Sheet Metal Workers Salary
The median pay for a sheet metal workers in Indiana is $64,040/year ($30.79/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $104K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $69,753 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,144/month, or 26.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Indiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $64K get you in Indiana?
About sheet metal workers
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What this looks like in Indiana
Sheet metal workers pay in Indiana tracks closely to the national median, $64K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 4% difference. Rent runs $1,144/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indiana
Entry-level sheet metal workers (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $104K or more, a $61K spread from bottom to top.
Sheet Metal Workers salary by metro in Indiana
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan City-La Porte | $93K | +46% | 50 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $81K | +27% | 120 |
| Terre Haute | $76K | +18% | 80 |
| Evansville | $74K | +16% | 120 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $66K | +3% | 1,480 |
| Columbus | $65K | +2% | 50 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette | $63K | -2% | 140 |
| Fort Wayne | $61K | -4% | N/A |
| Elkhart-Goshen | $61K | -4% | 650 |
| Muncie | $55K | -14% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track sheet metal workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Indiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a sheet metal worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 26.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for sheet metal workers in Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new sheet metal workers typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,557/month. At HUD’s $1,144/month FMR, rent would take 45% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is sheet metal worker a high-paying job in Indiana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $64K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for sheet metal workers?
Indiana pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do sheet metal workers make in Indiana?
The median is $64,040 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,620, and experienced sheet metal workers can clear $104,080. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,290/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 26.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a sheet metal workers salary go in Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median sheet metal workers salary is worth about $69,753 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do sheet metal workers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.