Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The fabricator profession offers a competitive salary that averages around $34,922 per year. This figure can vary significantly depending on geographic location, with opportunities in states like California and Texas typically offering higher compensation. Fabricators with specialized skills or those employed in sectors such as aerospace or automotive manufacturing may also command higher wages.
Entry-level fabricators start at lower salaries, but with experience, they can expect substantial increases. Those with five to ten years of experience often see salaries rise to approximately $40,000 annually, while seasoned professionals can earn upwards of $50,000, depending on their expertise and the complexity of their roles.
Industries such as construction, manufacturing, and automotive are among the highest paying for fabricators. For instance, fabricators working in the aerospace sector may earn significantly more than their peers in other industries.
For anyone considering a career as a fabricator, understanding these salary dynamics and exploring various job opportunities is crucial for making informed decisions in this field.
Let Zippi find your next fabricator job
Let Zippi find your next fabricator job
The average fabricator salary in Nevada, Hawaii, and California are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average fabricator salary states are Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $39,714 | $19.09 |
| 2 | Iowa | $38,252 | $18.39 |
| 3 | North Dakota | $39,630 | $19.05 |
| 4 | Oregon | $38,565 | $18.54 |
| 5 | Nevada | $42,297 | $20.34 |
| 6 | Utah | $36,988 | $17.78 |
| 7 | Washington | $39,170 | $18.83 |
| 8 | Arizona | $37,903 | $18.22 |
| 9 | Louisiana | $37,644 | $18.10 |
| 10 | Alaska | $38,040 | $18.29 |
| 11 | Michigan | $36,290 | $17.45 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $35,456 | $17.05 |
| 13 | Delaware | $38,930 | $18.72 |
| 14 | Wyoming | $37,166 | $17.87 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $35,797 | $17.21 |
| 16 | Virginia | $39,173 | $18.83 |
| 17 | Nebraska | $34,539 | $16.61 |
| 18 | California | $39,961 | $19.21 |
| 19 | Ohio | $33,921 | $16.31 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $33,728 | $16.22 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $33,529 | $16.12 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $42,277 | $20.33 |
| 23 | Kansas | $33,728 | $16.22 |
| 24 | Illinois | $35,029 | $16.84 |
| 25 | Vermont | $35,073 | $16.86 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $34,634 | $16.65 |
| 27 | New York | $37,655 | $18.10 |
| 28 | Indiana | $31,978 | $15.37 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $32,426 | $15.59 |
| 30 | Massachusetts | $36,245 | $17.43 |
| 31 | Colorado | $35,743 | $17.18 |
| 32 | Rhode Island | $33,379 | $16.05 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $32,375 | $15.56 |
| 34 | Missouri | $33,090 | $15.91 |
| 35 | Maine | $32,781 | $15.76 |
| 36 | Connecticut | $36,328 | $17.47 |
| 37 | Idaho | $33,747 | $16.22 |
| 38 | Montana | $34,032 | $16.36 |
| 39 | New Jersey | $36,886 | $17.73 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $32,942 | $15.84 |
| 41 | North Carolina | $32,584 | $15.67 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $33,743 | $16.22 |
| 43 | Alabama | $31,101 | $14.95 |
| 44 | Maryland | $34,302 | $16.49 |
| 45 | Texas | $31,648 | $15.22 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $31,062 | $14.93 |
| 47 | Georgia | $31,091 | $14.95 |
| 48 | Florida | $31,057 | $14.93 |
| 49 | District of Columbia | $33,095 | $15.91 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $28,070 | $13.50 |
| 51 | New Hampshire | $31,003 | $14.91 |
The highest-paying cities for fabricators are Las Vegas, NV, Riverside, CA, and Newport News, VA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Las Vegas, NV | $42,318 | $20.35 |
| 2 | Riverside, CA | $39,451 | $18.97 |
| 3 | Newport News, VA | $38,963 | $18.73 |
| 4 | Tualatin, OR | $38,528 | $18.52 |
| 5 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $38,341 | $18.43 |
| 6 | Phoenix, AZ | $38,043 | $18.29 |
| 7 | Alexandria, LA | $37,670 | $18.11 |
| 8 | Buffalo, NY | $37,420 | $17.99 |
| 9 | West Valley City, UT | $36,969 | $17.77 |
| 10 | Worcester, MA | $36,355 | $17.48 |
| 11 | Redford, MI | $36,349 | $17.48 |
| 12 | Broomfield, CO | $35,806 | $17.21 |
| 13 | Erie, PA | $35,650 | $17.14 |
| 14 | Minneapolis, MN | $35,449 | $17.04 |
| 15 | Omaha, NE | $34,585 | $16.63 |
| 16 | Kansas City, KS | $33,827 | $16.26 |
| 17 | Janesville, WI | $33,730 | $16.22 |
| 18 | Cincinnati, OH | $33,308 | $16.01 |
| 19 | Kansas City, MO | $33,212 | $15.97 |
| 20 | Charlotte, NC | $32,504 | $15.63 |
Fabricators are the most in-demand in these five cities:
A fabricator's salary ranges from $27,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $44,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| 75th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
| Average | $34,922 | $2,910 | $17 |
| 25th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
The highest paying types of fabricators are pipe welder, ship fitter, and lead fabricator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pipe Welder | $46,364 | $3,864 | $22.29 | 7,738 |
| MIG Welder | $35,476 | $2,956 | $17.06 | 7,051 |
| Ship Fitter | $45,247 | $3,771 | $21.75 | 9,742 |
| Warehouse Assembler | $30,238 | $2,520 | $14.54 | 127,726 |
| Fabrication Technician | $35,582 | $2,965 | $17.11 | 109,734 |
| Metal Fabricator | $38,047 | $3,171 | $18.29 | 4,868 |
Top companies hiring fabricators now:
Fabricator salaries at Danaher and General Electric are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average fabricator salary at companies like Sierra Pacific Industries and Schlumberger are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Danaher | $47,500 | $22.84 |
| 2 | General Electric | $46,284 | $22.25 |
| 3 | Sierra Pacific Industries | $46,205 | $22.21 |
| 4 | Schlumberger | $45,679 | $21.96 |
| 5 | Johnson Controls | $45,112 | $21.69 |
| 6 | Valmont Industries | $44,341 | $21.32 |
| 7 | American Woodmark | $43,844 | $21.08 |
| 8 | Lippert Components | $43,684 | $21.00 |
| 9 | Halliburton | $43,476 | $20.90 |
| 10 | Lockheed Martin | $43,420 | $20.88 |
| 11 | Simpson Manufacturing Co | $43,264 | $20.80 |
| 12 | L3Harris | $43,216 | $20.78 |
| 13 | Eaton | $43,138 | $20.74 |
| 14 | BRP US Inc | $42,896 | $20.62 |
| 15 | Pall | $42,887 | $20.62 |
| 16 | GPAC | $42,753 | $20.55 |
| 17 | Oshkosh | $42,743 | $20.55 |
| 18 | Maxum Enterprises, LLC | $42,467 | $20.42 |
| 19 | Faraday Future | $42,378 | $20.37 |
| 20 | REV Group | $42,210 | $20.29 |
The average fabricator salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $42,665 | $20.51 |
| 2 | Construction | $38,119 | $18.33 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $36,748 | $17.67 |
| 4 | Professional | $36,486 | $17.54 |
| 5 | Automotive | $36,268 | $17.44 |
| 6 | Hospitality | $36,115 | $17.36 |
The average fabricator salary has risen by $6,653 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average fabricator earned $28,269 annually, but today, they earn $34,922 a year. That works out to a 13% change in pay for fabricators over the last decade.
Compare fabricator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare fabricator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $34,900 | $16.79 | +3.6% |
| 2024 | $33,700 | $16.18 | +2.6% |
| 2023 | $32,800 | $15.76 | +3.0% |
| 2022 | $31,800 | $15.29 | +2.9% |
| 2021 | $30,900 | $14.85 | +3.3% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LS Solutions | Looking for Fabricator III In Fort Madison IA | Fort Madison, IA | 06/29/2025 | $37,566 |
| Landscape Structures | Fabricator-2Nd Shift | Delano, MN | 06/29/2025 | $39,653 |
| Safe Boats International | Collar Fabricator 1 | Bremerton, WA | 06/29/2025 | $45,914 |
| Aerotek | Fabricator | Statesville, NC | 06/28/2025 | $41,740 |
| Aerotek | Fabricator | New Berlin, WI | 06/28/2025 | $33,280 |
| Tradesmen International | Countertop Fabricator | Bensenville, IL | 06/28/2025 | $58,436 |
| Ashley Sling | Fabricator, Rigger | Charlotte, NC | 06/28/2025 | $39,653 |
| Ashley Sling | Fabricator, Rigger | Atlanta, GA | 06/28/2025 | $39,653 |
| CMC | Rebar Fabricator | Kankakee, IL | 06/28/2025 | $39,653 |
| Artisan Design Group | Fabricator | Woodinville, WA | 06/28/2025 | $43,827 |
Search for fabricator jobs