Skilled Wages

Sheet metal worker salary in Indiana

Median $30.79 an hour for 4,580 sheet metal workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$30.79/hrMedian hourly wageIndiana, May data
$64,040/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$20.49 – $50.0410th to 90th percentilehourly range
4,580Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-13

Sheet metal worker pay in Indiana: the full range

Wage percentiles, IndianaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrIndiana: 10th $20.49 · 25th $23.47 · median $30.79 · 75th $43.81 · 90th $50.04Indiana$30.79$20.49$50.04United 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: Indiana vs United States, May 2025.

Indiana ranks 21st of 50 states for median sheet metal worker pay, and 20th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $33.00). 4,580 sheet metal workers work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.4× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$20.49 – $23.47$42,620 – $48,820roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$23.47 – $43.81$48,820 – $91,130the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$43.81 – $50.04$91,130 – $104,080the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Sheet metal worker pay by metro in Indiana

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrChicago: $45.82Chicago$45.82Michigan City: $44.88Michigan City$44.88South Bend: $39.07South Bend$39.07Terre Haute: $36.44Terre Haute$36.44Evansville: $35.64Evansville$35.64Cincinnati: $35.43Cincinnati$35.43Indianapolis: $31.66Indianapolis$31.66Columbus: $31.25Columbus$31.25Lafayette: $30.24Lafayette$30.24Fort Wayne: $29.53Fort Wayne$29.53Elkhart: $29.49Elkhart$29.49Louisville: $29.33Louisville$29.33
Median hourly wage for sheet metal workers by metro area in Indiana, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Chicago$20.30$45.82$44.23$58.812,43049% above
Michigan City$21.03$44.88$48.94$50.025046% above
South Bend$21.61$39.07$42.06$50.0212027% above
Terre Haute$17.73$36.44$41.50$47.398018% above
Evansville$21.41$35.64$38.95$44.8512016% above
Cincinnati$19.89$35.43$37.14$46.4291015% above
Indianapolis$22.29$31.66$33.08$47.121,4803% above
Columbus$20.95$31.25$33.60$43.32501% above
Lafayette$20.62$30.24$32.38$49.331402% below
Fort Wayne$21.55$29.53$31.89$43.53—4% below
Elkhart$12.12$29.49$32.66$48.836504% below
Louisville$22.13$29.33$31.50$44.479705% below
Muncie$21.11$26.58$30.17$44.024014% below

Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).

Sheet metal worker wages in Indiana over time

Indiana, 1999-2025IndianaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$30.79Indiana$29.71United States
Median hourly wage for sheet metal workers, Indiana vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearIndiana $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$14.43$27.88$14.097,340
2000$16.06$30.03$15.316,440
2001$17.67$32.12$15.976,180
2002$18.56$33.21$16.626,710
2003$20.20$35.34$16.836,110
2004$21.02$35.82$17.096,880
2005$19.40$31.98$17.505,100
2006$19.18$30.63$17.965,210
2007$19.51$30.29$18.855,160
2008$20.16$30.15$19.374,510
2009$21.38$32.08$19.543,270
2010$24.25$35.80$20.052,550
2011$24.74$35.41$20.552,730
2012$24.02$33.68$20.813,180
2013$25.64$35.43$21.103,490
2014$24.86$33.81$21.673,460
2015$23.07$31.34$21.994,120
2016$22.22$29.81$22.574,060
2017$23.28$30.58$23.073,980
2018$25.21$32.32$23.304,480
2019$24.18$30.45$24.234,070
2020$25.69$31.96$24.704,030
2021$24.02$28.54$25.694,640
2022$29.51$32.46$26.614,180
2023$29.45$31.12$28.263,880
2024$28.65$29.40$29.263,570
2025$30.79$30.79$29.714,580

In today's dollars, the median sheet metal worker wage in Indiana changed by -1.7% over the last ten years of data and by +1.1% since 2019.

Are there more sheet metal worker jobs in Indiana?

+12.5%Jobs since 20194,070 then, 4,580 in 2025
+11.2%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
1.4Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.9× the US share, 4th of 50 states

Since 1999, the number of sheet metal workers counted in Indiana has changed by -37.6%, against -48.3% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +12.5%.

Sheet metal workers in Indiana vs United States, 1999 = 100IndianaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages2040608010012020002005201020152020202562Indiana52United States
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Indiana vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearIndiana jobsIndiana indexUS index
19997,340100100
20006,4408894
20016,1808490
20026,7109185
20036,1108382
20046,8809480
20055,1007075
20065,2107177
20075,1607072
20084,5106171
20093,2704563
20102,5503557
20112,7303756
20123,1804358
20133,4904858
20143,4604757
20154,1205658
20164,0605558
20173,9805457
20184,4806157
20194,0705557
20204,0305555
20214,6406353
20224,1805752
20233,8805350
20243,5704951
20254,5806252

Job counts are BLS OEWS survey estimates built from three years of samples, so moves of a few percent from one year to the next are within the survey's margin. Self-employed tradespeople are not counted. Areas with fewer than 3,000 jobs or a large sampling error are shown as a single figure rather than a trend.

Outlook for sheet metal workers in Indiana

+4.1%Projected growth in Indiana2024–2034, state agency
320Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
3,740Jobs in 20243,900 projected for 2034
+2.5%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Indiana's labor market agency projects the number of sheet metal workers in the state to change by +4.1% between 2024 and 2034, from 3,740 to 3,900, with about 320 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +2.5% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed and use a different base year, so they do not match the 4,580 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: Indiana labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).

Union scale and prevailing wage for sheet metal workers in Indiana

On federally funded construction in Indiana, contractors must pay sheet metal workers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 88 of the 92 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $74.88 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $20.27). 4 of the 92 counties still use a survey rate dated 1995 or earlier (for example Jefferson County at $12.87). The market median for the state is $30.79.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, INAdams: $74.90 (union)Allen: $74.90 (union)Bartholomew: $74.90 (union)Benton: $74.90 (union)Blackford: $74.90 (union)Boone: $74.90 (union)Brown: $72.38 (union)Carroll: $74.90 (union)Cass: $74.90 (union)Clark: $72.38 (union)Clay: $67.52 (union)Clinton: $74.90 (union)Crawford: $46.69 (union)Daviess: $67.52 (union)Dearborn: $72.38 (union)Decatur: $72.38 (union)DeKalb: $74.90 (union)Delaware: $74.90 (union)Dubois: $67.52 (union)Elkhart: $74.88 (union)Fayette: $72.38 (union)Floyd: $72.38 (union)Fountain: $74.90 (union)Franklin: $72.38 (union)Fulton: $74.90 (union)Gibson: $67.52 (union)Grant: $74.90 (union)Greene: $67.52 (union)Hamilton: $74.90 (union)Hancock: $74.90 (union)Harrison: $72.38 (union)Hendricks: $74.90 (union)Henry: $72.38 (union)Howard: $74.90 (union)Huntington: $74.90 (union)Jackson: $66.13 (union)Jasper: $74.88 (union)Jay: $74.90 (union)Jefferson: $12.87 (survey)Jennings: $72.38 (union)Johnson: $74.90 (union)Knox: $67.52 (union)Kosciusko: $74.88 (union)LaGrange: $74.88 (union)Lake: $84.37 (union)LaPorte: $84.37 (union)Lawrence: $66.13 (union)Madison: $74.90 (union)Marion: $74.90 (union)Marshall: $74.88 (union)Martin: $67.52 (union)Miami: $74.90 (union)Monroe: $74.90 (union)Montgomery: $74.90 (union)Morgan: $74.90 (union)Newton: $74.88 (union)Noble: $74.90 (union)Ohio: $72.38 (union)Orange: $27.67 (survey)Owen: $67.52 (union)Parke: $67.52 (union)Perry: $46.69 (union)Pike: $67.52 (union)Porter: $84.37 (union)Posey: $67.52 (union)Pulaski: $74.88 (union)Putnam: $67.52 (union)Randolph: $72.38 (union)Ripley: $72.38 (union)Rush: $72.38 (union)St. Joseph: $84.37 (union)Scott: $12.87 (survey)Shelby: $74.90 (union)Spencer: $67.52 (union)Starke: $74.88 (union)Steuben: $74.90 (union)Sullivan: $67.52 (union)Switzerland: $72.38 (union)Tippecanoe: $74.90 (union)Tipton: $74.90 (union)Union: $72.38 (union)Vanderburgh: $67.52 (union)Vermillion: $67.52 (union)Vigo: $67.52 (union)Wabash: $74.90 (union)Warren: $74.90 (union)Warrick: $67.52 (union)Washington: $27.67 (survey)Wayne: $72.38 (union)Wells: $74.90 (union)White: $74.90 (union)Whitley: $74.90 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$67.52$72.38$74.90survey 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/hrDelaware (Muncie): market median $26.58, prevailing (union) $74.90, gap +$48.32Delaware (Muncie)+$48.32Elkhart (Elkhart): market median $29.49, prevailing (union) $74.88, gap +$45.39Elkhart (Elkhart)+$45.39Allen (Fort Wayne): market median $29.53, prevailing (union) $74.90, gap +$45.37Allen (Fort Wayne)+$45.37St. Joseph (South Bend): market median $39.07, prevailing (union) $84.37, gap +$45.30St. Joseph (South Bend)+$45.30Benton (Lafayette): market median $30.24, prevailing (union) $74.90, gap +$44.66Benton (Lafayette)+$44.66Howard (Indiana): market median $30.79, prevailing (union) $74.90, gap +$44.11Howard (Indiana)+$44.11Bartholomew (Columbus): market median $31.25, prevailing (union) $74.90, gap +$43.65Bartholomew (Columbus)+$43.65Boone (Indianapolis): market median $31.66, prevailing (union) $74.90, gap +$43.24Boone (Indianapolis)+$43.24Clark (Louisville): market median $29.33, prevailing (union) $72.38, gap +$43.05Clark (Louisville)+$43.05LaPorte (Michigan City): market median $44.88, prevailing (union) $84.37, gap +$39.49LaPorte (Michigan City)+$39.49Lake (Chicago): market median $45.82, prevailing (union) $84.37, gap +$38.55Lake (Chicago)+$38.55Dearborn (Cincinnati): market median $35.43, prevailing (union) $72.38, gap +$36.95Dearborn (Cincinnati)+$36.95Posey (Evansville): market median $35.64, prevailing (union) $67.52, gap +$31.88Posey (Evansville)+$31.88Clay (Terre Haute): market median $36.44, prevailing (union) $67.52, gap +$31.08Clay (Terre Haute)+$31.08
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for sheet metal workers, metro counties in Indiana.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
LakeUnion SHEE0020-015 2025-10-01$52.96$31.41$84.37IN20260001
LaPorteUnion SHEE0020-015 2025-10-01$52.96$31.41$84.37IN20260001
PorterUnion SHEE0020-015 2025-10-01$52.96$31.41$84.37IN20260001
St. JosephUnion SHEE0020-015 2025-10-01$52.96$31.41$84.37IN20260001
AdamsUnion SHEE0020-016 2025-07-01$44.45$30.45$74.90IN20260002
AllenUnion SHEE0020-016 2025-07-01$44.45$30.45$74.90IN20260002
BartholomewUnion SHEE0020-016 2025-07-01$44.45$30.45$74.90IN20260002
BentonUnion SHEE0020-016 2025-07-01$44.45$30.45$74.90IN20260002
BlackfordUnion SHEE0020-016 2025-07-01$44.45$30.45$74.90IN20260002
BooneUnion SHEE0020-016 2025-07-01$44.45$30.45$74.90IN20260002
CarrollUnion SHEE0020-016 2025-07-01$44.45$30.45$74.90IN20260002
CassUnion SHEE0020-016 2025-07-01$44.45$30.45$74.90IN20260002
ClintonUnion SHEE0020-016 2025-07-01$44.45$30.45$74.90IN20260002
DeKalbUnion SHEE0020-016 2025-07-01$44.45$30.45$74.90IN20260002
DelawareUnion SHEE0020-016 2025-07-01$44.45$30.45$74.90IN20260002

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Indiana prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Indiana?

185.6kConstruction jobsIndiana, 2026-09
+2.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025186kSep 2026
Construction employment in Indiana (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. Across the 87 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 77,698 in 2015 to 107,611 in 2025, +38.5%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Allen County1353,190$99,648$1,916
Cass County12472$97,002$1,865
Vigo County28560$94,399$1,815
Marion County2706,858$90,649$1,743
Lake County1641,918$88,982$1,711
Hamilton County871,335$87,929$1,691
Whitley County13142$86,191$1,658
Howard County30553$86,075$1,655
LaPorte County38359$84,334$1,622
Monroe County331,075$83,662$1,609
Johnson County872,026$82,856$1,593
Montgomery County14133$80,972$1,557

Keep comparing

Sheet metal worker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Indiana

More on Indiana

Questions this page answers

How much do sheet metal workers make in Indiana?

The median sheet metal worker in Indiana earned $30.79 an hour ($64,040 a year) in May 2025, 4% above the national median of $29.71. The middle half earn $23.47–$43.81; the top 10% earn more than $50.04.

Where does Indiana rank for sheet metal worker pay?

Indiana ranks 21st of 50 states for sheet metal worker pay, with a median of $30.79 an hour, and 20th after adjusting for Indiana's cost of living (BEA price parity 93.3, US = 100).

What is the union sheet metal worker rate in Indiana?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for sheet metal workers in 88 counties, with a typical package of $74.88 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many sheet metal workers work in Indiana?

BLS counted 4,580 sheet metal workers in Indiana in May 2025, 1.4 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.86; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is sheet metal worker work growing in Indiana?

The BLS employer survey count of sheet metal workers in Indiana went from 4,120 in 2015 to 4,580 in 2025, +11.2%, and +12.5% since 2019. Indiana's labor market agency projects +4.1% growth for sheet metal workers between 2024 and 2034, from 3,740 to 3,900 jobs.

How many sheet metal worker openings a year are there in Indiana?

Indiana projects about 320 openings a year for sheet metal workers over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 9,800 a year.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Indiana and metro areas, SOC 47-2211. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: Indiana labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.