Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for structural metal fabricators and fitterss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Washington$66,540
- Massachusetts$64,790
- Oregon$64,210
- Alaska$62,740
- Maine$62,410
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Arkansas$44,400
- Mississippi$44,460
- Florida$46,900
- Kansas$48,410
- Louisiana$48,650
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $66,540 | $61,850 | $32 | +23.2% | 1,050 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $64,790 | $62,040 | $31 | +19.9% | 690 |
| 3 | Oregon | $64,210 | $62,220 | $31 | +18.8% | 560 |
| 4 | Alaska | $62,740 | $63,420 | $30 | +16.1% | 70 |
| 5 | Maine | $62,410 | $64,760 | $30 | +15.5% | 770 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $59,530 | $58,760 | $29 | +10.2% | 500 |
| 7 | Virginia | $58,170 | $53,940 | $28 | +7.7% | 1,220 |
| 8 | California | $58,160 | $57,590 | $28 | +7.6% | 3,420 |
| 9 | Idaho | $58,010 | $58,140 | $28 | +7.4% | 320 |
| 10 | Indiana | $57,600 | $60,180 | $28 | +6.6% | 3,870 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $57,500 | $53,920 | $28 | +6.4% | 100 |
| 12 | Wyoming | $56,670 | $51,740 | $27 | +4.9% | 60 |
| 13 | New York | $55,970 | $55,080 | $27 | +3.6% | 2,040 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $55,790 | $55,650 | $27 | +3.3% | 1,540 |
| 15 | North Dakota | $55,360 | $54,430 | $27 | +2.5% | 140 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $55,090 | $56,310 | $26 | +2% | 1,810 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $55,080 | $56,210 | $26 | +1.9% | 640 |
| 18 | Illinois | $55,050 | $55,380 | $26 | +1.9% | 1,910 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $54,020 | $55,250 | $26 | +0% | 450 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $54,010 | $51,640 | $26 | +0% | 1,690 |
| 21 | Missouri | $53,980 | $53,610 | $26 | -0.1% | 550 |
| 22 | Iowa | $53,360 | $51,360 | $26 | -1.2% | 650 |
| 23 | Maryland | $53,240 | $50,110 | $26 | -1.5% | 620 |
| 24 | Colorado | $53,160 | $51,120 | $26 | -1.6% | 330 |
| 25 | Georgia | $53,130 | $50,010 | $26 | -1.7% | 560 |
| 26 | Alabama | $52,450 | $52,220 | $25 | -2.9% | 2,130 |
| 27 | Utah | $51,960 | $48,130 | $25 | -3.8% | 780 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $51,950 | $50,460 | $25 | -3.8% | 2,260 |
| 29 | Michigan | $51,830 | $47,950 | $25 | -4.1% | 1,270 |
| 30 | Nevada | $51,800 | $39,570 | $25 | -4.1% | 150 |
| 31 | Ohio | $51,700 | $52,300 | $25 | -4.3% | 1,090 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $51,680 | $50,380 | $25 | -4.3% | 710 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $51,310 | $48,700 | $25 | -5% | 240 |
| 34 | Texas | $51,240 | $48,490 | $25 | -5.2% | 4,440 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $50,680 | $50,800 | $24 | -6.2% | 180 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $50,670 | $48,990 | $24 | -6.2% | 1,070 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $50,530 | $48,820 | $24 | -6.5% | 580 |
| 38 | West Virginia | $50,300 | $46,880 | $24 | -6.9% | 180 |
| 39 | Arizona | $49,570 | $48,150 | $24 | -8.3% | 940 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $49,320 | $46,910 | $24 | -8.7% | 1,020 |
| 41 | Hawaii | $48,970 | $43,750 | $24 | -9.4% | 60 |
| 42 | Delaware | $48,710 | $46,940 | $23 | -9.8% | 110 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $48,650 | $49,120 | $23 | -10% | 2,520 |
| 44 | Kansas | $48,410 | $47,840 | $23 | -10.4% | 620 |
| 45 | Florida | $46,900 | $46,880 | $23 | -13.2% | 2,950 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $44,460 | $42,550 | $21 | -17.7% | 700 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $44,400 | $41,260 | $21 | -17.8% | 640 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 228 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $75,570 | $70,180 | 30 |
| 2 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $68,350 | $64,830 | 690 |
| 3 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $68,280 | $62,340 | 2,290 |
| 4 | Mobile, AL | $66,820 | $59,940 | 780 |
| 5 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $66,110 | $62,440 | 70 |
| 6 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $65,980 | $69,660 | 520 |
| 7 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $65,850 | $60,860 | 60 |
| 8 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $65,500 | $69,440 | 230 |
| 9 | Albany, OR | $65,420 | $71,610 | 50 |
| 10 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $64,760 | $65,150 | 590 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing structural metal fabricators and fitterss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Poured Concrete Foundation and Structure Contractors | $72,510 | $72,000 | — |
| 2 | Engineering Services | $70,910 | $68,770 | 250 |
| 3 | Support Activities for Water Transportation | $68,700 | $72,800 | — |
| 4 | Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | $66,090 | $66,690 | 260 |
| 5 | Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | $64,850 | $61,140 | 40 |
| 6 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $64,690 | $66,770 | 370 |
| 7 | Sector 54 - Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $64,690 | $66,770 | 370 |
| 8 | Automotive Repair and Maintenance | $64,420 | $70,680 | — |
| 9 | Automotive Body, Paint, Interior, and Glass Repair | $64,420 | $69,440 | — |
| 10 | Ship and Boat Building | $64,180 | $62,050 | 5,100 |
| 11 | Food Manufacturing | $61,680 | $64,700 | 30 |
| 12 | Other Building Equipment Contractors | $61,600 | $60,140 | — |
Workforce Deep-Dive
Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.
Annual wage distribution
Pay by age band
Education level
Full-time vs part-time
Race / ethnicity
Top fields of study
Top Skills
Most important skills for this role (O*NET importance, 1–5 scale).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do structural metal fabricators and fitters make in the U.S.?
The median structural metal fabricators and fitters salary in the United States is $51,330 per year (mean $54,030), and about 80% earn between $37,960 and $72,280.
How much do structural metal fabricators and fitters make per hour?
Roughly $26 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $54,030 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays structural metal fabricators and fitters the most?
Washington has the highest average pay for structural metal fabricators and fitters at $66,540 per year (median $61,850).
What is the job outlook for structural metal fabricators and fitters?
Employment is projected to change -16.3% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 4,100 openings per year.