Sheet Metal Workers Salary
The median pay for a sheet metal workers in Paducah, KY-IL is $79,020/year ($37.99/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $86K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.08), which stretches that salary to about $91,798 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,058/month, or 20.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $79K get you in Paducah?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Paducah’s Regional Price Parity (86.08). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About sheet metal workers
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What this looks like in Paducah
Paducah sits well above the national pay line for sheet metal workers, local pay runs about 28% higher than the U.S. median of $62K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,058/month, 20.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 86.08 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Paducah offers a genuinely strong financial position for sheet metal workerss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for sheet metal workers in metros near Paducah, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $61K | $66K |
| Bowling Green | $49K | $54K |
| Charlottesville | $47K | $47K |
| Fort Wayne | $61K | $66K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Paducah, KY-IL
Entry-level sheet metal workers (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $86K or more, a $47K spread from bottom to top.
Sheet Metal Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Sheet Metal Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $99K | +59% | 3,440 |
| Hawaii | $96K | +56% | 490 |
| Alaska | $95K | +53% | 240 |
| New Jersey | $93K | +50% | 2,790 |
| Illinois | $87K | +40% | 3,260 |
| Massachusetts | $82K | +33% | 2,890 |
| Connecticut | $79K | +27% | 1,480 |
| Wisconsin | $78K | +26% | 3,180 |
| California | $77K | +24% | 8,390 |
| Ohio | $75K | +21% | 4,180 |
| New York | $74K | +19% | 6,570 |
| Oregon | $74K | +19% | 3,250 |
| Minnesota | $73K | +18% | 2,980 |
| West Virginia | $72K | +17% | 540 |
| Iowa | $66K | +8% | 1,650 |
| Oklahoma | $66K | +6% | 2,820 |
| North Dakota | $65K | +5% | 290 |
| Rhode Island | $65K | +5% | 370 |
| Michigan | $64K | +4% | 4,000 |
| Nebraska | $64K | +4% | 440 |
| Indiana | $64K | +4% | 4,580 |
| Missouri | $64K | +3% | 2,640 |
| Utah | $63K | +2% | 1,810 |
| Kansas | $63K | +1% | 1,730 |
| Maryland | $63K | +1% | 1,940 |
| Maine | $62K | +1% | 830 |
| Delaware | $61K | -1% | 440 |
| Montana | $61K | -1% | 410 |
| Pennsylvania | $61K | -1% | 3,260 |
| Kentucky | $61K | -2% | 2,210 |
| New Hampshire | $60K | -3% | 760 |
| Tennessee | $59K | -4% | 1,850 |
| Wyoming | $59K | -5% | 160 |
| Vermont | $58K | -6% | 370 |
| Colorado | $58K | -6% | 1,660 |
| Georgia | $57K | -8% | 3,590 |
| New Mexico | $57K | -8% | 640 |
| Texas | $54K | -12% | 9,540 |
| Virginia | $52K | -16% | 4,520 |
| North Carolina | $51K | -18% | 2,780 |
| Louisiana | $50K | -19% | 1,080 |
| Arizona | $50K | -19% | 3,060 |
| South Carolina | $50K | -19% | 1,710 |
| Florida | $50K | -20% | 8,040 |
| Mississippi | $50K | -20% | 1,260 |
| South Dakota | $48K | -23% | 320 |
| Alabama | $48K | -23% | 1,450 |
| Nevada | $47K | -24% | 1,270 |
| Idaho | $46K | -25% | 1,290 |
| Arkansas | $46K | -26% | 1,230 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track sheet metal workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Paducah numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a sheet metal worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Paducah?
Yes — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 20.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,058/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for sheet metal workers in Paducah?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new sheet metal workers typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,317/month. At HUD’s $1,058/month FMR, rent would take 46% 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 Paducah?
Local pay is 28% above the national median — $79K here vs. $62K nationally.
How does Paducah compare to the national average for sheet metal workers?
Paducah pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s +28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.08), the purchasing-power equivalent is $92K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do sheet metal workers make in Paducah, KY-IL?
The median is $79,020 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,620, and experienced sheet metal workers can clear $85,630. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Paducah?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,068/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,058/month, which eats 20.9% 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 Paducah?
Paducah has a Regional Price Parity of 86.08 (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 $91,798 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.