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Sheet Metal Workers
SOC: 47-2211 • Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics & O*NET
What They Do
Sheet Metal Workers typically perform the following tasks:
• Maintain equipment, making repairs or modifications when necessary.
• Fabricate ducts for high efficiency heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to maximize efficiency of systems.
• Fasten seams or joints together with welds, bolts, cement, rivets, solder, caulks, metal drive clips, or bonds to assemble components into products or to repair sheet metal items.
• Transport prefabricated parts to construction sites for assembly and installation.
• Install assemblies, such as flashing, pipes, tubes, heating and air conditioning ducts, furnace casings, rain gutters, or downspouts in supportive frameworks.
• Hire, train, or supervise new employees or apprentices.
• Lay out, measure, and mark dimensions and reference lines on material, such as roofing panels, using calculators, scribes, dividers, squares, or rulers.
• Fabricate or alter parts at construction sites, using shears, hammers, punches, or drills.
• Determine project requirements, such as scope, assembly sequences, or required methods or materials, using blueprints, drawings, or written or verbal instructions.
• Maneuver completed roofing units into position for installation.
• Select gauges or types of sheet metal or nonmetallic material, according to product specifications.
• Shape metal material over anvils, blocks, or other forms, using hand tools.
• Trim, file, grind, deburr, buff, or smooth surfaces, seams, or joints of assembled parts, using hand tools or portable power tools.
• Inspect individual parts, assemblies, or installations, using measuring instruments, such as calipers, scales, or micrometers.
• Convert blueprints into shop drawings to be followed in the construction or assembly of sheet metal products.
• Verify that heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are designed, installed, and calibrated in accordance with green certification standards, such as those of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).
• Perform building commissioning activities by completing mechanical inspections of a building's water, lighting, or heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
• Fasten roof panel edges or machine-made moldings to structures by nailing or welding.
• Finish parts, using hacksaws or hand, rotary, or squaring shears.
Career Video
Video from CareerOneStop, sponsored by U.S. Department of Labor
Key facts
Median: $60,850
Employment: 127,000
Growth (2024–2034):
+2.0%
Education:
High school diploma
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Career Intelligence Metrics
Automation Risk Assessment
Medium RiskWork-Life Balance Score
6.2/10Personality Fit (RIASEC Profile)
9.4
Realistic
5.8
Investigative
4.0
Artistic
5.0
Social
5.0
Enterprising
6.0
Conventional
Powered by O*NET Career Profiling
Personality Match: The higher the score (out of 10), the better this career matches that personality type. People with similar interests and work styles tend to be most satisfied in careers that match their personality profile.
Top Skills
Detail oriented
Dexterity
Math skills
Mechanical skills
Physical stamina
Physical strength
Strengths
- High Demand
- Flexible Work
- Continuous Learning
Challenges
- Burnout Risk
- Rapid Technological Change
Median Salary Comparison
Employment projection (2024–2034)
Geographic Employment & Wage Analysis
BLS OEWS Data Updated 2024-05States with Highest Employment
- Texas 10,270
- Florida 9,470
- California 9,180
- New York 6,190
- Ohio 5,350
- Michigan 4,590
- Illinois 4,240
- Virginia 3,870
- Washington 3,870
- Georgia 3,850
BLS OEWS data (2024-05)
Regional Wage Variations
-
Texas -8%$55,840
-
Florida -19%$49,170
-
California +31%$79,630
-
New York +21%$73,470
-
Ohio 3%$62,940
-
Michigan 1%$61,680
-
Illinois +54%$93,570
-
Virginia -4%$58,490
-
Washington +53%$93,230
-
Georgia -11%$53,960
BLS OEWS state wage data
Top Metropolitan Areas
New York-Newark-Jersey City
Employment: High
Growth: +3.2%
Los Angeles-Long Beach
Employment: High
Growth: +2.8%
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Employment: Medium
Growth: +1.5%
Dallas-Fort Worth
Employment: Medium
Growth: +4.1%
San Francisco-Oakland
Employment: High
Growth: +2.3%
Based on BLS metropolitan area data
Industries with Highest Concentrations
Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals
85%
Specialty trade contractors
70%
Construction of buildings
55%
Regional Job Market Outlook
Strong
West Coast
Stable
Northeast
Growing
South