Skilled Wages

Sheet metal worker salary in California

Median $36.82 an hour for 8,390 sheet metal workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$36.82/hrMedian hourly wageCalifornia, May data
$76,590/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$22.79 – $63.5510th to 90th percentilehourly range
8,390Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Sheet metal worker pay in California: the full range

Wage percentiles, CaliforniaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60$80/hrCalifornia: 10th $22.79 · 25th $28.47 · median $36.82 · 75th $51.62 · 90th $63.55California$36.82$22.79$63.55United 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: California vs United States, May 2025.

California ranks 9th of 50 states for median sheet metal worker pay, and 19th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $33.26). 8,390 sheet metal workers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$22.79 – $28.47$47,410 – $59,220roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$28.47 – $51.62$59,220 – $107,360the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$51.62 – $63.55$107,360 – $132,190the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Sheet metal worker pay by metro in California

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrSan Jose: $52.54San Jose$52.54San Francisco: $49.35San Francisco$49.35Salinas: $40.13Salinas$40.13San Diego: $38.50San Diego$38.50Visalia: $38.42Visalia$38.42Hanford: $36.88Hanford$36.88Sacramento: $35.97Sacramento$35.97Bakersfield: $35.91Bakersfield$35.91Santa Rosa: $35.79Santa Rosa$35.79Fresno: $35.51Fresno$35.51Los Angeles: $34.96Los Angeles$34.96Modesto: $34.07Modesto$34.07
Median hourly wage for sheet metal workers by metro area in California, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
San Jose$26.35$52.54$74.7575043% above
San Francisco$26.71$49.35$74.4288034% above
Salinas$25.05$40.13$65.29609% above
San Diego$22.81$38.50$60.841,4805% above
Visalia$21.21$38.42$60.051004% above
Hanford$28.97$36.88$47.9240about the same as
Sacramento$22.90$35.97$62.415802% below
Bakersfield$21.77$35.91$54.671702% below
Santa Rosa$23.65$35.79$77.651103% below
Fresno$21.69$35.51$61.712004% below
Los Angeles$22.70$34.96$62.122,4405% below
Modesto$22.51$34.07$62.11807% below
Santa Maria$22.54$33.86$63.97908% below
Stockton$21.89$33.22$61.247010% below
Riverside$21.57$33.07$60.5875010% below
Vallejo$23.70$31.61$45.7212014% below
Oxnard$22.36$30.06$61.8312018% below

Sheet metal worker wages in California over time

California, 1999-2025CaliforniaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40$50200020052010201520202025$36.82California$29.71United States
Median hourly wage for sheet metal workers, California vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearCalifornia $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$14.32$27.67$14.0919,720
2000$16.22$30.32$15.3120,320
2001$17.98$32.69$15.9721,010
2002$18.54$33.18$16.6221,180
2003$18.83$32.95$16.8320,330
2004$19.91$33.93$17.0920,010
2005$21.24$35.01$17.5017,370
2006$20.93$33.42$17.9617,690
2007$22.06$34.25$18.8516,490
2008$23.33$34.89$19.3715,810
2009$24.52$36.80$19.5413,220
2010$26.13$38.58$20.0512,600
2011$25.84$36.98$20.5511,300
2012$25.71$36.05$20.8112,190
2013$25.97$35.89$21.1012,870
2014$26.61$36.19$21.6713,300
2015$27.02$36.70$21.9912,880
2016$26.83$35.99$22.5713,050
2017$26.16$34.36$23.0711,680
2018$25.77$33.04$23.3011,720
2019$27.72$34.91$24.2312,410
2020$29.34$36.50$24.7012,600
2021$30.54$36.28$25.6912,530
2022$36.59$40.25$26.6111,310
2023$36.95$39.04$28.2610,280
2024$38.28$39.29$29.269,180
2025$36.82$36.82$29.718,390

In today's dollars, the median sheet metal worker wage in California changed by +0.3% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for sheet metal workers in California

On federally funded construction in California, contractors must pay sheet metal workers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 53 of the 58 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $91.19 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $34.34). 5 of the 58 counties still use a survey rate dated 1985 or earlier (for example Amador County at $25.63). The market median for the state is $36.82.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, CAAlameda: $89.34 (union)Alpine: $95.59 (union)Amador: $25.63 (survey)Butte: $95.59 (union)Calaveras: $89.34 (union)Colusa: $95.59 (union)Contra Costa: $89.34 (union)Del Norte: $34.34 (survey)El Dorado: $95.59 (union)Fresno: $89.34 (union)Glenn: $95.59 (union)Humboldt: $34.34 (survey)Imperial: $82.37 (union)Inyo: $89.74 (union)Kern: $89.74 (union)Kings: $89.34 (union)Lake: $34.34 (survey)Lassen: $95.59 (union)Los Angeles: $46.20 (union)Madera: $89.34 (union)Marin: $95.59 (union)Mariposa: $89.34 (union)Mendocino: $34.34 (survey)Merced: $89.34 (union)Modoc: $95.59 (union)Mono: $89.74 (union)Monterey: $89.34 (union)Napa: $95.59 (union)Nevada: $95.59 (union)Orange: $89.74 (union)Placer: $95.59 (union)Plumas: $95.59 (union)Riverside: $89.74 (union)Sacramento: $95.59 (union)San Benito: $89.34 (union)San Bernardino: $89.74 (union)San Diego: $84.37 (union)San Francisco: $89.34 (union)San Joaquin: $89.34 (union)San Luis Obispo: $91.19 (union)San Mateo: $89.34 (union)Santa Barbara: $91.19 (union)Santa Clara: $89.34 (union)Santa Cruz: $89.34 (union)Shasta: $95.59 (union)Sierra: $95.59 (union)Siskiyou: $95.59 (union)Solano: $95.59 (union)Sonoma: $95.59 (union)Stanislaus: $89.34 (union)Sutter: $95.59 (union)Tehama: $95.59 (union)Trinity: $95.59 (union)Tulare: $96.88 (union)Tuolumne: $89.34 (union)Ventura: $91.19 (union)Yolo: $95.59 (union)Yuba: $95.59 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$89.34$95.59survey 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)$20$40$60$80$100$120/hrSolano (Vallejo): market median $31.61, prevailing (union) $95.59, gap +$63.98Solano (Vallejo)+$63.98Ventura (Oxnard): market median $30.06, prevailing (union) $91.19, gap +$61.13Ventura (Oxnard)+$61.13Sonoma (Santa Rosa): market median $35.79, prevailing (union) $95.59, gap +$59.80Sonoma (Santa Rosa)+$59.80El Dorado (Sacramento): market median $35.97, prevailing (union) $95.59, gap +$59.62El Dorado (Sacramento)+$59.62Butte (California): market median $36.82, prevailing (union) $95.59, gap +$58.77Butte (California)+$58.77Tulare (Visalia): market median $38.42, prevailing (union) $96.88, gap +$58.46Tulare (Visalia)+$58.46Santa Barbara (Santa Maria): market median $33.86, prevailing (union) $91.19, gap +$57.33Santa Barbara (Santa Maria)+$57.33Riverside (Riverside): market median $33.07, prevailing (union) $89.74, gap +$56.67Riverside (Riverside)+$56.67San Joaquin (Stockton): market median $33.22, prevailing (union) $89.34, gap +$56.12San Joaquin (Stockton)+$56.12Stanislaus (Modesto): market median $34.07, prevailing (union) $89.34, gap +$55.27Stanislaus (Modesto)+$55.27Orange (Los Angeles): market median $34.96, prevailing (union) $89.74, gap +$54.78Orange (Los Angeles)+$54.78Fresno (Fresno): market median $35.51, prevailing (union) $89.34, gap +$53.83Fresno (Fresno)+$53.83Kern (Bakersfield): market median $35.91, prevailing (union) $89.74, gap +$53.83Kern (Bakersfield)+$53.83Kings (Hanford): market median $36.88, prevailing (union) $89.34, gap +$52.46Kings (Hanford)+$52.46Monterey (Salinas): market median $40.13, prevailing (union) $89.34, gap +$49.21Monterey (Salinas)+$49.21Marin (San Francisco): market median $49.35, prevailing (union) $95.59, gap +$46.24Marin (San Francisco)+$46.24San Diego (San Diego): market median $38.50, prevailing (union) $84.37, gap +$45.87San Diego (San Diego)+$45.87San Benito (San Jose): market median $52.54, prevailing (union) $89.34, gap +$36.80San Benito (San Jose)+$36.80
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for sheet metal workers, metro counties in California.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
TulareUnion SHEE0104-008 2026-06-29$54.49$42.39$96.88CA20260016
AlpineUnion SHEE0104-010 2026-06-29$56.96$38.63$95.59CA20260007
ButteUnion SHEE0104-010 2026-06-29$56.96$38.63$95.59CA20260007
ColusaUnion SHEE0104-010 2026-06-29$56.96$38.63$95.59CA20260007
El DoradoUnion SHEE0104-010 2026-06-29$56.96$38.63$95.59CA20260007
GlennUnion SHEE0104-010 2026-06-29$56.96$38.63$95.59CA20260007
LassenUnion SHEE0104-010 2026-06-29$56.96$38.63$95.59CA20260007
MarinUnion SHEE0104-010 2026-06-29$56.96$38.63$95.59CA20260007
ModocUnion SHEE0104-010 2026-06-29$56.96$38.63$95.59CA20260007
NapaUnion SHEE0104-010 2026-06-29$56.96$38.63$95.59CA20260007
NevadaUnion SHEE0104-010 2026-06-29$56.96$38.63$95.59CA20260007
PlacerUnion SHEE0104-010 2026-06-29$56.96$38.63$95.59CA20260007
PlumasUnion SHEE0104-010 2026-06-29$56.96$38.63$95.59CA20260007
SacramentoUnion SHEE0104-010 2026-06-29$56.96$38.63$95.59CA20260007
ShastaUnion SHEE0104-010 2026-06-29$56.96$38.63$95.59CA20260007

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

Is construction work growing in California?

898.7kConstruction jobsCalifornia, 2026-08
-1.4%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026200k400k600k800k1,000k1,200k19901995200020052010201520202025899kAug 2026
Construction employment in California (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
San Francisco County1,646$129,468$2,490
Alameda County7,792$118,700$2,283
Santa Clara County7,833$118,066$2,271
San Mateo County2,454$111,096$2,136
Contra Costa County3,535$104,357$2,007
Orange County15,786$98,548$1,895
Sonoma County2,094$93,066$1,790
Inyo County52$89,882$1,728
Sacramento County6,629$89,749$1,726
San Diego County13,107$87,605$1,685
Placer County2,787$86,152$1,657
Tulare County1,662$83,474$1,605

Keep comparing

Sheet metal worker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in California

Questions this page answers

How much do sheet metal workers make in California?

The median sheet metal worker in California earned $36.82 an hour ($76,590 a year) in May 2025, 24% above the national median of $29.71. The middle half earn $28.47–$51.62; the top 10% earn more than $63.55.

Where does California rank for sheet metal worker pay?

California ranks 9th of 50 states for sheet metal worker pay, with a median of $36.82 an hour, and 19th after adjusting for California's cost of living (BEA price parity 110.7, US = 100).

What is the union sheet metal worker rate in California?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for sheet metal workers in 53 counties, with a typical package of $91.19 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many sheet metal workers work in California?

BLS counted 8,390 sheet metal workers in California in May 2025, 0.5 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.60; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, California 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.