Sheet Metal Workers Salary
The median pay for a sheet metal workers in Pennsylvania is $61,400/year ($29.52/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $126K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $64,652 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,351/month, about 32.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $61K get you in Pennsylvania?
About sheet metal workers
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Sheet metal workers pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $61K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,351/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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, Pennsylvania
Entry-level sheet metal workers (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $126K or more, a $81K spread from bottom to top.
Sheet Metal Workers salary by metro in Pennsylvania
11 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $77K | +26% | 1,530 |
| Reading | $67K | +9% | 130 |
| Erie | $66K | +7% | 70 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $65K | +6% | 190 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $65K | +6% | 140 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $64K | +4% | 180 |
| York-Hanover | $60K | -2% | 180 |
| Lancaster | $60K | -2% | 220 |
| Lebanon | $60K | -3% | 40 |
| Altoona | $59K | -5% | 50 |
| Pittsburgh | $58K | -5% | 870 |
Showing 1–10 of 11 metros
Compare to other states
Track sheet metal workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a sheet metal worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 32.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for sheet metal workers in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new sheet metal workers typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,740/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $61K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for sheet metal workers?
Pennsylvania pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do sheet metal workers make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $61,400 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,660, and experienced sheet metal workers can clear $126,430. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,124/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 32.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a sheet metal workers salary go in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $64,652 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.