Skilled Wages

Sheet metal worker salary in Tennessee

Median $28.45 an hour for 1,850 sheet metal workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$28.45/hrMedian hourly wageTennessee, May data
$59,170/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$18.61 – $38.1510th to 90th percentilehourly range
1,850Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Sheet metal worker pay in Tennessee: the full range

Wage percentiles, TennesseeMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrTennessee: 10th $18.61 · 25th $21.74 · median $28.45 · 75th $35.40 · 90th $38.15Tennessee$28.45$18.61$38.15United 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: Tennessee vs United States, May 2025.

Tennessee ranks 32nd of 50 states for median sheet metal worker pay, and 25th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $30.96). 1,850 sheet metal workers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$18.61 – $21.74$38,710 – $45,230roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$21.74 – $35.40$45,230 – $73,640the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$35.40 – $38.15$73,640 – $79,360the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Sheet metal worker pay by metro in Tennessee

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrJackson: $30.43Jackson$30.43Nashville: $29.91Nashville$29.91Knoxville: $29.49Knoxville$29.49Memphis: $29.22Memphis$29.22Cleveland: $27.96Cleveland$27.96Clarksville: $21.55Clarksville$21.55
Median hourly wage for sheet metal workers by metro area in Tennessee, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Jackson$17.35$30.43$40.05407% above
Nashville$19.94$29.91$38.377505% above
Knoxville$18.82$29.49$37.162704% above
Memphis$19.03$29.22$39.353103% above
Cleveland$18.81$27.96$37.54702% below
Clarksville$17.14$21.55$37.445024% below

Sheet metal worker wages in Tennessee over time

Tennessee, 1999-2025TennesseeUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$29.71United States$28.45Tennessee
Median hourly wage for sheet metal workers, Tennessee vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearTennessee $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$12.40$23.96$14.096,180
2000$13.29$24.85$15.314,820
2001$13.94$25.34$15.974,750
2002$14.54$26.02$16.624,300
2003$14.39$25.18$16.834,690
2004$14.20$24.20$17.094,650
2005$14.90$24.56$17.504,210
2006$15.23$24.32$17.963,640
2007$15.49$24.05$18.853,600
2008$15.53$23.22$19.373,490
2009$16.52$24.79$19.543,240
2010$16.45$24.29$20.052,960
2011$16.43$23.52$20.553,570
2012$16.95$23.77$20.813,530
2013$17.11$23.65$21.104,020
2014$17.97$24.44$21.673,610
2015$18.32$24.88$21.993,650
2016$20.79$27.89$22.572,720
2017$21.03$27.62$23.072,630
2018$21.25$27.24$23.302,550
2019$21.23$26.73$24.233,090
2020$21.49$26.73$24.703,190
2021$22.37$26.58$25.692,650
2022$21.38$23.52$26.613,480
2023$24.18$25.55$28.262,440
2024$25.81$26.49$29.262,040
2025$28.45$28.45$29.711,850

In today's dollars, the median sheet metal worker wage in Tennessee changed by +14.3% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for sheet metal workers in Tennessee

On federally funded construction in Tennessee, contractors must pay sheet metal workers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 88 of the 95 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $55.10 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $29.45). The market median for the state is $28.45.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, TNAnderson: $55.10 (union)Bedford: $55.10 (union)Benton: $55.10 (union)Bledsoe: $55.10 (union)Blount: $55.10 (union)Bradley: $51.61 (union)Campbell: $55.10 (union)Cannon: $51.61 (union)Carroll: $55.10 (union)Carter: $29.45 (survey)Cheatham: $51.61 (union)Chester: $51.61 (union)Claiborne: $55.10 (union)Clay: $55.10 (union)Cocke: $55.10 (union)Coffee: $55.10 (union)Crockett: $51.61 (union)Cumberland: $55.10 (union)Davidson: $51.61 (union)Decatur: $55.10 (union)DeKalb: $55.10 (union)Dickson: $51.61 (union)Dyer: $55.10 (union)Fayette: $51.61 (union)Fentress: $55.10 (union)Franklin: $55.10 (union)Gibson: $55.10 (union)Giles: $55.10 (union)Grainger: $55.10 (union)Greene: $55.10 (union)Grundy: $55.10 (union)Hamblen: $29.45 (survey)Hamilton: $51.61 (union)Hancock: $55.10 (union)Hardeman: $55.10 (union)Hardin: $55.10 (union)Hawkins: $29.45 (survey)Haywood: $55.10 (union)Henderson: $55.10 (union)Henry: $55.10 (union)Hickman: $51.61 (union)Houston: $55.10 (union)Humphreys: $55.10 (union)Jackson: $55.10 (union)Jefferson: $29.45 (survey)Johnson: $55.10 (union)Knox: $55.10 (union)Lake: $55.10 (union)Lauderdale: $55.10 (union)Lawrence: $55.10 (union)Lewis: $55.10 (union)Lincoln: $55.10 (union)Loudon: $55.10 (union)McMinn: $55.10 (union)McNairy: $55.10 (union)Macon: $51.61 (union)Madison: $51.61 (union)Marion: $51.61 (union)Marshall: $55.10 (union)Maury: $51.61 (union)Meigs: $55.10 (union)Monroe: $55.10 (union)Montgomery: $51.61 (union)Moore: $55.10 (union)Morgan: $55.10 (union)Obion: $55.10 (union)Overton: $55.10 (union)Perry: $55.10 (union)Pickett: $55.10 (union)Polk: $51.61 (union)Putnam: $55.10 (union)Rhea: $55.10 (union)Roane: $55.10 (union)Robertson: $51.61 (union)Rutherford: $51.61 (union)Scott: $55.10 (union)Sequatchie: $51.61 (union)Sevier: $55.10 (union)Shelby: $51.61 (union)Smith: $51.61 (union)Stewart: $55.10 (union)Sullivan: $29.45 (survey)Sumner: $51.61 (union)Tipton: $51.61 (union)Trousdale: $51.61 (union)Unicoi: $29.45 (survey)Union: $55.10 (union)Van Buren: $55.10 (union)Warren: $55.10 (union)Washington: $29.45 (survey)Wayne: $55.10 (union)Weakley: $55.10 (union)White: $55.10 (union)Williamson: $51.61 (union)Wilson: $51.61 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$51.61survey 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)$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrStewart (Clarksville): market median $21.55, prevailing (union) $55.10, gap +$33.55Stewart (Clarksville)+$33.55Anderson (Knoxville): market median $29.49, prevailing (union) $55.10, gap +$25.61Anderson (Knoxville)+$25.61Gibson (Jackson): market median $30.43, prevailing (union) $55.10, gap +$24.67Gibson (Jackson)+$24.67Bradley (Cleveland): market median $27.96, prevailing (union) $51.61, gap +$23.65Bradley (Cleveland)+$23.65Hamilton (Tennessee): market median $28.45, prevailing (union) $51.61, gap +$23.16Hamilton (Tennessee)+$23.16Fayette (Memphis): market median $29.22, prevailing (union) $51.61, gap +$22.39Fayette (Memphis)+$22.39Cannon (Nashville): market median $29.91, prevailing (union) $51.61, gap +$21.70Cannon (Nashville)+$21.70
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for sheet metal workers, metro counties in Tennessee.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AndersonUnion SHEE0005-002 2025-05-01$37.70$17.40$55.10TN20260176
BedfordUnion SHEE0005-001 2025-05-01$37.70$17.40$55.10TN20260151
BentonUnion SHEE0005-001 2025-05-01$37.70$17.40$55.10TN20260152
BledsoeUnion SHEE0005-001 2025-05-01$37.70$17.40$55.10TN20260153
BlountUnion SHEE0005-002 2025-05-01$37.70$17.40$55.10TN20260177
CampbellUnion SHEE0005-002 2025-05-01$37.70$17.40$55.10TN20260195
CarrollUnion SHEE0005-001 2025-05-01$37.70$17.40$55.10TN20260152
ClaiborneUnion SHEE0005-001 2025-05-01$37.70$17.40$55.10TN20260154
ClayUnion SHEE0005-001 2025-05-01$37.70$17.40$55.10TN20260154
CockeUnion SHEE0005-001 2025-05-01$37.70$17.40$55.10TN20260153
CoffeeUnion SHEE0005-001 2025-05-01$37.70$17.40$55.10TN20260151
CumberlandUnion SHEE0005-001 2025-05-01$37.70$17.40$55.10TN20260155
DecaturUnion SHEE0005-001 2025-05-01$37.70$17.40$55.10TN20260156
DeKalbUnion SHEE0005-001 2025-05-01$37.70$17.40$55.10TN20260155
DyerUnion SHEE0005-001 2025-05-01$37.70$17.40$55.10TN20260156

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

Is construction work growing in Tennessee?

168.5kConstruction jobsTennessee, 2026-08
-0.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025168kAug 2026
Construction employment in Tennessee (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
Franklin County48$103,237$1,985
White County75$101,432$1,951
Roane County380$100,694$1,936
Davidson County6,042$91,416$1,758
Anderson County634$89,688$1,725
Williamson County2,100$89,570$1,722
Shelby County4,074$81,642$1,570
Rutherford County992$78,290$1,506
Hamilton County1,992$77,306$1,487
Cocke County42$76,788$1,477
Madison County631$76,592$1,473
Knox County3,146$76,431$1,470

Keep comparing

Sheet metal worker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Tennessee

Questions this page answers

How much do sheet metal workers make in Tennessee?

The median sheet metal worker in Tennessee earned $28.45 an hour ($59,170 a year) in May 2025, 4% below the national median of $29.71. The middle half earn $21.74–$35.40; the top 10% earn more than $38.15.

Where does Tennessee rank for sheet metal worker pay?

Tennessee ranks 32nd of 50 states for sheet metal worker pay, with a median of $28.45 an hour, and 25th after adjusting for Tennessee's cost of living (BEA price parity 91.9, US = 100).

What is the union sheet metal worker rate in Tennessee?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for sheet metal workers in 88 counties, with a typical package of $55.10 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many sheet metal workers work in Tennessee?

BLS counted 1,850 sheet metal workers in Tennessee in May 2025, 0.6 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.73; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

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