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Metal Building Assembly

What Metal Building Assembly Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Metal Building Assembly build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Metal Building Assembly graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Metal Building Assembly emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Building and Construction — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 6.1 / 7.
• Mechanical — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Public Safety and Security — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.0 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.0 / 5; level 2.7 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Metal Building Assembly program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Coordination — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Operations Monitoring — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3 / 7.
• Operation and Control — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Metal Building Assembly careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Static Strength — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Multilimb Coordination — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 4 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Visualization — Importance 4 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness — Importance 4 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Metal Building Assembly graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Handling and Moving Objects	4.4 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.2 / 7
Performing General Physical Activities	4.2 / 7
Getting Information	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment	3.9 / 7
Controlling Machines and Processes	3.8 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.7 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.7 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.7 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Metal Building Assembly professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Project scheduling software	Project management software	—
Cost estimating software	Project management software	—
Computer aided design CAD software	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Turtle Creek Software Goldenseal	Accounting software	—
Inventory tracking software	Inventory management software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Metal Building Assembly graduates include:

• Bridge Maintainer
• Ornamental Metal Erector
• Structural Ironworker
• Oil Field Rig Builder
• Metal Tank Builder
• Structural Iron Erector
• Bridge Ironworker
• Guzzler Builder
• Structural Fitter
• Steel Rigger
• Wind Turbine Erector
• Tower Hand
• Tank Setter
• Structural Metal Worker
• Billboard Mechanic

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Metal Building Assembly graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	42.1%
Less than a high school diploma	33.7%
Postsecondary certificate	19.2%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	5.0%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

How Much Do Metal Building Assembly Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Metal Building Assembly graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$33,822
4 years	$32,489
5 years	$37,102

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $37,102 — roughly 10% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Metal Building Assembly Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Metal Building Assembly graduates earn a median of $32,489 four years after completion — about 15% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection	46.04
Building Construction Technology/Technician	46.0415
Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection, Other	46.0499
Building/Construction Site Management/Manager	46.0412
Building/Home/Construction Inspection/Inspector	46.0403
Building/Property Maintenance	46.0401
Carpet, Floor, and Tile Worker	46.0413
Concrete Finishing/Concrete Finisher	46.0402
Drywall Installation/Drywaller	46.0404
Glazier	46.0406
Insulator	46.0414
Painting/Painter and Wall Coverer	46.0408

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.