---
title: "Sheet Metal Worker: Apprenticeship, Work and Pay"
description: "How to become a sheet metal worker: four to five year apprenticeships, ductwork and fabrication, HVAC overlap, and May 2025 BLS sheet metal pay."
url: https://shapemycareer.com/trades/sheet-metal-worker/
updated: 2026-10-11
site: ShapeMyCareer
---

Trade · Sheet metal

# Sheet metal worker

Ductwork, fabrication and air systems.

Apprenticeship · Shop and field

Sheet metal workers fabricate and install the ductwork that moves air through buildings, along with roofing, siding and custom metal pieces. Some work mostly in shops; others install on job sites.

In short

Most sheet metal workers learn through a four to five year apprenticeship, often through SMART union locals or contractor programs, combining paid work with classes in layout, fabrication, welding and blueprints. Sheet metal workers earned a median $61,800 in May 2025, per BLS. The trade overlaps with HVAC, since much of the work is ductwork and air balancing.

**Sources checked October 11, 2026** Pay, training and outlook come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay is the middle (median) figure nationally; your first paycheck in the trade will usually be lower.

| Middle pay | $61,800 a year, roughly $29.71 an hour (May 2025) |
|---|---|
| How most people start | High school or GED to start, then apprenticeship |
| People in the trade | About 131,100 nationwide (2025) |
| Growth to 2035 | BLS expects 2.5% growth |
| Openings a year | Around 9,800, counting retirements |

From the [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm) Employment Projections table (2025 to 2035) and May 2025 wage survey. These are U.S. numbers. Local shops may pay above or below them, and apprentices start well under the middle figure.

## Shop or field

|  | Shop work | Field work |
|---|---|---|
| What you do | Cut, bend and weld metal into duct and fittings | Install duct, hangers and equipment on site |
| Conditions | Indoors, regular hours | Ladders, lifts, changing sites |

### Find sheet metal and HVAC training

Tell us your ZIP and we will send programs near you.

[Find training near me](#smc-form)

## Straight answers

### How long is a sheet metal apprenticeship?

Usually four to five years.

### Is sheet metal the same as HVAC?

They overlap. Sheet metal workers build and install ductwork; HVAC techs service equipment.

### Is there much math in sheet metal work?

Yes, especially geometry for layout of fittings.

## Where this comes from

- [BLS OOH: Sheet Metal Workers](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/sheet-metal-workers.htm)
- [Sheet metal workers in the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/sheet-metal-workers.htm)
- [BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2 (2025 to 2035)](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm)

## Keep looking

- [HVAC apprenticeship](https://shapemycareer.com/apprenticeships/hvac/)
- [HVAC](https://shapemycareer.com/trades/hvac/)
- [Trade math](https://shapemycareer.com/test-prep/trade-math/)
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