Skilled Wages

Sheet metal worker salary in Pennsylvania

Median $29.52 an hour for 3,260 sheet metal workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$29.52/hrMedian hourly wagePennsylvania, May data
$61,400/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$21.95 – $60.7810th to 90th percentilehourly range
3,260Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Sheet metal worker pay in Pennsylvania: the full range

Wage percentiles, PennsylvaniaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60$80/hrPennsylvania: 10th $21.95 · 25th $24.35 · median $29.52 · 75th $42.12 · 90th $60.78Pennsylvania$29.52$21.95$60.78United 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: Pennsylvania vs United States, May 2025.

Pennsylvania ranks 29th of 50 states for median sheet metal worker pay, and 30th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $30.25). 3,260 sheet metal workers work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.8× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$21.95 – $24.35$45,660 – $50,650roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$24.35 – $42.12$50,650 – $87,610the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$42.12 – $60.78$87,610 – $126,430the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Sheet metal worker pay by metro in Pennsylvania

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrPhiladelphia: $37.09Philadelphia$37.09Reading: $32.32Reading$32.32Erie: $31.59Erie$31.59Allentown: $31.40Allentown$31.40Scranton: $31.37Scranton$31.37Harrisburg: $30.57Harrisburg$30.57York: $29.02York$29.02Lancaster: $28.79Lancaster$28.79Lebanon: $28.61Lebanon$28.61Altoona: $28.19Altoona$28.19Pittsburgh: $27.91Pittsburgh$27.91
Median hourly wage for sheet metal workers by metro area in Pennsylvania, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Philadelphia$21.88$37.09$36.15$60.511,53026% above
Reading$22.74$32.32$33.29$62.621309% above
Erie$18.13$31.59$34.71$45.33707% above
Allentown$18.86$31.40$31.40$64.231906% above
Scranton$20.14$31.37$33.51$60.781406% above
Harrisburg$22.87$30.57$30.97$50.701804% above
York$21.71$29.02$30.23$43.881802% below
Lancaster$21.91$28.79$29.29$62.672202% below
Lebanon$19.17$28.61$30.70$55.49403% below
Altoona$21.67$28.19$31.50$37.74505% below
Pittsburgh$23.00$27.91$29.47$42.518705% below

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

Sheet metal worker wages in Pennsylvania over time

Pennsylvania, 1999-2025PennsylvaniaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$29.71United States$29.52Pennsylvania
Median hourly wage for sheet metal workers, Pennsylvania vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearPennsylvania $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$16.54$31.96$14.096,680
2000$17.58$32.87$15.317,120
2001$18.00$32.72$15.976,920
2002$18.37$32.87$16.627,020
2003$18.13$31.72$16.836,420
2004$19.30$32.89$17.095,750
2005$20.23$33.35$17.504,860
2006$21.30$34.01$17.965,380
2007$21.60$33.54$18.854,760
2008$22.91$34.26$19.375,560
2009$22.80$34.21$19.544,870
2010$22.21$32.79$20.053,990
2011$21.90$31.34$20.554,110
2012$22.42$31.44$20.815,000
2013$22.91$31.66$21.104,550
2014$25.55$34.75$21.674,600
2015$25.03$34.00$21.993,510
2016$25.33$33.98$22.574,220
2017$23.89$31.38$23.073,620
2018$25.89$33.19$23.303,270
2019$26.26$33.07$24.232,740
2020$27.49$34.20$24.702,700
2021$36.39$43.24$25.692,890
2022$31.11$34.22$26.612,390
2023$30.31$32.03$28.262,470
2024$33.29$34.17$29.262,340
2025$29.52$29.52$29.713,260

In today's dollars, the median sheet metal worker wage in Pennsylvania changed by -13.2% over the last ten years of data and by -10.7% since 2019.

Are there more sheet metal worker jobs in Pennsylvania?

+19.0%Jobs since 20192,740 then, 3,260 in 2025
-7.1%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
0.5Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.7× the US share, 47th of 50 states

Since 1999, the number of sheet metal workers counted in Pennsylvania has changed by -51.2%, against -48.3% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +19.0%.

Sheet metal workers in Pennsylvania vs United States, 1999 = 100PennsylvaniaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages25507510012520002005201020152020202552United States49Pennsylvania
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Pennsylvania vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearPennsylvania jobsPennsylvania indexUS index
19996,680100100
20007,12010794
20016,92010490
20027,02010585
20036,4209682
20045,7508680
20054,8607375
20065,3808077
20074,7607172
20085,5608371
20094,8707363
20103,9906057
20114,1106256
20125,0007558
20134,5506858
20144,6006957
20153,5105258
20164,2206358
20173,6205457
20183,2704957
20192,7404157
20202,7004055
20212,8904353
20222,3903652
20232,4703750
20242,3403551
20253,2604952

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 Pennsylvania

+1.6%Projected growth in Pennsylvania2024–2034, state agency
220Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
2,630Jobs in 20242,670 projected for 2034
+2.5%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Pennsylvania's labor market agency projects the number of sheet metal workers in the state to change by +1.6% between 2024 and 2034, from 2,630 to 2,670, with about 220 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 3,260 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania

On federally funded construction in Pennsylvania, contractors must pay sheet metal workers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 62 of the 67 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $82.68 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $54.90). 5 of the 67 counties still use a survey rate dated 2014 or earlier (for example Blair County at $54.90). The market median for the state is $29.52.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, PAAdams: $85.61 (union)Allegheny: $82.68 (union)Armstrong: $82.68 (union)Beaver: $82.68 (union)Bedford: $82.68 (union)Berks: $85.61 (union)Blair: $54.90 (survey)Bradford: $85.61 (union)Bucks: $113.28 (union)Butler: $82.68 (union)Cambria: $51.11 (survey)Cameron: $82.68 (union)Carbon: $85.61 (union)Centre: $54.90 (survey)Chester: $85.61 (union)Clarion: $82.68 (union)Clearfield: $82.68 (union)Clinton: $82.68 (union)Columbia: $66.45 (union)Crawford: $82.68 (union)Cumberland: $56.01 (survey)Dauphin: $85.61 (union)Delaware: $113.28 (union)Elk: $82.68 (union)Erie: $82.68 (union)Fayette: $82.68 (union)Forest: $82.68 (union)Franklin: $85.61 (union)Fulton: $82.68 (union)Greene: $82.68 (union)Huntingdon: $82.68 (union)Indiana: $82.68 (union)Jefferson: $82.68 (union)Juniata: $85.61 (union)Lackawanna: $66.45 (union)Lancaster: $85.61 (union)Lawrence: $82.68 (union)Lebanon: $85.61 (union)Lehigh: $85.61 (union)Luzerne: $66.45 (union)Lycoming: $66.45 (union)McKean: $82.68 (union)Mercer: $82.68 (union)Mifflin: $85.61 (union)Monroe: $66.45 (union)Montgomery: $113.28 (union)Montour: $66.45 (union)Northampton: $85.61 (union)Northumberland: $85.61 (union)Perry: $54.58 (survey)Philadelphia: $113.28 (union)Pike: $66.45 (union)Potter: $82.68 (union)Schuylkill: $85.61 (union)Snyder: $85.61 (union)Somerset: $82.68 (union)Sullivan: $85.61 (union)Susquehanna: $85.61 (union)Tioga: $85.61 (union)Union: $85.61 (union)Venango: $82.68 (union)Warren: $82.68 (union)Washington: $82.68 (union)Wayne: $85.61 (union)Westmoreland: $82.68 (union)Wyoming: $66.45 (union)York: $85.61 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$82.68$85.61survey 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$25$50$75$100$125/hrBucks (Philadelphia): market median $37.09, prevailing (union) $113.28, gap +$76.19Bucks (Philadelphia)+$76.19Lebanon (Lebanon): market median $28.61, prevailing (union) $85.61, gap +$57.00Lebanon (Lebanon)+$57.00Lancaster (Lancaster): market median $28.79, prevailing (union) $85.61, gap +$56.82Lancaster (Lancaster)+$56.82York (York): market median $29.02, prevailing (union) $85.61, gap +$56.59York (York)+$56.59Adams (Pennsylvania): market median $29.52, prevailing (union) $85.61, gap +$56.09Adams (Pennsylvania)+$56.09Dauphin (Harrisburg): market median $30.57, prevailing (union) $85.61, gap +$55.04Dauphin (Harrisburg)+$55.04Allegheny (Pittsburgh): market median $27.91, prevailing (union) $82.68, gap +$54.77Allegheny (Pittsburgh)+$54.77Carbon (Allentown): market median $31.40, prevailing (union) $85.61, gap +$54.21Carbon (Allentown)+$54.21Berks (Reading): market median $32.32, prevailing (union) $85.61, gap +$53.29Berks (Reading)+$53.29Erie (Erie): market median $31.59, prevailing (union) $82.68, gap +$51.09Erie (Erie)+$51.09Lackawanna (Scranton): market median $31.37, prevailing (union) $66.45, gap +$35.08Lackawanna (Scranton)+$35.08Blair (Altoona): market median $28.19, prevailing (survey) $54.90, gap +$26.71Blair (Altoona)+$26.71
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for sheet metal workers, metro counties in Pennsylvania.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BucksUnion SHEE0019-020 2025-05-01$62.62$50.66$113.28PA20260078
DelawareUnion SHEE0019-020 2025-05-01$62.62$50.66$113.28PA20260087
MontgomeryUnion SHEE0019-020 2025-05-01$62.62$50.66$113.28PA20260099
PhiladelphiaUnion SHEE0019-008 2025-05-01$62.62$50.66$113.28PA20260003
AdamsUnion SHEE0019-015 2024-06-01$43.09$42.52$85.61PA20260073
BerksUnion SHEE0019-015 2024-06-01$43.09$42.52$85.61PA20260076
BradfordUnion SHEE0019-014 2024-06-01$43.09$42.52$85.61PA20260044
CarbonUnion SHEE0019-014 2024-06-01$43.09$42.52$85.61PA20260081
ChesterUnion SHEE0019-014 2024-06-01$43.09$42.52$85.61PA20260083
DauphinUnion SHEE0019-015 2024-06-01$43.09$42.52$85.61PA20260086
FranklinUnion SHEE0019-015 2024-06-01$43.09$42.52$85.61PA20260090
JuniataUnion SHEE0019-014 2024-06-01$43.09$42.52$85.61PA20260057
LancasterUnion SHEE0019-015 2024-06-01$43.09$42.52$85.61PA20260092
LebanonUnion SHEE0019-014 2024-06-01$43.09$42.52$85.61PA20260093
LehighUnion SHEE0019-015 2024-06-01$43.09$42.52$85.61PA20260094

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

Is construction work growing in Pennsylvania?

272.0kConstruction jobsPennsylvania, 2026-09
-0.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026150k200k250k300k19901995200020052010201520202025272kSep 2026
Construction employment in Pennsylvania (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 64 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 139,301 in 2015 to 159,871 in 2025, +14.8%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Philadelphia County2142,622$116,311$2,237
Fulton County551$108,936$2,095
Montgomery County3304,922$105,041$2,020
Bucks County3863,753$101,416$1,950
Dauphin County651,660$94,957$1,826
Lehigh County841,544$92,500$1,779
Delaware County2422,341$92,322$1,775
Berks County1481,464$88,373$1,699
Chester County2071,960$85,595$1,646
Allegheny County4445,795$84,545$1,626
Union County12173$83,326$1,602
Columbia County17191$83,010$1,596

Keep comparing

Sheet metal worker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Pennsylvania

More on Pennsylvania

Questions this page answers

How much do sheet metal workers make in Pennsylvania?

The median sheet metal worker in Pennsylvania earned $29.52 an hour ($61,400 a year) in May 2025, 1% below the national median of $29.71. The middle half earn $24.35–$42.12; the top 10% earn more than $60.78.

Where does Pennsylvania rank for sheet metal worker pay?

Pennsylvania ranks 29th of 50 states for sheet metal worker pay, with a median of $29.52 an hour, and 30th after adjusting for Pennsylvania's cost of living (BEA price parity 97.6, US = 100).

What is the union sheet metal worker rate in Pennsylvania?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for sheet metal workers in 62 counties, with a typical package of $82.68 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many sheet metal workers work in Pennsylvania?

BLS counted 3,260 sheet metal workers in Pennsylvania in May 2025, 0.5 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.70; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is sheet metal worker work growing in Pennsylvania?

The BLS employer survey count of sheet metal workers in Pennsylvania went from 3,510 in 2015 to 3,260 in 2025, -7.1%, and +19.0% since 2019. Pennsylvania's labor market agency projects +1.6% growth for sheet metal workers between 2024 and 2034, from 2,630 to 2,670 jobs.

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

Pennsylvania projects about 220 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, Pennsylvania 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: Pennsylvania labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.