SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Fabricate, position, align, and fit parts of structural metal products. Shipfitters are included in “Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic” (51-4192).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 51-2041.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $37,960 | $3,163 | $730 | $18.25 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $45,610 | $3,801 | $877 | $21.93 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $51,330 | $4,278 | $987 | $24.68 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $61,250 | $5,104 | $1,178 | $29.45 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $72,280 | $6,023 | $1,390 | $34.75 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters is $51,330, which is about the same. Among the 105 occupations of the field Production, it ranks number 31 by median pay. With 52,360 jobs, it makes up about 3.4 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters pay by state
The highest median pay was in Maine ($64,760), Alaska ($63,420) and Oregon ($62,220). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($29,320), Nevada ($39,570) and Arkansas ($41,260). The most jobs were in Texas (4,440), Indiana (3,870) and California (3,420). The occupation is most concentrated in Louisiana, where its share of all jobs is 3.9 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | 770 | $64,760 | $62,410 | $31.13 |
| Alaska | 70 | $63,420 | $62,740 | $30.49 |
| Oregon | 560 | $62,220 | $64,210 | $29.92 |
| Massachusetts | 690 | $62,040 | $64,790 | $29.83 |
| Washington | 1,050 | $61,850 | $66,540 | $29.74 |
| Indiana | 3,870 | $60,180 | $57,600 | $28.93 |
| Connecticut | 500 | $58,760 | $59,530 | $28.25 |
| Idaho | 320 | $58,140 | $58,010 | $27.95 |
| California | 3,420 | $57,590 | $58,160 | $27.69 |
| Wisconsin | 1,810 | $56,310 | $55,090 | $27.07 |
| Minnesota | 640 | $56,210 | $55,080 | $27.03 |
| New Jersey | 1,540 | $55,650 | $55,790 | $26.76 |
| Illinois | 1,910 | $55,380 | $55,050 | $26.63 |
| Kentucky | 450 | $55,250 | $54,020 | $26.56 |
| New York | 2,040 | $55,080 | $55,970 | $26.48 |
| North Dakota | 140 | $54,430 | $55,360 | $26.17 |
| Virginia | 1,220 | $53,940 | $58,170 | $25.93 |
| New Hampshire | 100 | $53,920 | $57,500 | $25.92 |
| Missouri | 550 | $53,610 | $53,980 | $25.77 |
| Ohio | 1,090 | $52,300 | $51,700 | $25.14 |
| Alabama | 2,130 | $52,220 | $52,450 | $25.11 |
| Wyoming | 60 | $51,740 | $56,670 | $24.88 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,690 | $51,640 | $54,010 | $24.83 |
| Iowa | 650 | $51,360 | $53,360 | $24.69 |
| Colorado | 330 | $51,120 | $53,160 | $24.58 |
| South Dakota | 180 | $50,800 | $50,680 | $24.42 |
| Tennessee | 2,260 | $50,460 | $51,950 | $24.26 |
| Oklahoma | 710 | $50,380 | $51,680 | $24.22 |
| Maryland | 620 | $50,110 | $53,240 | $24.09 |
| Georgia | 560 | $50,010 | $53,130 | $24.05 |
| Louisiana | 2,520 | $49,120 | $48,650 | $23.62 |
| North Carolina | 1,070 | $48,990 | $50,670 | $23.55 |
| Nebraska | 580 | $48,820 | $50,530 | $23.47 |
| New Mexico | 240 | $48,700 | $51,310 | $23.41 |
| Texas | 4,440 | $48,490 | $51,240 | $23.31 |
| Arizona | 940 | $48,150 | $49,570 | $23.15 |
| Utah | 780 | $48,130 | $51,960 | $23.14 |
| Michigan | 1,270 | $47,950 | $51,830 | $23.05 |
| Kansas | 620 | $47,840 | $48,410 | $23.00 |
| Delaware | 110 | $46,940 | $48,710 | $22.57 |
| South Carolina | 1,020 | $46,910 | $49,320 | $22.56 |
| Florida | 2,950 | $46,880 | $46,900 | $22.54 |
| West Virginia | 180 | $46,880 | $50,300 | $22.54 |
| Hawaii | 60 | $43,750 | $48,970 | $21.03 |
| Mississippi | 700 | $42,550 | $44,460 | $20.46 |
| Arkansas | 640 | $41,260 | $44,400 | $19.84 |
| Nevada | 150 | $39,570 | $51,800 | $19.03 |
| Puerto Rico | 40 | $29,320 | $29,170 | $14.10 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Pourers and Casters, Metal$51,810 a year
- Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$51,610 a year
- Semiconductor Processing Technicians$51,430 a year
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$50,690 a year
- Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,620 a year
- Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,270 a year
Common questions
How much do Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters earn in the United States?
The median pay was $51,330 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $37,960 and the highest-paid 10% more than $72,280.
How many people work as Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters?
About 52,360 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.