Skilled Wages

Sheet metal worker salary in Alabama

Median $22.85 an hour for 1,450 sheet metal workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$22.85/hrMedian hourly wageAlabama, May data
$47,530/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$17.07 – $34.2610th to 90th percentilehourly range
1,450Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Sheet metal worker pay in Alabama: the full range

Wage percentiles, AlabamaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrAlabama: 10th $17.07 · 25th $20.33 · median $22.85 · 75th $28.21 · 90th $34.26Alabama$22.85$17.07$34.26United States: 10th $18.57 · 25th $22.99 · median $29.71 · 75th $39.24 · 90th $50.79United States$29.71
Hourly wage percentiles for sheet metal workers: Alabama vs United States, May 2025.

Alabama ranks 47th of 50 states for median sheet metal worker pay, and 43rd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $25.73). 1,450 sheet metal workers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$17.07 – $20.33$35,510 – $42,290roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$20.33 – $28.21$42,290 – $58,670the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$28.21 – $34.26$58,670 – $71,270the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Sheet metal worker pay by metro in Alabama

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrHuntsville: $24.74Huntsville$24.74Montgomery: $24.63Montgomery$24.63Daphne: $23.42Daphne$23.42Tuscaloosa: $23.14Tuscaloosa$23.14Birmingham: $23.12Birmingham$23.12Decatur: $22.57Decatur$22.57Dothan: $21.97Dothan$21.97Columbus: $21.49Columbus$21.49
Median hourly wage for sheet metal workers by metro area in Alabama, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Huntsville$20.83$24.74$41.491408% above
Montgomery$17.72$24.63$38.01808% above
Daphne$16.27$23.42$36.44602% above
Tuscaloosa$20.03$23.14$35.30301% above
Birmingham$17.07$23.12$34.265301% above
Decatur$17.17$22.57$28.31501% below
Dothan$16.41$21.97$29.61304% below
Columbus$17.17$21.49$30.61406% below

Sheet metal worker wages in Alabama over time

Alabama, 1999-2025AlabamaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$0$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$29.71United States$22.85Alabama
Median hourly wage for sheet metal workers, Alabama vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearAlabama $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$11.65$22.51$14.095,660
2000$12.57$23.50$15.314,380
2001$12.32$22.40$15.973,870
2002$13.24$23.69$16.623,560
2003$12.44$21.77$16.833,490
2004$12.49$21.29$17.093,600
2005$13.75$22.67$17.503,670
2006$14.35$22.92$17.963,430
2007$15.19$23.59$18.853,330
2008$15.46$23.12$19.373,030
2009$15.46$23.20$19.542,840
2010$15.84$23.39$20.052,610
2011$15.97$22.86$20.552,150
2012$15.98$22.41$20.811,620
2013$17.37$24.01$21.101,410
2014$16.91$23.00$21.671,460
2015$17.85$24.25$21.991,260
2016$17.53$23.51$22.571,190
2017$17.76$23.33$23.071,090
2018$18.02$23.10$23.301,260
2019$19.73$24.85$24.231,200
2020$19.44$24.18$24.701,250
2021$18.30$21.74$25.69—
2022$17.70$19.47$26.612,300
2023$19.47$20.57$28.261,530
2024$22.16$22.74$29.261,630
2025$22.85$22.85$29.711,450

In today's dollars, the median sheet metal worker wage in Alabama changed by -5.8% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for sheet metal workers in Alabama

On federally funded construction in Alabama, contractors must pay sheet metal workers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 20 of the 50 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $41.20 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $30.94). 30 of the 50 counties still use a survey rate dated 2017 or earlier (for example Autauga County at $16.16). The market median for the state is $22.85.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, ALAutauga: $16.16 (survey)Baldwin: $41.20 (union)Barbour: $30.94 (survey)Bibb: $32.17 (survey)Blount: $32.17 (survey)Bullock: $30.94 (survey)Butler: $30.94 (survey)Calhoun: $27.42 (survey)Chambers: —Cherokee: —Chilton: $32.17 (survey)Choctaw: $41.20 (union)Clarke: $41.20 (union)Clay: —Cleburne: —Coffee: $30.94 (survey)Colbert: $50.99 (union)Conecuh: $41.20 (union)Coosa: —Covington: $30.94 (survey)Crenshaw: $30.94 (survey)Cullman: —Dale: $30.94 (survey)Dallas: $41.20 (union)DeKalb: —Elmore: $16.16 (survey)Escambia: $41.20 (union)Etowah: $27.42 (survey)Fayette: —Franklin: —Geneva: $27.79 (survey)Greene: $41.20 (union)Hale: $31.96 (survey)Henry: $27.79 (survey)Houston: $27.79 (survey)Jackson: —Jefferson: $32.17 (survey)Lamar: —Lauderdale: $50.99 (union)Lawrence: $50.99 (union)Lee: $14.78 (survey)Limestone: $23.12 (survey)Lowndes: $16.16 (survey)Macon: $30.94 (survey)Madison: $23.12 (survey)Marengo: $41.20 (union)Marion: —Marshall: —Mobile: $41.20 (union)Monroe: $41.20 (union)Montgomery: $16.16 (survey)Morgan: $50.99 (union)Perry: $41.20 (union)Pickens: $31.96 (survey)Pike: $30.94 (survey)Randolph: —Russell: $50.99 (union)St. Clair: $32.17 (survey)Shelby: $32.17 (survey)Sumter: $41.20 (union)Talladega: —Tallapoosa: —Tuscaloosa: $50.99 (union)Walker: $32.17 (survey)Washington: $41.20 (union)Wilcox: $41.20 (union)Winston: —Union / prevailing package, $/hr$27.79$30.94$35.78$41.20n/asurvey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for sheet metal workers by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)Prevailing (survey)$0$20$40$60/hrRussell (Columbus): market median $21.49, prevailing (union) $50.99, gap +$29.50Russell (Columbus)+$29.50Lawrence (Decatur): market median $22.57, prevailing (union) $50.99, gap +$28.42Lawrence (Decatur)+$28.42Colbert (Alabama): market median $22.85, prevailing (union) $50.99, gap +$28.14Colbert (Alabama)+$28.14Tuscaloosa (Tuscaloosa): market median $23.14, prevailing (union) $50.99, gap +$27.85Tuscaloosa (Tuscaloosa)+$27.85Baldwin (Daphne): market median $23.42, prevailing (union) $41.20, gap +$17.78Baldwin (Daphne)+$17.78Bibb (Birmingham): market median $23.12, prevailing (survey) $32.17, gap +$9.05Bibb (Birmingham)+$9.05Geneva (Dothan): market median $21.97, prevailing (survey) $27.79, gap +$5.82Geneva (Dothan)+$5.82Limestone (Huntsville): market median $24.74, prevailing (survey) $23.12, gap −$1.62Limestone (Huntsville)−$1.62Autauga (Montgomery): market median $24.63, prevailing (survey) $16.16, gap −$8.47Autauga (Montgomery)−$8.47
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for sheet metal workers, metro counties in Alabama.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
ColbertUnion SHEE0048-005 2025-06-01$30.50$20.49$50.99AL20260100
LauderdaleUnion SHEE0048-005 2025-06-01$30.50$20.49$50.99AL20260100
LawrenceUnion SHEE0048-005 2025-06-01$30.50$20.49$50.99AL20260088
MorganUnion SHEE0048-005 2025-06-01$30.50$20.49$50.99AL20260094
RussellUnion SHEE0048-005 2025-06-01$30.50$20.49$50.99AL20260095
TuscaloosaUnion SHEE0048-005 2025-06-01$30.50$20.49$50.99AL20260098
BaldwinUnion SHEE0441-009 2023-07-01$27.22$13.98$41.20AL20260083
ChoctawUnion SHEE0441-008 2023-07-01$27.22$13.98$41.20AL20260080
ClarkeUnion SHEE0441-008 2023-07-01$27.22$13.98$41.20AL20260073
ConecuhUnion SHEE0441-008 2023-07-01$27.22$13.98$41.20AL20260080
DallasUnion SHEE0441-008 2023-07-01$27.22$13.98$41.20AL20260080
EscambiaUnion SHEE0441-008 2023-07-01$27.22$13.98$41.20AL20260080
GreeneUnion SHEE0441-008 2023-07-01$27.22$13.98$41.20AL20260080
MarengoUnion SHEE0441-008 2023-07-01$27.22$13.98$41.20AL20260080
MobileUnion SHEE0441-009 2023-07-01$27.22$13.98$41.20AL20260092

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Alabama prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Alabama?

113.4kConstruction jobsAlabama, 2026-08
+2.5%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202660k80k100k120k19901995200020052010201520202025113kAug 2026
Construction employment in Alabama (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Contractor pay by county

Average pay at plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors establishments by county (all employees, not just sheet metal workers), from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.

CountyEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Jefferson County3,486$82,619$1,589
Montgomery County942$80,917$1,556
Mobile County2,421$79,111$1,521
Shelby County1,098$77,131$1,483
Lauderdale County680$75,453$1,451
Morgan County687$74,931$1,441
Franklin County40$71,058$1,366
Madison County1,486$70,148$1,349
Limestone County512$69,230$1,331
Hale County122$68,934$1,326
Elmore County268$68,137$1,310
Cullman County362$64,152$1,234

Keep comparing

Sheet metal worker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Alabama

Questions this page answers

How much do sheet metal workers make in Alabama?

The median sheet metal worker in Alabama earned $22.85 an hour ($47,530 a year) in May 2025, 23% below the national median of $29.71. The middle half earn $20.33–$28.21; the top 10% earn more than $34.26.

Where does Alabama rank for sheet metal worker pay?

Alabama ranks 47th of 50 states for sheet metal worker pay, with a median of $22.85 an hour, and 43rd after adjusting for Alabama's cost of living (BEA price parity 88.8, US = 100).

What is the union sheet metal worker rate in Alabama?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for sheet metal workers in 20 counties, with a typical package of $41.20 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many sheet metal workers work in Alabama?

BLS counted 1,450 sheet metal workers in Alabama in May 2025, 0.7 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.89; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Alabama and metro areas, SOC 47-2211.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.