as required by projects being assembled.
- ▸ Cure materials by letting them set at room temperature, placing them under heat lamps, or baking them in ovens.
- ▸ Apply lacquers and waxes to mold surfaces to facilitate assembly and removal of laminated parts.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$36,910
25th Percentile
$39,430
Median
$46,880
75th Percentile
$54,490
90th Percentile
$63,760
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 36 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $58,410 | +25% above national |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $55,980 | +19% above national |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $54,800 | +17% above national |
| 4 | New Jersey | $54,080 | +15% above national |
| 5 | Idaho | $53,040 | +13% above national |
| 6 | Tennessee | $52,120 | +11% above national |
| 7 | Maine | $50,710 | +8% above national |
| 8 | Iowa | $50,450 | +8% above national |
| 9 | Oregon | $49,850 | +6% above national |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $49,260 | +5% above national |
| 11 | Ohio | $49,130 | +5% above national |
| 12 | South Dakota | $48,410 | +3% above national |
| 13 | California | $47,750 | +2% above national |
| 14 | Nevada | $47,700 | +2% above national |
| 15 | Nebraska | $47,420 | +1% above national |
| 16 | New York | $47,300 | +1% above national |
| 17 | Florida | $47,140 | +1% above national |
| 18 | Missouri | $46,640 | 1% below national |
| 19 | Indiana | $45,820 | 2% below national |
| 20 | South Carolina | $45,250 | 3% below national |
| 21 | Utah | $44,510 | 5% below national |
| 22 | Texas | $44,450 | 5% below national |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $44,060 | 6% below national |
| 24 | Michigan | $43,980 | 6% below national |
| 25 | North Carolina | $43,890 | 6% below national |
| 26 | Colorado | $42,840 | 9% below national |
| 27 | Mississippi | $42,080 | 10% below national |
| 28 | Kansas | $40,460 | 14% below national |
| 29 | Louisiana | $40,000 | 15% below national |
| 30 | West Virginia | $39,450 | 16% below national |
| 31 | Arkansas | $39,320 | 16% below national |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $39,260 | 16% below national |
| 33 | Virginia | $39,140 | 17% below national |
| 34 | Alabama | $38,360 | 18% below national |
| 35 | Minnesota | $37,410 | 20% below national |
| 36 | Georgia | $35,670 | 24% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 65 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bellingham, WA | $73,920 | +58% above national |
| 2 | Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area | $62,090 | +32% above national |
| 3 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $60,130 | +28% above national |
| 4 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $59,400 | +27% above national |
| 5 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $59,110 | +26% above national |
| 6 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $58,230 | +24% above national |
| 7 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $56,850 | +21% above national |
| 8 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $56,440 | +20% above national |
| 9 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $55,990 | +19% above national |
| 10 | Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $55,610 | +19% above national |
| 11 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $54,850 | +17% above national |
| 12 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $54,080 | +15% above national |
| 13 | East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $52,850 | +13% above national |
| 14 | Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $52,800 | +13% above national |
| 15 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $51,080 | +9% above national |
| 16 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $50,710 | +8% above national |
| 17 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $50,520 | +8% above national |
| 18 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $49,820 | +6% above national |
| 19 | Jacksonville, FL | $49,720 | +6% above national |
| 20 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $49,650 | +6% above national |
| 21 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $49,270 | +5% above national |
| 22 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $49,260 | +5% above national |
| 23 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $49,130 | +5% above national |
| 24 | Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $49,080 | +5% above national |
| 25 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $48,550 | +4% above national |
| 26 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $47,960 | +2% above national |
| 27 | Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area | $47,860 | +2% above national |
| 28 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $47,450 | +1% above national |
| 29 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $47,240 | +1% above national |
| 30 | Yakima, WA | $47,220 | +1% above national |
| 31 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $47,140 | +1% above national |
| 32 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $46,910 | same as national |
| 33 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $46,910 | same as national |
| 34 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $46,540 | 1% below national |
| 35 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $46,200 | 1% below national |
| 36 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $45,970 | 2% below national |
| 37 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $45,820 | 2% below national |
| 38 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $45,810 | 2% below national |
| 39 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $45,760 | 2% below national |
| 40 | North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $45,700 | 3% below national |
| 41 | Knoxville, TN | $45,690 | 3% below national |
| 42 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $45,640 | 3% below national |
| 43 | Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $45,160 | 4% below national |
| 44 | Columbia, SC | $44,950 | 4% below national |
| 45 | Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $44,800 | 4% below national |
| 46 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $44,520 | 5% below national |
| 47 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $44,270 | 6% below national |
| 48 | Green Bay, WI | $43,940 | 6% below national |
| 49 | Fort Wayne, IN | $43,490 | 7% below national |
| 50 | Mobile, AL | $41,600 | 11% below national |
| 51 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $40,750 | 13% below national |
| 52 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $39,450 | 16% below national |
| 53 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $39,290 | 16% below national |
| 54 | Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $38,660 | 18% below national |
| 55 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $38,530 | 18% below national |
| 56 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $38,520 | 18% below national |
| 57 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $38,420 | 18% below national |
| 58 | South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $38,290 | 18% below national |
| 59 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $37,800 | 19% below national |
| 60 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $37,410 | 20% below national |
| 61 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $37,390 | 20% below national |
| 62 | Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $37,130 | 21% below national |
| 63 | South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $36,960 | 21% below national |
| 64 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $36,630 | 22% below national |
| 65 | Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $34,980 | 25% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 51 (production) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators make? ▼
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What education do you need to become a Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators? ▼
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What to do with this data
How to use Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $54,490/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Washington leads at $58,410/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.