Skilled Wages

Sheet metal worker salary in Washington

Median $47.38 an hour for 3,440 sheet metal workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$47.38/hrMedian hourly wageWashington, May data
$98,550/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$27.72 – $71.7610th to 90th percentilehourly range
3,440Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Sheet metal worker pay in Washington: the full range

Wage percentiles, WashingtonMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60$80/hrWashington: 10th $27.72 · 25th $34.72 · median $47.38 · 75th $64.71 · 90th $71.76Washington$47.38$27.72$71.76United 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: Washington vs United States, May 2025.

Washington ranks 1st of 50 states for median sheet metal worker pay, and 2nd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $44.28). 3,440 sheet metal workers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$27.72 – $34.72$57,650 – $72,220roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$34.72 – $64.71$72,220 – $134,590the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$64.71 – $71.76$134,590 – $149,260the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Sheet metal worker pay by metro in Washington

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrSeattle: $52.80Seattle$52.80Olympia: $48.39Olympia$48.39Kennewick: $46.15Kennewick$46.15Bellingham: $43.67Bellingham$43.67Bremerton: $42.66Bremerton$42.66Portland: $38.26Portland$38.26Yakima: $37.43Yakima$37.43Spokane: $36.58Spokane$36.58Mount Vernon: $29.49Mount Vernon$29.49
Median hourly wage for sheet metal workers by metro area in Washington, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Seattle$29.49$52.80$71.762,19011% above
Olympia$30.14$48.39$67.271002% above
Kennewick$27.72$46.15$61.621903% below
Bellingham$23.92$43.67$62.011008% below
Bremerton$28.92$42.66$50.5318010% below
Portland$24.03$38.26$61.272,28019% below
Yakima$21.09$37.43$49.129021% below
Spokane$23.88$36.58$59.6219023% below
Mount Vernon$24.37$29.49$47.138038% below

Sheet metal worker wages in Washington over time

Washington, 1999-2025WashingtonUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40$50$60200020052010201520202025$47.38Washington$29.71United States
Median hourly wage for sheet metal workers, Washington vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearWashington $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$19.25$37.20$14.096,450
2000$18.12$33.88$15.315,450
2001$19.05$34.63$15.975,280
2002$21.00$37.58$16.624,210
2003$21.36$37.37$16.833,560
2004$22.56$38.45$17.094,000
2005$23.31$38.43$17.504,210
2006$23.73$37.90$17.965,370
2007$27.02$41.95$18.854,570
2008$27.70$41.42$19.373,850
2009$24.38$36.59$19.543,260
2010$26.11$38.55$20.052,840
2011$27.75$39.72$20.553,060
2012$27.78$38.95$20.813,530
2013$27.65$38.21$21.103,270
2014$24.45$33.25$21.673,810
2015$27.98$38.01$21.993,630
2016$26.92$36.11$22.573,440
2017$27.69$36.37$23.074,340
2018$28.57$36.63$23.303,850
2019$29.52$37.17$24.234,270
2020$32.15$39.99$24.703,520
2021$37.45$44.49$25.693,100
2022$38.45$42.30$26.613,310
2023$41.17$43.50$28.263,780
2024$44.82$46.00$29.263,870
2025$47.38$47.38$29.713,440

In today's dollars, the median sheet metal worker wage in Washington changed by +24.7% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for sheet metal workers in Washington

On federally funded construction in Washington, contractors must pay sheet metal workers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 37 of the 39 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $78.41 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $24.83). 2 of the 39 counties still use a survey rate dated 2009 or earlier (for example Jefferson County at $24.83). The market median for the state is $47.38.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, WAAdams: $73.75 (union)Asotin: $73.75 (union)Benton: $78.41 (union)Chelan: $73.75 (union)Clallam: $103.25 (union)Clark: $88.96 (union)Columbia: $78.41 (union)Cowlitz: $103.25 (union)Douglas: $73.75 (union)Ferry: $73.75 (union)Franklin: $78.41 (union)Garfield: $78.41 (union)Grant: $73.75 (union)Grays Harbor: $103.25 (union)Island: $95.46 (union)Jefferson: $24.83 (survey)King: $103.25 (union)Kitsap: $103.25 (union)Kittitas: $78.41 (union)Klickitat: $78.41 (union)Lewis: $103.25 (union)Lincoln: $73.75 (union)Mason: $103.25 (union)Okanogan: $73.75 (union)Pacific: $103.25 (union)Pend Oreille: $73.75 (union)Pierce: $103.25 (union)San Juan: $24.83 (survey)Skagit: $95.46 (union)Skamania: $88.96 (union)Snohomish: $103.25 (union)Spokane: $73.75 (union)Stevens: $73.75 (union)Thurston: $103.25 (union)Wahkiakum: $103.25 (union)Walla Walla: $78.41 (union)Whatcom: $103.25 (union)Whitman: $73.75 (union)Yakima: $78.41 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$73.75$78.41$88.96survey 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)$0$25$50$75$100$125/hrSkagit (Mount Vernon): market median $29.49, prevailing (union) $95.46, gap +$65.97Skagit (Mount Vernon)+$65.97Kitsap (Bremerton): market median $42.66, prevailing (union) $103.25, gap +$60.59Kitsap (Bremerton)+$60.59Whatcom (Bellingham): market median $43.67, prevailing (union) $103.25, gap +$59.58Whatcom (Bellingham)+$59.58Cowlitz (Washington): market median $47.38, prevailing (union) $103.25, gap +$55.87Cowlitz (Washington)+$55.87Thurston (Olympia): market median $48.39, prevailing (union) $103.25, gap +$54.86Thurston (Olympia)+$54.86Clark (Portland): market median $38.26, prevailing (union) $88.96, gap +$50.70Clark (Portland)+$50.70King (Seattle): market median $52.80, prevailing (union) $103.25, gap +$50.45King (Seattle)+$50.45Yakima (Yakima): market median $37.43, prevailing (union) $78.41, gap +$40.98Yakima (Yakima)+$40.98Spokane (Spokane): market median $36.58, prevailing (union) $73.75, gap +$37.17Spokane (Spokane)+$37.17Benton (Kennewick): market median $46.15, prevailing (union) $78.41, gap +$32.26Benton (Kennewick)+$32.26
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for sheet metal workers, metro counties in Washington.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
ClallamUnion SHEE0066-003 2025-06-01$69.86$33.39$103.25WA20260022
CowlitzUnion SHEE0066-014 2025-06-01$69.86$33.39$103.25WA20260105
Grays HarborUnion SHEE0066-003 2025-06-01$69.86$33.39$103.25WA20260027
KingUnion SHEE0066-014 2025-06-01$69.86$33.39$103.25WA20260108
KitsapUnion SHEE0066-014 2025-06-01$69.86$33.39$103.25WA20260109
LewisUnion SHEE0066-017 2025-06-01$69.86$33.39$103.25WA20260032
MasonUnion SHEE0066-003 2025-06-01$69.86$33.39$103.25WA20260034
PacificUnion SHEE0066-016 2025-06-01$69.86$33.39$103.25WA20260036
PierceUnion SHEE0066-014 2025-06-01$69.86$33.39$103.25WA20260111
SnohomishUnion SHEE0066-014 2025-06-01$69.86$33.39$103.25WA20260113
ThurstonUnion SHEE0066-014 2025-06-01$69.86$33.39$103.25WA20260116
WahkiakumUnion SHEE0066-004 2025-06-01$69.86$33.39$103.25WA20260040
WhatcomUnion SHEE0066-014 2025-06-01$69.86$33.39$103.25WA20260118
IslandUnion SHEE0066-032 2025-06-01$66.05$29.41$95.46WA20260028
SkagitUnion SHEE0066-015 2025-06-01$66.05$29.41$95.46WA20260112

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

Is construction work growing in Washington?

223.8kConstruction jobsWashington, 2026-08
-0.2%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k250k300k19901995200020052010201520202025224kAug 2026
Construction employment in Washington (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
King County10,873$118,575$2,280
Benton County1,664$103,533$1,991
Whatcom County1,099$102,968$1,980
Snohomish County2,791$93,120$1,791
Pierce County3,366$89,763$1,726
Thurston County939$88,497$1,702
Kitsap County650$83,865$1,613
Clark County2,802$83,386$1,604
Skagit County382$75,084$1,444
Walla Walla County227$74,979$1,442
Kittitas County85$74,104$1,425
Spokane County1,952$74,072$1,424

Keep comparing

Sheet metal worker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Washington

Questions this page answers

How much do sheet metal workers make in Washington?

The median sheet metal worker in Washington earned $47.38 an hour ($98,550 a year) in May 2025, 59% above the national median of $29.71. The middle half earn $34.72–$64.71; the top 10% earn more than $71.76.

Where does Washington rank for sheet metal worker pay?

Washington ranks 1st of 50 states for sheet metal worker pay, with a median of $47.38 an hour, and 2nd after adjusting for Washington's cost of living (BEA price parity 107.0, US = 100).

What is the union sheet metal worker rate in Washington?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for sheet metal workers in 37 counties, with a typical package of $78.41 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many sheet metal workers work in Washington?

BLS counted 3,440 sheet metal workers in Washington in May 2025, 1.0 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.26; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

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