Sheet Metal Worker
B-04B Other Construction electrical jobs · Start level · O*NET 47-2211.00
- Texas median
whole occupation, 2025 - $54,240
- work over
40 h a week - 28%
- load index
from O*NET data - 2.9/5
- Texas jobs
2024 to 2034 - +5.3%
Pay
This level's pay
No published pay record names this level: no public record found in sources S1-S7 that names this rung. The occupation-wide figure below is for all experience levels.
Whole occupation: all Sheet Metal Workers, Texas BLS OEWS May 2025
- Series OEUS480000000000047221113 (median), Texas, May 2025, read 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Base pay (straight-time, excludes overtime).
- Based on an estimated 9,540 jobs in Texas (series OEUS480000000000047221101).
BLS OEWS May 2025
- Series OEUS480000000000047221113 (median), Texas, May 2025, read 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Base pay (straight-time, excludes overtime).
- Based on an estimated 9,540 jobs in Texas (series OEUS480000000000047221101).
Outlook 2024 to 2034, all Sheet Metal Workers, not level-specific TWC, BLS
- Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections (via Projections Central) 2024-2034, Texas, read 2026-10-03
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034, United States, read 2026-10-03
TWC, BLS
- Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections (via Projections Central) 2024-2034, Texas, read 2026-10-03
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034, United States, read 2026-10-03
- Texas
- +5.3% jobs · about 950 openings a year (10,870 jobs in 2024)
- United States
- +2.4% jobs · about 10,600 openings a year (127,000 jobs in 2024)
Openings include people retiring or changing jobs, not only growth.
Hours O*NET 31.0
- Duration of Typical Work Week (4.C.3.d.8), O*NET Work Context, data 08/2023, n = 15 respondents, O*NET OnLine
O*NET 31.0
- Duration of Typical Work Week (4.C.3.d.8), O*NET Work Context, data 08/2023, n = 15 respondents, O*NET OnLine
Schedule: regular 54% · irregular 37% · seasonal 9%
Physical load 2.9 of 5, our index from O*NET Method
- Engineer Tsai index (et_physical_v1): mean of a body index (3.06, 6 measures) and an exposure index (2.82, 7 measures), built from O*NET Work Context means, 1 to 5: Spend Time Standing; Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles; Spend Time Walking or Running; Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling; Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance; Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body; Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions; Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures; Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions; Exposed to High Places; Exposed to Hazardous Conditions; Exposed to Hazardous Equipment; Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection.
- O*NET OnLine
Method
- Engineer Tsai index (et_physical_v1): mean of a body index (3.06, 6 measures) and an exposure index (2.82, 7 measures), built from O*NET Work Context means, 1 to 5: Spend Time Standing; Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles; Spend Time Walking or Running; Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling; Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance; Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body; Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions; Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures; Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions; Exposed to High Places; Exposed to Hazardous Conditions; Exposed to Hazardous Equipment; Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection.
- O*NET OnLine
Body
- Standing4.84
- Bending or twisting3.74
- Walking or running3.36
- Kneeling or crawling2.46
- Keeping balance2.26
- Climbing ladders1.72
Exposure
- Hazardous equipment3.66
- Hazardous conditions2.95
- Very hot or cold2.88
- Cramped space2.77
- Protective gear2.72
- Outdoors, all weather2.51
- High places2.22
Getting in
- License
- Texas: HVAC duct work is done under a TDLR-licensed A/C contractor; helping with A/C maintenance or repair needs TDLR technician registration. Other sheet metal work: no license at agencies checked.
- Degree
- 0% hold a bachelor's or higher; most common: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Experience
- None of related experience is the most common answer (47% of workers).
O*NET
- O*NET Related Work Experience, Sheet Metal Workers, O*NET OnLine
- Preparation
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Why this level
- Start: O*NET Job Zone 2 (1-2 start, 3-4 skilled, 5 senior).
Moves to the side 6
- B Ironworker O*NET lists Structural Iron and Steel Workers as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.85.
- B Plumber O*NET lists Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters as a related occupation (Supplemental); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.92. License gate: Journeyman Plumber (TSBPE), Tradesman Plumber-Limited (TSBPE).
- B Boilermaker O*NET lists Boilermakers as a related occupation (Supplemental); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.84. License gate: not checked yet.
- R Industrial Machinery Mechanic O*NET lists Industrial Machinery Mechanics as a related occupation (Supplemental); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.83.
What the work is 6 core tasks
Fabricate, assemble, install, and repair sheet metal products and equipment, such as ducts, control boxes, drainpipes, and furnace casings. Work may involve any of the following: setting up and operating fabricating machines to cut, bend, and straighten sheet metal; shaping metal over anvils, blocks, or forms using hammer; operating soldering and welding equipment to join sheet metal parts; or inspecting, assembling, and smoothing seams and joints of burred surfaces. Includes sheet metal duct installers who install prefabricated sheet metal ducts used for heating, air conditioning, or other purposes.
- Maintain equipment, making repairs or modifications when necessary.
- Fabricate ducts for high efficiency heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to maximize efficiency of systems.
- Fasten seams or joints together with welds, bolts, cement, rivets, solder, caulks, metal drive clips, or bonds to assemble components into products or to repair sheet metal items.
- Transport prefabricated parts to construction sites for assembly and installation.
- Install assemblies, such as flashing, pipes, tubes, heating and air conditioning ducts, furnace casings, rain gutters, or downspouts in supportive frameworks.
- Hire, train, or supervise new employees or apprentices.
Core tasks ranked by O*NET task Importance (IM, 1-5), top 6.
Top skills
- Coordination
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Mathematics
- Speaking
Sources (4)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, Texas, series OEUS480000000000047221113, read 2026-10-03
- Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections (via Projections Central) 2024-2034, Texas, read 2026-10-03
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034, United States, read 2026-10-03
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), 47-2211.00 Sheet Metal Workers, read 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Engineer Tsai has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 · O*NET license
Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Base pay; excludes overtime. Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034 (United States) and Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections 2024-2034, read through Projections Central.
