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Metal Fabricator

Types of Degrees Metal Fabricator Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Metal Fabricator can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	237
Associate’s Degree	72
Master’s Degree	243

What Metal Fabricator Majors Need to Know

Programs in Metal Fabricator emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Metal Fabricator graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Metal Fabricator emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Mathematics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Production and Processing — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 2.9 / 7.
• Mechanical — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.0 / 5; level 2.5 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 2.9 / 5; level 2.4 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills developed in a Metal Fabricator program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 3 / 5; level 2.6 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3 / 5; level 2.6 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3 / 5; level 2.4 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3 / 5; level 3 / 7.
• Operations Monitoring — Importance 2.9 / 5; level 2.5 / 7.

Abilities

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

• Arm-Hand Steadiness — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Control Precision — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Visualization — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Static Strength — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Metal Fabricator graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Controlling Machines and Processes	4.1 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.0 / 7
Handling and Moving Objects	4.0 / 7
Performing General Physical Activities	3.9 / 7
Getting Information	3.9 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.9 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.9 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.7 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.7 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Metal Fabricator professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Tekla software	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Three-dimensional modeling software	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Dassault Systemes CATIA	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Computer aided design and drafting CADD software	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Spreadsheet software	Spreadsheet software	—
Enterprise resource planning ERP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Metal Fabricator graduates include:

• Industrial Fabricator
• Motorcycle Maker
• Ornamental Metal Worker Apprentice
• Metal Fabricator Apprentice
• Sheet Metal Technician (Sheet Metal Tech)
• Structural Steel Fabricator
• Structural and Ornamental Metalwork Metal Fabricator
• Weld Fitter
• Machine Shop Fitter
• Mill Beam Fitter
• Motorcycle Assembler
• Metal Fabricator
• Machine Cage Maker
• Metal Framer
• Metal Box Maker

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	76.7%
Less than a high school diploma	18.0%
Postsecondary certificate	3.0%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.3%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Metal Fabricator?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 93.8% of Metal Fabricator degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	34	6.2%
Men	518	93.8%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Metal Fabricator graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	270	48.9%
Asian	4	0.7%
Hispanic or Latino	222	40.2%
Black or African American	15	2.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	7	1.3%
Two or More Races	26	4.7%
Race Unknown	8	1.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Metal Fabricator Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Metal Fabricator graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$33,800
4 years	$39,416
5 years	$44,203

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $44,203 — roughly 31% above the 1-year mark.

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

Is a Degree in Metal Fabricator Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Metal Fabricator graduates earn a median of $39,416 four years after completion — roughly 4% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{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
Precision Metal Working	48.05
Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) Machinist Technology/CNC Machinist	48.0510
Ironworking/Ironworker	48.0509
Machine Shop Technology/Assistant	48.0503
Machine Tool Technology/Machinist	48.0501
Precision Metal Working, Other	48.0599
Sheet Metal Technology/Sheetworking	48.0506
Tool and Die Technology/Technician	48.0507
Welding Technology/Welder	48.0508

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.