How To Become A Sheet Metal Welder: What It Is and Career Path

What is a sheet metal welder and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a sheet metal welder. For example, did you know that they make an average of $20.17 an hour? That's $41,946 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow -1% and produce -1,000 job opportunities across the U.S.

ScoreSheet Metal WelderUS Average

Salary

3.3

Avg. Salary $41,946

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.5

Growth rate -1%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

7.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.83%

Asian 2.29%

Black or African American 6.79%

Hispanic or Latino 22.73%

Unknown 3.24%

White 64.12%

Gender

female 1.90%

male 98.10%

Age - 45

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45

Stress level

6.5

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.1

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.9

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a sheet metal welder

Explore sheet metal welder education requirements

Most common sheet metal welder degrees

High School Diploma

51.2 %

Bachelor's

14.6 %

Diploma

12.2 %

Start to develop specific sheet metal welder skills

Skills	Percentages
HVAC	27.07%
MIG	16.76%
Hand Tools	11.81%
Stainless Steel	11.67%
TIG	6.56%

Complete relevant sheet metal welder training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 2-4 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New sheet metal welders learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a sheet metal welder based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real sheet metal welder resumes.

Research sheet metal welder duties and responsibilities

Manage large-scale industrial and commercial HVAC installation and service projects.
Can fabricate parts using templates, jigs, clamps and clecos.
Position parts to be weld into jigs or holding fixtures ensuring that they are properly clamp into position.
Work to restore aircraft to optimal performance capacity by ensuring that necessary devices are repaired and install according to FAA guidelines.

Prepare your sheet metal welder resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your sheet metal welder resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a sheet metal welder resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable sheet metal welder resume templates

Build a professional sheet metal welder resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your sheet metal welder resume.

Apply for sheet metal welder jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a sheet metal welder job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do sheet metal welders rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Sheet metal welder reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2019

Pros

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public Performing General Physical Activities Communicating with Persons Outside Organization Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work Making Decisions and Solving Problems

Cons

Waiting on delivery

A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2019