Sheet Metal Worker Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of sheet metal workers to grow 2.5% from 2025 to 2035 (about 3,300 more jobs), with about 9,800 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $61,800 a year ranks 407th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +2.5%
- Openings a year
- 9,800
- Median pay
- $61,800
- Pay rank
- 407th of 825
Is employment of sheet metal workers growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of sheet metal workers to rise 2.5% (about 3,300 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is slower than the +5.1% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 60 construction and extraction occupations with a projection. That change ranks 441st of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 131,100 |
| Employment, 2035 | 134,400 |
| Projected change | +2.5% |
| Openings a year | 9,800 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 131,100 jobs here differ from the 119,770 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 9,800 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 277th most of 830 occupations. About 97% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 330 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for sheet metal workers rank?
The median of $61,800 a year ranks 407th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on both pay and openings.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: high school diploma or equivalent.
- Typical on-the-job training: apprenticeship.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structural Iron and Steel Workers | +3.1% | 5,900 | $62,780 |
| Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers | +2.5% | 6,600 | $58,930 |
| Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall | +2.4% | 3,000 | $49,120 |
| Insulation Workers, Mechanical | +5.1% | 1,800 | $58,340 |
| Carpenters | +3.9% | 62,800 | $60,580 |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | +6.8% | 42,000 | $63,800 |
| Boilermakers | -1.8% | 700 | $76,410 |
| Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers | -5.3% | 1,000 | $58,970 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.