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The role of a metal fabricator involves various tasks, including cutting, shaping, and assembling metal components. According to recent data, the average annual salary for a metal fabricator is $38,047. This figure can fluctuate based on several factors, including geographical location, years of experience, and the type of industry they are employed in.
For instance, states such as California and Texas tend to offer higher salaries due to increased demand for skilled labor. Additionally, specialized roles, such as those in aerospace or automotive manufacturing, often provide higher compensation compared to general fabrication jobs.
Job seekers should consider pursuing additional certifications or training to enhance their skills and increase their earning potential. The industry is evolving, and opportunities are expanding in various sectors, making it a promising choice for individuals looking to enter the workforce or advance their careers.
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The highest-paying states for metal fabricators are Nevada, New Jersey, and Hawaii. The lowest average metal fabricator salary states are Florida, South Carolina, and New Hampshire.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisiana | $43,273 | $20.80 |
| 2 | Nevada | $45,796 | $22.02 |
| 3 | Virginia | $44,063 | $21.18 |
| 4 | South Dakota | $42,278 | $20.33 |
| 5 | Utah | $40,028 | $19.24 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $40,475 | $19.46 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $42,527 | $20.45 |
| 8 | Arizona | $42,804 | $20.58 |
| 9 | Wisconsin | $37,546 | $18.05 |
| 10 | Mississippi | $40,737 | $19.59 |
| 11 | Delaware | $44,270 | $21.28 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $45,040 | $21.65 |
| 13 | Oregon | $39,577 | $19.03 |
| 14 | Michigan | $39,361 | $18.92 |
| 15 | Iowa | $37,027 | $17.80 |
| 16 | Kansas | $36,638 | $17.61 |
| 17 | Ohio | $36,894 | $17.74 |
| 18 | Massachusetts | $39,763 | $19.12 |
| 19 | Alaska | $42,298 | $20.34 |
| 20 | Wyoming | $40,066 | $19.26 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $40,645 | $19.54 |
| 22 | California | $42,484 | $20.43 |
| 23 | Washington | $39,873 | $19.17 |
| 24 | Vermont | $37,740 | $18.14 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $36,028 | $17.32 |
| 26 | Hawaii | $44,778 | $21.53 |
| 27 | West Virginia | $38,100 | $18.32 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $37,092 | $17.83 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $36,614 | $17.60 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $36,846 | $17.71 |
| 31 | Georgia | $37,022 | $17.80 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $38,316 | $18.42 |
| 33 | New York | $40,380 | $19.41 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $35,872 | $17.25 |
| 35 | Illinois | $37,515 | $18.04 |
| 36 | Texas | $36,216 | $17.41 |
| 37 | Maine | $35,574 | $17.10 |
| 38 | Missouri | $35,963 | $17.29 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $35,050 | $16.85 |
| 40 | Montana | $36,481 | $17.54 |
| 41 | Alabama | $35,113 | $16.88 |
| 42 | Maryland | $38,780 | $18.64 |
| 43 | Rhode Island | $36,937 | $17.76 |
| 44 | Idaho | $35,858 | $17.24 |
| 45 | Florida | $35,090 | $16.87 |
| 46 | Colorado | $36,667 | $17.63 |
| 47 | Indiana | $32,501 | $15.63 |
| 48 | Minnesota | $32,209 | $15.49 |
| 49 | District of Columbia | $37,315 | $17.94 |
| 50 | New Hampshire | $33,597 | $16.15 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $31,277 | $15.04 |
The highest-paying cities for metal fabricators are Clifton, NJ, Oxnard, CA, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clifton, NJ | $44,919 | $21.60 |
| 2 | Oxnard, CA | $42,729 | $20.54 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $40,571 | $19.51 |
| 4 | Manchester, CT | $40,208 | $19.33 |
| 5 | Portland, OR | $39,459 | $18.97 |
| 6 | Erie, PA | $39,164 | $18.83 |
| 7 | Green Bay, WI | $37,670 | $18.11 |
| 8 | Mentor, OH | $37,626 | $18.09 |
| 9 | Atlanta, GA | $37,044 | $17.81 |
| 10 | Des Moines, IA | $36,994 | $17.79 |
| 11 | Garden City, KS | $36,979 | $17.78 |
| 12 | Fuquay-Varina, NC | $36,705 | $17.65 |
| 13 | Arvada, CO | $36,601 | $17.60 |
| 14 | Houston, TX | $36,181 | $17.39 |
| 15 | La Vergne, TN | $36,088 | $17.35 |
| 16 | Port Saint Lucie, FL | $35,196 | $16.92 |
| 17 | Minneapolis, MN | $32,261 | $15.51 |
A metal fabricator's salary ranges from $29,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $48,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $48,000 | $4,000 | $23 |
| 75th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
| Average | $38,047 | $3,171 | $18 |
| 25th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
The highest paying types of metal fabricators are lead fabricator, liner, and welder-machine operator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warehouse Assembler | $30,238 | $2,520 | $14.54 | 127,726 |
| MIG Welder | $35,476 | $2,956 | $17.06 | 7,051 |
| Saw Operator | $32,319 | $2,693 | $15.54 | 58,465 |
| Fabrication Technician | $35,582 | $2,965 | $17.11 | 109,734 |
| Fabricator | $34,922 | $2,910 | $16.79 | 7,772 |
Top companies hiring metal fabricators now:
Metal fabricator salaries at Halliburton and Valmont Industries are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average metal fabricator salary at companies like Arrowhead Products and Oshkosh are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Halliburton | $49,431 | $23.76 |
| 2 | Valmont Industries | $46,635 | $22.42 |
| 3 | Arrowhead Products | $45,603 | $21.92 |
| 4 | Oshkosh | $45,544 | $21.90 |
| 5 | Safe Fleet | $45,239 | $21.75 |
| 6 | Traylor Bros | $45,064 | $21.67 |
| 7 | L&l Products | $44,787 | $21.53 |
| 8 | CVC Construction | $44,576 | $21.43 |
| 9 | Liberty Diversified International | $42,553 | $20.46 |
| 10 | Dye Precision | $41,760 | $20.08 |
| 11 | LaForce | $41,629 | $20.01 |
| 12 | Douglas Dynamics | $41,581 | $19.99 |
| 13 | Paradigm Precision | $41,525 | $19.96 |
| 14 | Albert | $41,516 | $19.96 |
| 15 | Radyne | $41,347 | $19.88 |
| 16 | Image National Signs | $41,192 | $19.80 |
| 17 | COST of Wisconsin | $41,186 | $19.80 |
| 18 | Anderson Dahlen | $41,119 | $19.77 |
| 19 | Astro | $41,108 | $19.76 |
| 20 | The Cook & Boardman Group | $41,093 | $19.76 |
The average metal fabricator salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Automotive | $45,267 | $21.76 |
| 2 | Construction | $41,658 | $20.03 |
| 3 | Transportation | $41,037 | $19.73 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $40,496 | $19.47 |
| 5 | Technology | $39,866 | $19.17 |
| 6 | Professional | $38,611 | $18.56 |
The average metal fabricator salary has risen by $7,248 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average metal fabricator earned $30,799 annually, but today, they earn $38,047 a year. That works out to a 13% change in pay for metal fabricators over the last decade.
Compare metal fabricator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare metal fabricator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $38,000 | $18.29 | +3.6% |
| 2024 | $36,700 | $17.63 | +2.6% |
| 2023 | $35,700 | $17.17 | +3.0% |
| 2022 | $34,700 | $16.66 | +2.9% |
| 2021 | $33,700 | $16.18 | +3.3% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alliance Technical Solutions | Metal Fabricator | Escondido, CA | 06/29/2025 | $35,479 |
| Everidge | Metal Fabricator 1 | Winnebago, MN | 06/27/2025 | $41,740 |
| Oldcastle Buildingenvelope | Metal Fabricator | Syracuse, NY | 06/26/2025 | $45,392 |
| Stand-By Personnel | Metal Fabricator | Tulsa, OK | 06/25/2025 | $33,392 |
| Smc Metal Fabricators Inc. | Metal Fabricator | Oshkosh, WI | 06/21/2025 | $38,296 |
| Aerotek | Aerospace Metal Fabricator | Compton, CA | 06/20/2025 | $41,740 |
| Aerotek | Metal Fabricator | Saint Paul, MN | 06/19/2025 | $52,175 |
| City & County of San Francisco (Ca | Metal Fabricator-(7305)-SF Municipal Transportation Agency-(T00137) | San Francisco, CA | 06/19/2025 | $94,094 |
| UAP Career | Metal Fabricator | Artisan | Fine, NY | 06/17/2025 | $65,678 |
| NSC Technologies, LLC | Metal Fabricator-NC-Local | Burlington, NC | 06/10/2025 | $52,175 |
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