Sheet metal worker salary in Rhode Island
Median $31.30 an hour for 370 sheet metal workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Sheet metal worker pay in Rhode Island: the full range
Rhode Island ranks 18th of 50 states for median sheet metal worker pay, and 28th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $30.60). 370 sheet metal workers work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.9× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $20.51 – $25.04 | $42,670 – $52,080 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $25.04 – $39.42 | $52,080 – $81,980 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $39.42 – $39.42 | $81,980 – $81,980 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Sheet metal worker pay by metro in Rhode Island
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence | $20.51 | $31.30 | $39.42 | 520 | about the same as |
Sheet metal worker wages in Rhode Island over time
Table
| Year | Rhode Island $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $15.51 | $29.97 | $14.09 | 390 |
| 2000 | $22.60 | $42.25 | $15.31 | 550 |
| 2001 | $19.05 | $34.63 | $15.97 | 460 |
| 2002 | $19.57 | $35.02 | $16.62 | — |
| 2003 | $19.03 | $33.30 | $16.83 | 650 |
| 2005 | $18.46 | $30.43 | $17.50 | 490 |
| 2006 | $19.42 | $31.01 | $17.96 | — |
| 2007 | $20.05 | $31.13 | $18.85 | 790 |
| 2008 | $21.63 | $32.34 | $19.37 | 620 |
| 2009 | $21.76 | $32.65 | $19.54 | 660 |
| 2010 | $21.45 | $31.67 | $20.05 | 560 |
| 2011 | $20.34 | $29.11 | $20.55 | — |
| 2012 | $21.00 | $29.45 | $20.81 | — |
| 2013 | $21.17 | $29.26 | $21.10 | 400 |
| 2014 | $19.46 | $26.46 | $21.67 | 510 |
| 2015 | $21.03 | $28.57 | $21.99 | 540 |
| 2016 | $24.04 | $32.25 | $22.57 | 500 |
| 2017 | — | — | $23.07 | 500 |
| 2018 | $28.30 | $36.28 | $23.30 | 640 |
| 2019 | $24.28 | $30.58 | $24.23 | 620 |
| 2020 | $25.53 | $31.76 | $24.70 | 700 |
| 2021 | $29.80 | $35.41 | $25.69 | 290 |
| 2022 | $30.30 | $33.33 | $26.61 | 510 |
| 2023 | $26.96 | $28.49 | $28.26 | 490 |
| 2024 | $27.38 | $28.10 | $29.26 | 410 |
| 2025 | $31.30 | $31.30 | $29.71 | 370 |
In today's dollars, the median sheet metal worker wage in Rhode Island changed by +9.6% over the last ten years of data and by +2.4% since 2019.
Are there more sheet metal worker jobs in Rhode Island?
BLS counted 370 sheet metal workers in Rhode Island in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 24%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.
Outlook for sheet metal workers in Rhode Island
Rhode Island's labor market agency projects the number of sheet metal workers in the state to change by +30.3% between 2024 and 2034, from 460 to 600, with about 60 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +2.5% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 370 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island
On federally funded construction in Rhode Island, contractors must pay sheet metal workers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 5 of the 5 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $86.36 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $31.30.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol | Union SHEE0017-002 2025-06-01 | $44.42 | $41.94 | $86.36 | RI20260001 |
| Kent | Union SHEE0017-002 2025-06-01 | $44.42 | $41.94 | $86.36 | RI20260001 |
| Newport | Union SHEE0017-002 2025-06-01 | $44.42 | $41.94 | $86.36 | RI20260001 |
| Providence | Union SHEE0017-002 2025-06-01 | $44.42 | $41.94 | $86.36 | RI20260001 |
| Washington | Union SHEE0017-002 2025-06-01 | $44.42 | $41.94 | $86.36 | RI20260001 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Rhode Island prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in Rhode Island?
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 5 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 10,457 in 2015 to 14,708 in 2025, +40.7%.
| County | Establishments | Employees | Average annual pay | Avg weekly wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence County | 280 | 2,676 | $89,686 | $1,725 |
| Kent County | 98 | 1,170 | $84,820 | $1,631 |
| Bristol County | 20 | 148 | $81,074 | $1,559 |
| Newport County | 46 | 282 | $75,360 | $1,449 |
| Washington County | 84 | 301 | $65,233 | $1,254 |
Keep comparing
Sheet metal worker pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Rhode Island
More on Rhode Island
Questions this page answers
How much do sheet metal workers make in Rhode Island?
The median sheet metal worker in Rhode Island earned $31.30 an hour ($65,100 a year) in May 2025, 5% above the national median of $29.71. The middle half earn $25.04–$39.42; the top 10% earn more than $39.42.
Where does Rhode Island rank for sheet metal worker pay?
Rhode Island ranks 18th of 50 states for sheet metal worker pay, with a median of $31.30 an hour, and 28th after adjusting for Rhode Island's cost of living (BEA price parity 102.3, US = 100).
What is the union sheet metal worker rate in Rhode Island?
Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for sheet metal workers in 5 counties, with a typical package of $86.36 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.
How many sheet metal workers work in Rhode Island?
BLS counted 370 sheet metal workers in Rhode Island in May 2025, 0.7 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.96; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is sheet metal worker work growing in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island's labor market agency projects +30.3% growth for sheet metal workers between 2024 and 2034, from 460 to 600 jobs.
How many sheet metal worker openings a year are there in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island projects about 60 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, Rhode Island 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: Rhode Island labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.