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How to hire a metal fabricator

Metal fabricator hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring metal fabricators in the United States:

  • The median cost to hire a metal fabricator is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per metal fabricator on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • There are a total of 73,315 metal fabricators in the US, and there are currently 4,868 job openings in this field.
  • Stuart, FL, has the highest demand for metal fabricators, with 7 job openings.

How to hire a metal fabricator, step by step

To hire a metal fabricator, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a metal fabricator:

Here's a step-by-step metal fabricator hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a metal fabricator job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new metal fabricator
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a metal fabricator do?

A metal fabricator manipulates metal for construction and manufacturing companies. They are required to cut, shape, position and align different metals. They must also understand assembly instructions, ensure required parts are available, and ensure parts meet quality control standards. They attend product development meetings, test products for functionality, troubleshoot and stress test products to determine possible shortcomings, make detailed reports outlining product malfunctions, verify product dimensions, and maintain the product schedule.

Learn more about the specifics of what a metal fabricator does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    The metal fabricator hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a metal fabricator to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a metal fabricator that fits the bill.

    The following list breaks down different types of metal fabricators and their corresponding salaries.

    Type of Metal FabricatorDescriptionHourly rate
    Metal FabricatorAssemblers and fabricators assemble finished products and the parts that go into them. They use tools, machines, and their hands to make engines, computers, aircraft, ships, boats, toys, electronic devices, control panels, and more.$13-23
    Warehouse AssemblerA warehouse assembler takes on several responsibilities. They are responsible for preparing work that needs to be accomplished by studying and following assembly instructions to put together parts... Show more$12-17
    MIG WelderThe MIG welder is responsible for creating metal projects using inert gas welding techniques and electric arc processes. MIG welders carefully fuse metal components, avoiding contamination on the weld, as well as managing the metal bond defects... Show more$13-21
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • MIG
    • Hand Tools
    • Aluminum
    • Press Brake
    • Drill Press
    • Tape Measure
    • Stainless Steel
    • Grinders
    • Punch Press
    • Cranes
    • Spot Welding
    • Math
    • Basic Math
    • Overhead Cranes
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Examine surface of metal to detect defects, such as dents, scratches, or breaks in metal.
    • Operate band see, chop see, MIG welder, stick welder, and grinders to cut to specifications.
    • Design and construct jigs, templates, and fixtures.
    • Test and troubleshoot electrical systems prior to shipment of modules.
    • Fabricate and erect structural, ornamental, and misc steel.
    • Apply knowledge of shop mathematics, metal properties, and layouts.
    More metal fabricator duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in the metal fabricator job description is a good way to get more applicants. A metal fabricator salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

    For example, the average salary for a metal fabricator in Florida may be lower than in Nevada, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level metal fabricator. Additionally, a metal fabricator with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

    Average metal fabricator salary

    $38,047yearly

    $18.29 hourly rate

    Entry-level metal fabricator salary
    $29,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 14, 2025

    Average metal fabricator salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1New Jersey$44,919$22
    2California$42,729$21
    3New York$40,571$20
    4Connecticut$40,208$19
    5Oregon$39,459$19
    6Pennsylvania$39,164$19
    7Wisconsin$37,670$18
    8Ohio$37,626$18
    9Georgia$37,044$18
    10Iowa$36,994$18
    11Kansas$36,979$18
    12North Carolina$36,705$18
    13Colorado$36,601$18
    14Texas$36,181$17
    15Tennessee$36,088$17
    16Florida$35,196$17
    17Minnesota$32,261$16

    Average metal fabricator salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Halliburton$49,431$23.76
    2Valmont Industries$46,635$22.429
    3Arrowhead Products$45,603$21.924
    4Oshkosh$45,544$21.907
    5Safe Fleet$45,239$21.75
    6Traylor Bros$45,064$21.672
    7L&l Products$44,787$21.53
    8CVC Construction$44,576$21.43
    9Liberty Diversified International$42,553$20.46
    10Dye Precision$41,760$20.08
    11LaForce$41,629$20.011
    12Douglas Dynamics$41,581$19.992
    13Paradigm Precision$41,525$19.96
    14Albert$41,516$19.96
    15Radyne$41,347$19.88
    16Image National Signs$41,192$19.80
    17COST of Wisconsin$41,186$19.80
    18Anderson Dahlen$41,119$19.77
    19Astro$41,108$19.76
    20The Cook & Boardman Group$41,093$19.763
  4. Writing a metal fabricator job description

    A good metal fabricator job description should include a few things:

    • Summary of the role
    • List of responsibilities
    • Required skills and experience

    Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a metal fabricator job description:

    Metal fabricator job description example

    We are Intermountain Electronics, and we've been around for 30+ years. We are a leading provider of custom engineered and manufactured process and electrical systems to the mining, oil & gas, utility, and mission critical industries in North America. We have four manufacturing facilities nationwide and have been continuously growing for years. We have ambitious growth goals and we're on track to reach them as we continue to diversify into new markets. We offer awesome career growth opportunity, benefits, and stability.

    Why you will love working here.

    You will love the challenge, interesting and varied work, and endless opportunities, but most importantly you will love working with a team of fun loving, driven, and generous go getters that take deep personal pride in being part of a family that is building the infrastructure that powers the world.

    You should know...

    We are an equal opportunity employer.

    We have drug free workplace. Pre-employment drug tests will be performed.



    Qualifications:

    Must have a knowledge and skills to perform correct and accurate measurements.

    Must be proficient in welding processes.

    Ability to read and interpret design diagrams.

    Operate and maintain various hand tools.

    Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those encountered in the course of the work.

    Requires a High School Diploma or GED, plus one to two yrs experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.

    Must occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds; Specific vision abilities required by this job include Close vision, Color Vision, Depth perception and Ability to adjust focus; Regularly required to stand; sit; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk or hear, walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms.



    Benefits:

    This position offers :

    - Competitive salary

    - PTO (Paid Time Off) + Paid Holidays (10)
    - Medical and Dental Plans
    - Company Paid Life Insurance
    - Voluntary Vision, Life, STD & LTD Insurance Programs
    - 401K
    - HSA and company match

  5. Post your job

    There are a few common ways to find metal fabricators for your business:

    • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your metal fabricator job on Zippia to find and recruit metal fabricator candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    To successfully recruit metal fabricators, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new metal fabricator

    Once you've selected the best metal fabricator candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

    It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new metal fabricator. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a metal fabricator?

Before you start to hire metal fabricators, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire metal fabricators pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

The median annual salary for metal fabricators is $38,047 in the US. However, the cost of metal fabricator hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a metal fabricator for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $13 and $23 an hour.

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