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The differences between sheet metal fabricators and fabricators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a sheet metal fabricator has an average salary of $40,224, which is higher than the $34,922 average annual salary of a fabricator.
The top three skills for a sheet metal fabricator include hand tools, math and HVAC. The most important skills for a fabricator are hand tools, basic math, and calipers.
| Sheet Metal Fabricator | Fabricator | |
| Yearly salary | $40,224 | $34,922 |
| Hourly rate | $19.34 | $16.79 |
| Growth rate | -1% | -1% |
| Number of jobs | 4,036 | 7,772 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 51% | High School Diploma, 44% |
| Average age | 45 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A sheet metal fabricator installs and fabricates thin metal sheets. They typically work with a team to carry out tasks such as trimming, buffing, smoothing, and grinding metal surfaces. They also read blueprints and select gauges of metal for projects. They must be proficient with hand and power tools.
A fabricator specializes in manufacturing and assembling equipment or devices, ensuring every product's quality and efficiency. There are instances when a fabricator is required to make multiple gears, conduct verification processes on product schematics and specifications, perform quality control inspections, and test the product in different environments. Furthermore, a fabricator needs to coordinate with all workforce members to remain informed on any changes or updates in the production operations while adhering to the company's policies and safety standards.
Sheet metal fabricators and fabricators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Sheet Metal Fabricator | Fabricator | |
| Average salary | $40,224 | $34,922 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $54,000 | Between $27,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fall River, MA | Las Vegas, NV |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Fortune Brands Home & Security | Danaher |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Finance |
There are a few differences between a sheet metal fabricator and a fabricator in terms of educational background:
| Sheet Metal Fabricator | Fabricator | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 51% | High School Diploma, 44% |
| Most common major | Precision Metal Working | Precision Metal Working |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between sheet metal fabricators' and fabricators' demographics:
| Sheet Metal Fabricator | Fabricator | |
| Average age | 45 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.4% Female, 5.6% | Male, 89.8% Female, 10.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 3.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 2.7% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 8.1% White, 58.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 5% |