How to become a structural metal fabricators and fitter

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

Steps to get there

Most employers expect usually requires a high school diploma or ged, though some occupations may not..Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

What structural metal fabricators and fitters do

• Verify conformance of workpieces to specifications, using squares, rulers, and measuring tapes.
• Position, align, fit, and weld parts to form complete units or subunits, following blueprints and layout specifications, and using jigs, welding torches, and hand tools.
• Lay out and examine metal stock or workpieces to be processed to ensure that specifications are met.
• Tack-weld fitted parts together.
• Move parts into position, manually or with hoists or cranes.
• Set up and operate fabricating machines, such as brakes, rolls, shears, flame cutters, grinders, and drill presses, to bend, cut, form, punch, drill, or otherwise form and assemble metal components.

Skills that matter most

• Reading Comprehension
• Active Listening
• Speaking
• Critical Thinking
• Monitoring
• Writing
• Active Learning
• Mathematics

Is structural metal fabricators and fitter a good career?

On the numbers, this job is close to the average across occupations. Median pay is 1% above the all-occupation median. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself, the schooling you are willing to do and where you want to live.

Where it pays most

• Maine $64,760
• Alaska $63,420
• Oregon $62,220
• Massachusetts $62,040
• Washington $61,850

Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters salary by state and city

Sources: O*NET® 31.0 (CC BY 4.0, USDOL/ETA) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025.