Skilled Wages

Sheet metal worker salary in Massachusetts

Median $39.47 an hour for 2,890 sheet metal workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$39.47/hrMedian hourly wageMassachusetts, May data
$82,100/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$22.33 – $58.2010th to 90th percentilehourly range
2,890Jobs countedemployer survey

Sheet metal worker pay in Massachusetts: the full range

Wage percentiles, MassachusettsMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60$80/hrMassachusetts: 10th $22.33 · 25th $25.37 · median $39.47 · 75th $44.54 · 90th $58.20Massachusetts$39.47$22.33$58.20United 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: Massachusetts vs United States, May 2025.

Massachusetts ranks 6th of 50 states for median sheet metal worker pay, and 9th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $37.31). 2,890 sheet metal workers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$22.33 – $25.37$46,440 – $52,760roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$25.37 – $44.54$52,760 – $92,630the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$44.54 – $58.20$92,630 – $121,050the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Sheet metal worker pay by metro in Massachusetts

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrBoston: $39.69Boston$39.69Worcester: $37.42Worcester$37.42Springfield: $36.82Springfield$36.82Amherst: $36.07Amherst$36.07Providence: $31.30Providence$31.30Pittsfield: $28.92Pittsfield$28.92
Median hourly wage for sheet metal workers by metro area in Massachusetts, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Boston$20.77$39.69$58.202,3301% above
Worcester$21.48$37.42$52.872905% below
Springfield$22.37$36.82$49.582007% below
Amherst$18.16$36.07$53.79309% below
Providence$20.51$31.30$39.4252021% below
Pittsfield$17.76$28.92$36.975027% below

Sheet metal worker wages in Massachusetts over time

Massachusetts, 1999-2025MassachusettsUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40$50200020052010201520202025$39.47Massachusetts$29.71United States
Median hourly wage for sheet metal workers, Massachusetts vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearMassachusetts $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$18.11$35.00$14.093,420
2000$19.71$36.85$15.315,480
2001$19.69$35.79$15.975,030
2002$21.21$37.96$16.624,370
2003$21.85$38.23$16.834,290
2004$21.06$35.89$17.093,790
2005$20.36$33.56$17.503,570
2006$22.00$35.13$17.964,210
2007$25.09$38.96$18.853,700
2008$25.09$37.52$19.372,980
2009$25.89$38.85$19.542,250
2010$23.85$35.21$20.051,770
2011$25.16$36.01$20.551,790
2012$27.43$38.46$20.812,180
2013$27.64$38.20$21.102,140
2014$27.32$37.15$21.672,390
2015$26.10$35.45$21.992,600
2016$30.34$40.70$22.573,990
2017$32.81$43.09$23.074,380
2018$29.87$38.30$23.303,830
2019$29.73$37.44$24.233,010
2020$31.29$38.92$24.702,370
2021$35.94$42.70$25.692,820
2022$34.74$38.22$26.612,130
2023$35.54$37.55$28.26—
2024$38.10$39.10$29.26—
2025$39.47$39.47$29.712,890

In today's dollars, the median sheet metal worker wage in Massachusetts changed by +11.3% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for sheet metal workers in Massachusetts

On federally funded construction in Massachusetts, contractors must pay sheet metal workers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 14 of the 14 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $82.09 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $39.47.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, MABarnstable: $82.09 (union)Berkshire: $79.94 (union)Bristol: $82.09 (union)Dukes: $82.09 (union)Essex: $82.09 (union)Franklin: $79.94 (union)Hampden: $79.94 (union)Hampshire: $79.94 (union)Middlesex: $82.09 (union)Nantucket: $82.09 (union)Norfolk: $82.09 (union)Plymouth: $108.78 (union)Suffolk: $82.09 (union)Worcester: $79.94 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$82.09
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)$0$25$50$75$100$125/hrPlymouth (Boston): market median $39.69, prevailing (union) $108.78, gap +$69.09Plymouth (Boston)+$69.09Berkshire (Pittsfield): market median $28.92, prevailing (union) $79.94, gap +$51.02Berkshire (Pittsfield)+$51.02Bristol (Providence): market median $31.30, prevailing (union) $82.09, gap +$50.79Bristol (Providence)+$50.79Hampshire (Amherst): market median $36.07, prevailing (union) $79.94, gap +$43.87Hampshire (Amherst)+$43.87Hampden (Springfield): market median $36.82, prevailing (union) $79.94, gap +$43.12Hampden (Springfield)+$43.12Barnstable (Massachusetts): market median $39.47, prevailing (union) $82.09, gap +$42.62Barnstable (Massachusetts)+$42.62Worcester (Worcester): market median $37.42, prevailing (union) $79.94, gap +$42.52Worcester (Worcester)+$42.52
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for sheet metal workers, metro counties in Massachusetts.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
PlymouthUnion SHEE0017-005 2025-04-01$60.00$48.78$108.78MA20260012
BarnstableUnion SHEE0017-007 2025-10-01$43.60$38.49$82.09MA20260001
BristolUnion SHEE0017-007 2025-10-01$43.60$38.49$82.09MA20260001
DukesUnion SHEE0017-007 2025-10-01$43.60$38.49$82.09MA20260001
EssexUnion SHEE0017-007 2025-10-01$43.60$38.49$82.09MA20260001
MiddlesexUnion SHEE0017-007 2025-10-01$43.60$38.49$82.09MA20260001
NantucketUnion SHEE0017-007 2025-10-01$43.60$38.49$82.09MA20260001
NorfolkUnion SHEE0017-007 2025-10-01$43.60$38.49$82.09MA20260001
SuffolkUnion SHEE0017-007 2025-10-01$43.60$38.49$82.09MA20260001
BerkshireUnion SHEE0063-001 2025-07-01$43.48$36.46$79.94MA20260003
FranklinUnion SHEE0063-001 2025-07-01$43.48$36.46$79.94MA20260003
HampdenUnion SHEE0063-001 2025-07-01$43.48$36.46$79.94MA20260003
HampshireUnion SHEE0063-001 2025-07-01$43.48$36.46$79.94MA20260003
WorcesterUnion SHEE0063-006 2025-07-01$43.48$36.46$79.94MA20260013

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

Is construction work growing in Massachusetts?

175.5kConstruction jobsMassachusetts, 2026-08
+2.0%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025176kAug 2026
Construction employment in Massachusetts (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
Suffolk County873$124,727$2,399
Norfolk County5,011$115,749$2,226
Plymouth County3,249$111,529$2,145
Middlesex County9,174$105,830$2,035
Essex County3,027$97,880$1,882
Worcester County3,128$94,351$1,814
Hampden County1,586$93,316$1,795
Bristol County2,282$87,318$1,679
Berkshire County564$82,964$1,595
Barnstable County1,516$81,810$1,573

Keep comparing

Sheet metal worker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Massachusetts

Questions this page answers

How much do sheet metal workers make in Massachusetts?

The median sheet metal worker in Massachusetts earned $39.47 an hour ($82,100 a year) in May 2025, 33% above the national median of $29.71. The middle half earn $25.37–$44.54; the top 10% earn more than $58.20.

Where does Massachusetts rank for sheet metal worker pay?

Massachusetts ranks 6th of 50 states for sheet metal worker pay, with a median of $39.47 an hour, and 9th after adjusting for Massachusetts's cost of living (BEA price parity 105.8, US = 100).

What is the union sheet metal worker rate in Massachusetts?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for sheet metal workers in 14 counties, with a typical package of $82.09 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many sheet metal workers work in Massachusetts?

BLS counted 2,890 sheet metal workers in Massachusetts in May 2025, 0.8 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.03; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

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