What You Need to Know About Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters

Position Description Fabricate, position, align, and fit parts of structural metal products.

Life as a Structural Metal Fabricator or Fitter: What Do They Do?

• Move parts into position, manually or with hoists or cranes.
• Straighten warped or bent parts, using sledges, hand torches, straightening presses, or bulldozers.
• Mark reference points onto floors or face blocks and transpose them to workpieces, using measuring devices, squares, chalk, and soapstone.
• Align and fit parts according to specifications, using jacks, turnbuckles, wedges, drift pins, pry bars, and hammers.
• Hammer, chip, and grind workpieces to cut, bend, and straighten metal.
• Design and construct templates and fixtures, using hand tools.

What a Structural Metal Fabricator or Fitter Should Know

Below is a list of the skills most Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters say are important on the job.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Types of Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters

• Welder-Fabricator
• Motorcycle Assembler
• Mill Beam Fitter
• Tack Welder
• Structural and Ornamental Metalwork Metal Fabricator

Job Demand for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters

There were about 77,000 jobs for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters in 2016 (in the United States).

Structural Metal Fabricator or Fitter jobs are decreasing by a rate of -15.3%. This means the total job opportunities are shrinking. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a loss of -11,800 jobs for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters by 2026. There will be an estimated 6,500 positions for Structural Metal Fabricator or Fitter per year.

The states with the most job growth for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters are Texas, Washington, and Arizona.

Watch out if you plan on working in California, Pennsylvania, or Wisconsin. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

How Much Does a Structural Metal Fabricator or Fitter Make?

The average yearly salary of a Structural Metal Fabricator or Fitter ranges between $26,530 and $60,150. The median salary for this occupation is $39,290.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for jobs of this type in different U.S. states.

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
Kansas	$53,910
Alaska	$53,050
Hawaii	$49,690
New York	$49,280
New Jersey	$48,600
Illinois	$46,880
Minnesota	$46,260
Maryland	$46,110
Massachusetts	$45,630
Delaware	$45,580
New Hampshire	$45,210
Vermont	$45,160
Washington	$45,000
Oregon	$44,250
Louisiana	$44,110
Connecticut	$43,420
Michigan	$43,420
Nevada	$43,370
Wisconsin	$43,240
North Dakota	$42,490
Virginia	$42,090
Texas	$41,620
Pennsylvania	$41,510
Utah	$41,270
Montana	$40,760
Colorado	$40,580
Wyoming	$40,460
Maine	$40,440
Alabama	$40,360
California	$40,270
North Carolina	$39,070
South Carolina	$38,630
Florida	$38,070
West Virginia	$37,780
Missouri	$37,730
Arizona	$37,430
Indiana	$37,400
Ohio	$37,350
Tennessee	$37,050
Georgia	$36,560
Iowa	$36,510
Mississippi	$36,390
Oklahoma	$36,330
Arkansas	$36,280
Nebraska	$36,210
South Dakota	$36,150
Idaho	$35,380
Kentucky	$35,320
New Mexico	$35,060

What Tools & Technology do Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters:

• Dassault Systemes CATIA
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office
• Enterprise resource planning ERP software
• Microsoft Word
• Computer aided design and drafting CADD software
• Microsoft Outlook
• Data entry software

How do I Become a Structural Metal Fabricator or Fitter?

Individuals working as Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters have obtained the following education levels:

How Long Does it Take to Become Structural Metal Fabricator or Fitter?

Who Employs Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters?

Other Jobs You May be Interested In

Those interested in being a Structural Metal Fabricator or Fitter may also be interested in:

• Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
• Print Binding and Finishing Workers
• Solderers and Brazers

Those who work as Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:

• Model Makers, Metal and Plastic

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons