Skilled Wages

Sheet metal worker salary in West Virginia

Median $34.81 an hour for 540 sheet metal workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$34.81/hrMedian hourly wageWest Virginia, May data
$72,390/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$18.35 – $36.5510th to 90th percentilehourly range
540Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Sheet metal worker pay in West Virginia: the full range

Wage percentiles, West VirginiaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrWest Virginia: 10th $18.35 · 25th $22.55 · median $34.81 · 75th $35.78 · 90th $36.55West Virginia$34.81$18.35$36.55United 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: West Virginia vs United States, May 2025.

West Virginia ranks 14th of 50 states for median sheet metal worker pay, and 7th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $38.89). 540 sheet metal workers work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.0× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$18.35 – $22.55$38,170 – $46,910roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$22.55 – $35.78$46,910 – $74,410the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$35.78 – $36.55$74,410 – $76,020the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Sheet metal worker pay by metro in West Virginia

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrWeirton: $36.04Weirton$36.04Huntington: $35.56Huntington$35.56Wheeling: $35.52Wheeling$35.52Parkersburg: $35.11Parkersburg$35.11Charleston: $32.69Charleston$32.69Washington DC: $29.46Washington DC$29.46Hagerstown: $29.43Hagerstown$29.43Winchester: $21.59Winchester$21.59
Median hourly wage for sheet metal workers by metro area in West Virginia, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Weirton$23.36$36.04$40.49$38.35304% above
Huntington$17.91$35.56$40.23$35.911302% above
Wheeling$19.03$35.52$40.23$37.18602% above
Parkersburg$22.38$35.11$40.31$35.81601% above
Charleston$18.87$32.69$36.85$36.10806% below
Washington DC$21.05$29.46$27.05$41.241,84015% below
Hagerstown$19.28$29.43$31.24$40.155015% below
Winchester$17.83$21.59$22.37$29.068038% below

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

Sheet metal worker wages in West Virginia over time

West Virginia, 1999-2025West VirginiaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$34.81West Virginia$29.71United States
Median hourly wage for sheet metal workers, West Virginia vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearWest Virginia $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$18.62$35.98$14.091,120
2000$19.24$35.97$15.31780
2001$17.46$31.74$15.971,090
2002$19.53$34.95$16.621,000
2003$17.46$30.55$16.831,140
2004$18.50$31.53$17.091,170
2005$17.87$29.46$17.50920
2006$17.59$28.09$17.96680
2007$18.13$28.15$18.85780
2008$20.35$30.43$19.371,030
2009$20.81$31.23$19.54830
2010$21.35$31.52$20.05640
2011$24.00$34.35$20.55670
2012$24.61$34.51$20.81940
2013$25.36$35.05$21.101,110
2014$25.43$34.58$21.67760
2015$28.67$38.94$21.99500
2016$27.22$36.51$22.57380
2017$28.78$37.80$23.07610
2018$28.72$36.82$23.30710
2019$31.47$39.63$24.23760
2020$30.46$37.89$24.70500
2021$23.34$27.73$25.69480
2022$29.00$31.90$26.61540
2023$33.49$35.38$28.26370
2024$34.52$35.43$29.26430
2025$34.81$34.81$29.71540

In today's dollars, the median sheet metal worker wage in West Virginia changed by -10.6% over the last ten years of data and by -12.2% since 2019.

Are there more sheet metal worker jobs in West Virginia?

0.8Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.0× the US share, 28th of 50 states

BLS counted 540 sheet metal workers in West Virginia in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 15%. 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 West Virginia

+11.1%Projected growth in West Virginia2024–2034, state agency
50Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
560Jobs in 2024620 projected for 2034
+2.5%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

West Virginia's labor market agency projects the number of sheet metal workers in the state to change by +11.1% between 2024 and 2034, from 560 to 620, with about 50 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +2.5% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 540 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: West Virginia labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections.

Union scale and prevailing wage for sheet metal workers in West Virginia

On federally funded construction in West Virginia, contractors must pay sheet metal workers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 28 of the 52 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $60.24 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $41.29). 22 of the 52 counties still use a survey rate dated 2012 or earlier (for example Barbour County at $41.29). The market median for the state is $34.81.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, WVBarbour: $41.29 (survey)Berkeley: $54.76 (union)Boone: n/aBraxton: $41.29 (survey)Brooke: $64.62 (union)Cabell: $60.24 (union)Calhoun: $41.29 (survey)Clay: n/aDoddridge: $59.59 (union)Fayette: $41.29 (survey)Gilmer: $41.29 (survey)Grant: $39.95 (survey)Greenbrier: $41.29 (survey)Hampshire: $54.76 (union)Hancock: $64.62 (union)Hardy: $41.29 (survey)Harrison: $64.62 (union)Jackson: $41.29 (survey)Jefferson: $54.76 (union)Kanawha: $59.59 (union)Lewis: $52.61 (survey)Lincoln: $59.59 (union)Logan: $41.29 (survey)McDowell: $41.29 (survey)Marion: $64.62 (union)Marshall: $64.62 (union)Mason: $41.29 (survey)Mercer: $59.59 (union)Mineral: $54.76 (union)Mingo: $41.29 (survey)Monongalia: $64.62 (union)Monroe: $41.29 (survey)Morgan: $54.76 (union)Nicholas: $41.29 (survey)Ohio: $64.62 (union)Pendleton: $41.29 (survey)Pleasants: $60.24 (union)Pocahontas: $41.29 (survey)Preston: $64.62 (union)Putnam: $59.59 (union)Raleigh: $59.59 (union)Randolph: $41.29 (survey)Ritchie: $52.19 (survey)Roane: $41.29 (survey)Summers: n/aTaylor: $64.62 (union)Tucker: $64.62 (union)Tyler: $64.62 (union)Upshur: $41.29 (survey)Wayne: $60.24 (union)Webster: $41.29 (survey)Wetzel: $64.62 (union)Wirt: $60.24 (union)Wood: $60.24 (union)Wyoming: $41.29 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$41.29$59.59n/asurvey 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$20$40$60$80/hrHampshire (Winchester): market median $21.59, prevailing (union) $54.76, gap +$33.17Hampshire (Winchester)+$33.17Monongalia (West Virginia): market median $34.81, prevailing (union) $64.62, gap +$29.81Monongalia (West Virginia)+$29.81Marshall (Wheeling): market median $35.52, prevailing (union) $64.62, gap +$29.10Marshall (Wheeling)+$29.10Brooke (Weirton): market median $36.04, prevailing (union) $64.62, gap +$28.58Brooke (Weirton)+$28.58Kanawha (Charleston): market median $32.69, prevailing (union) $59.59, gap +$26.90Kanawha (Charleston)+$26.90Berkeley (Hagerstown): market median $29.43, prevailing (union) $54.76, gap +$25.33Berkeley (Hagerstown)+$25.33Jefferson (Washington DC): market median $29.46, prevailing (union) $54.76, gap +$25.30Jefferson (Washington DC)+$25.30Wirt (Parkersburg): market median $35.11, prevailing (union) $60.24, gap +$25.13Wirt (Parkersburg)+$25.13Cabell (Huntington): market median $35.56, prevailing (union) $60.24, gap +$24.68Cabell (Huntington)+$24.68
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for sheet metal workers, metro counties in West Virginia.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BrookeUnion SHEE0033-003 2024-06-01$34.92$29.70$64.62WV20260050
HancockUnion SHEE0033-003 2024-06-01$34.92$29.70$64.62WV20260050
HarrisonUnion SHEE0033-003 2024-06-01$34.92$29.70$64.62WV20260011
MarionUnion SHEE0033-003 2024-06-01$34.92$29.70$64.62WV20260015
MarshallUnion SHEE0033-003 2024-06-01$34.92$29.70$64.62WV20260040
MonongaliaUnion SHEE0033-003 2024-06-01$34.92$29.70$64.62WV20260042
OhioUnion SHEE0033-003 2024-06-01$34.92$29.70$64.62WV20260044
PrestonUnion SHEE0033-003 2024-06-01$34.92$29.70$64.62WV20260046
TaylorUnion SHEE0033-003 2024-06-01$34.92$29.70$64.62WV20260027
TuckerUnion SHEE0033-003 2024-06-01$34.92$29.70$64.62WV20260028
TylerUnion SHEE0033-003 2024-06-01$34.92$29.70$64.62WV20260029
WetzelUnion SHEE0033-003 2024-06-01$34.92$29.70$64.62WV20260032
CabellUnion SHEE0024-022 2022-06-01$33.53$26.71$60.24WV20260035
PleasantsUnion SHEE0024-022 2022-06-01$33.53$26.71$60.24WV20260045
WayneUnion SHEE0024-022 2022-06-01$33.53$26.71$60.24WV20260048

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

Is construction work growing in West Virginia?

35.2kConstruction jobsWest Virginia, 2026-09
-5.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202620k30k40k50k60k1990199520002005201020152020202535kSep 2026
Construction employment in West Virginia (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 38 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 14,371 in 2015 to 15,870 in 2025, +10.4%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Putnam County27412$99,715$1,918
Kanawha County57811$79,222$1,523
Jackson County846$62,671$1,205
Cabell County33259$58,844$1,132
Raleigh County20223$56,817$1,093
Mineral County421$56,610$1,089
Berkeley County44245$56,379$1,084
Jefferson County20110$55,646$1,070
Hampshire County937$51,233$985
Harrison County18129$49,430$951
Greenbrier County1439$48,399$931
Taylor County415$48,101$925

Keep comparing

Sheet metal worker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in West Virginia

More on West Virginia

Questions this page answers

How much do sheet metal workers make in West Virginia?

The median sheet metal worker in West Virginia earned $34.81 an hour ($72,390 a year) in May 2025, 17% above the national median of $29.71. The middle half earn $22.55–$35.78; the top 10% earn more than $36.55.

Where does West Virginia rank for sheet metal worker pay?

West Virginia ranks 14th of 50 states for sheet metal worker pay, with a median of $34.81 an hour, and 7th after adjusting for West Virginia's cost of living (BEA price parity 89.5, US = 100).

What is the union sheet metal worker rate in West Virginia?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for sheet metal workers in 28 counties, with a typical package of $60.24 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many sheet metal workers work in West Virginia?

BLS counted 540 sheet metal workers in West Virginia in May 2025, 0.8 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.00; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is sheet metal worker work growing in West Virginia?

West Virginia's labor market agency projects +11.1% growth for sheet metal workers between 2024 and 2034, from 560 to 620 jobs.

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

West Virginia projects about 50 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, West Virginia 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: West Virginia labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.