Sheet Metal Workers Salary
The median pay for a sheet metal workers in Virginia is $52,220/year ($25.1/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $55,090 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 48% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $52K get you in Virginia?
About sheet metal workers
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What this looks like in Virginia
Pay for sheet metal workers in Virginia runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $62K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,646/month, which is 47.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for sheet metal workerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level sheet metal workers (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $36K spread from bottom to top.
Sheet Metal Workers salary by metro in Virginia
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $63K | +21% | 2,080 |
| Richmond | $48K | -8% | 610 |
| Lynchburg | $47K | -10% | 140 |
| Charlottesville | $47K | -10% | N/A |
| Roanoke | $46K | -12% | 130 |
| Winchester | $45K | -14% | 80 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford | $38K | -28% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track sheet metal workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a sheet metal worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 47.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new sheet metal workers typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,246/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 73% 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 Virginia?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $52K here vs. $62K nationally. Cost of living is 5% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for sheet metal workers?
Virginia pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — below the national median.
How much do sheet metal workers make in Virginia?
The median is $52,220 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,440, and experienced sheet metal workers can clear $73,640. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,459/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 47.6% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $55,090 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.