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Sheet Metal Workers

Typical education: High school diplomaHigh pressure

What they do

Fabricate, assemble, install, and repair sheet metal products and equipment, such as ducts, control boxes, drainpipes, and furnace casings. Work may involve any of the following: setting up and operating fabricating machines to cut, bend, and straighten sheet metal; shaping metal over anvils, blocks, or forms using hammer; operating soldering and welding equipment to join sheet metal parts; or inspecting, assembling, and smoothing seams and joints of burred surfaces. Includes sheet metal duct installers who install prefabricated sheet metal ducts used for heating, air conditioning, or other purposes.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $61,800 Median per year · $29.71/hr Most earn $38,630–$105,650

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Install assemblies, such as flashing, pipes, tubes, heating and air conditioning ducts, furnace casings, rain gutters, or downspouts in supportive frameworks.
  • Install assemblies, such as flashing, pipes, tubes, heating and air conditioning ducts, furnace casings, rain gutters, or downspouts in supportive frameworks.
  • Maneuver completed roofing units into position for installation.
  • Select gauges or types of sheet metal or nonmetallic material, according to product specifications.
  • Maintain equipment, making repairs or modifications when necessary.
  • Convert blueprints into shop drawings to be followed in the construction or assembly of sheet metal products.

Job outlook

United States
3% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 9,800 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors39.6%
  • Fabricated metal product manufacturing16.0%
  • Self-employed (their own business)8.4%
  • Roofing contractors5.2%
  • Federal government, excluding postal service4.4%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

Sheet metal work is an entry-level trade: you can often start straight out of high school with a diploma and learn on the job. People usually build up about 6 months to 1 year of hands-on experience before working as a sheet metal worker.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Build a base in math, shop, and drafting or blueprint reading, since measuring and layout are used every day in this trade.

  2. Sheet Metal Helper

    6 months - 1 year

    Work alongside experienced sheet metal workers, carrying materials, running simple tools, and learning to cut, bend, and install ductwork. This hands-on time is what prepares you for skilled work.

  3. Sheet Metal Worker

    Ongoing

    Fabricate, assemble, and install ducts and metal products using machines and hand tools, often building skills further through an apprenticeship.

Where it can lead

  1. Lead Sheet Metal Worker

    2-4 years of experience first

    You take charge of a small crew, plan the work, and check quality, which takes strong skills and a reliable track record on the job.

  2. Sheet Metal Shop Supervisor

    5+ years of experience first

    You oversee a shop or several crews, handling scheduling, materials, safety, and training new workers.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take geometry and shop or metals classesGeometry helps with the angles and measurements used to shape and fit sheet metal.
  • Enroll in a career and technical education (CTE) programMany schools offer trades or HVAC pathways where you can practice with real tools and sometimes earn early credentials.
  • Take a drafting or CAD classReading and drawing plans is a big part of planning how metal pieces fit together.
  • Get a summer or part-time job at a hardware store, lumber yard, or construction siteAny work with tools, materials, and customers builds reliability and comfort on job sites.
  • Try a welding or soldering elective if your school has oneJoining metal is a common task in this trade, so early practice gives you a head start.

In college

  • Take math and blueprint reading coursesTrigonometry and print-reading skills are used daily when laying out and fabricating metal parts.
  • Enroll in a sheet metal, HVAC, or welding certificate program at a community or technical collegeHands-on training and a certificate can help you qualify for apprenticeships and better starting roles.
  • Work a part-time helper or shop job with a contractorEarning on-the-job experience now counts toward the 6 months to 1 year that employers usually look for.
  • Get a safety certification such as OSHA 10-hourEmployers value workers who already know job-site safety rules, and it is usually quick and inexpensive to complete.
  • Join a trade club or student organization in a technical fieldClubs help you meet working people in the trades and learn about apprenticeship openings.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask local sheet metal shops or HVAC contractors whether they hire helpers or take apprentices. Showing up in person with a short note about your interest can open doors.
  • Learn to read blueprints and work with basic measurements. These skills show employers you can handle the layout work that sheet metal jobs depend on.
  • Take a basic safety course, such as an OSHA 10-hour card, when you can. It is a useful credential that shows you take job-site safety seriously.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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