Sheet Metal Foreman Salary
This is the Data Center Headhunters salary guide.
BLS does not measure Sheet Metal Foreman as its own occupation, so this page uses First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (SOC 47-1011, broader occupation). The median annual wage in the United States was $79,920 (BLS, May 2025), and the middle half earned $63,400 to $101,460.
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Broader occupation
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers is a broader occupation based on the work described, not a separate data center wage series. BLS does not distinguish this title, experience level, shift, credentials or data center employers. Confirm the actual duties before using this comparison.
National pay range
| Point | Annual wage | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $53,280 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $63,400 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median | $79,920 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $101,460 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $128,260 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $86,450 | Average wage. |
| Point | Hourly wage | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $25.62 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $30.48 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median | $38.42 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $48.78 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $61.66 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $41.56 | Average wage. |
What BLS wages include: base pay plus any guaranteed or production-based incentive pay. What they leave out: overtime, discretionary bonus, benefits, per diem and relocation.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 47-1011 First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers, United States. View this release at BLS.
Pay relative to all occupations
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| This occupation, median | $79,920 |
| All occupations (SOC 00-0000), median | $50,980 |
| Relative wage | 1.57 times |
A ratio of 1.00 means the same median as all workers in the area. It is arithmetic on two BLS medians, not a BLS statistic.
Pay in industries that hire this occupation
| Industry (BLS name) | NAICS | Employment | Share of occupation | Median | P25 to P75 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building Equipment Contractors | 238200 | 148,850 | 18.3% | $93,060 | $75,890 to $116,240 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | 236200 | 106,330 | 13.1% | $81,480 | $71,510 to $102,970 |
| Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors | 238210 | 79,660 | 9.8% | $93,500 | $76,550 to $118,230 |
| Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors | 238220 | 60,520 | 7.5% | $93,320 | $75,600 to $112,920 |
| Utility System Construction | 237100 | 59,130 | 7.3% | $79,590 | $62,650 to $101,130 |
| Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction | 237130 | 21,400 | 2.6% | $79,780 | $63,290 to $102,800 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 541300 | 6,610 | 0.8% | $84,480 | $64,220 to $111,590 |
| Engineering Services | 541330 | 5,200 | 0.6% | $90,060 | $71,010 to $122,080 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 221100 | 3,180 | 0.4% | $117,300 | $95,630 to $130,880 |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | 811300 | 1,330 | 0.2% | $89,530 | $74,570 to $103,380 |
| Facilities Support Services | 561200 | 670 | 0.1% | $83,270 | $63,840 to $107,610 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | 541500 | 240 | 0.0% | $110,330 | $72,290 to $179,340 |
| Testing Laboratories and Services | 541380 | 210 | 0.0% | $80,630 | $62,500 to $98,110 |
| Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 335900 | 60 | 0.0% | $82,020 | $61,930 to $101,690 |
These national industry rows cover privately owned establishments. Industry names are exact BLS NAICS titles. Industries overlap, so shares do not sum to 100%. An industry row does not mean the employer runs data centers.
Pay in target metros
| Metro area | Median | P25 to P75 | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $83,540 | $73,980 to $103,890 | 14,660 | 0.89 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $76,230 | $60,440 to $90,140 | 21,530 | 1.02 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $79,840 | $67,080 to $94,830 | 16,770 | 1.35 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $80,500 | $63,750 to $98,210 | 16,920 | 1.12 |
| Columbus, OH | $82,360 | $73,100 to $98,310 | 5,420 | 0.94 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $111,260 | $93,590 to $127,470 | 13,420 | 0.57 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $129,700 | $95,600 to $166,520 | 4,770 | 0.81 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $112,480 | $86,910 to $137,460 | 5,880 | 0.93 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Highest and lowest paying metros
Ranked by published median annual wage among 393 metro areas with an exact median.
| Rank | Metro area | Median | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $130,790 | 560 | 2.04 |
| 2 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $129,700 | 4,770 | 0.81 |
| 3 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $126,630 | 1,020 | 1.51 |
| 4 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $121,130 | 11,040 | 1.01 |
| 5 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $120,810 | 9,810 | 0.79 |
| 6 | Vineland, NJ | $116,390 | 350 | 1.09 |
| 7 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $115,340 | 840 | 1.71 |
| 8 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $112,480 | 5,880 | 0.93 |
| 9 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $111,260 | 13,420 | 0.57 |
| 10 | Bellingham, WA | $107,830 | 730 | 1.53 |
| Rank | Metro area | Median | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 384 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $57,850 | 430 | 0.86 |
| 385 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $57,660 | 350 | 0.42 |
| 386 | Gadsden, AL | $57,610 | 140 | 0.8 |
| 387 | Hot Springs, AR | $56,690 | 190 | 0.95 |
| 388 | Mayaguez, PR | $40,100 | 230 | 0.86 |
| 389 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $37,960 | 3,930 | 1.09 |
| 390 | Aguadilla, PR | $37,070 | 280 | 1.1 |
| 391 | Ponce, PR | $36,940 | 310 | 0.95 |
| 392 | Arecibo, PR | $36,430 | 160 | 0.89 |
| 393 | Guayama, PR | $34,130 | 40 | 0.56 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Where pay is highest relative to local wages
This compares the occupation's median with the all-occupations median in the same metro and on the same annual basis. It does not adjust for living costs. Only exact published medians are ranked. A top-coded lower bound cannot establish an exact rank.
| Metro | Occupation median | All-occupations median | Ratio | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vineland, NJ | $116,390 | $48,190 | 2.42 times | 350 | 1.09 |
| Beckley, WV | $97,250 | $41,850 | 2.32 times | 340 | 1.52 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $126,630 | $57,290 | 2.21 times | 1,020 | 1.51 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $97,310 | $44,250 | 2.20 times | 590 | 1.95 |
| Kankakee, IL | $100,640 | $45,830 | 2.20 times | 140 | 0.62 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $130,790 | $59,590 | 2.19 times | 560 | 2.04 |
| Rockford, IL | $102,140 | $47,120 | 2.17 times | 490 | 0.68 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $100,290 | $47,520 | 2.11 times | 870 | 0.99 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $111,260 | $54,720 | 2.03 times | 13,420 | 0.57 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $99,410 | $49,290 | 2.02 times | 290 | 1.09 |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | $97,310 | $48,390 | 2.01 times | 560 | 1.53 |
| Peoria, IL | $98,680 | $49,590 | 1.99 times | 720 | 0.83 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $96,170 | $48,470 | 1.98 times | 110 | 0.42 |
| Appleton, WI | $98,970 | $49,910 | 1.98 times | 1,060 | 1.64 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $88,150 | $44,470 | 1.98 times | 180 | 0.76 |
| Kokomo, IN | $95,680 | $48,980 | 1.95 times | 150 | 0.79 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $92,120 | $47,470 | 1.94 times | 1,610 | 0.91 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $96,620 | $49,990 | 1.93 times | 6,680 | 0.95 |
| Salinas, CA | $91,200 | $47,380 | 1.92 times | 500 | 0.51 |
| Eau Claire, WI | $92,060 | $48,100 | 1.91 times | 480 | 1.06 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $96,940 | $50,700 | 1.91 times | 370 | 0.68 |
| El Centro, CA | $86,010 | $45,140 | 1.91 times | 170 | 0.48 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $93,060 | $48,870 | 1.90 times | 410 | 1.02 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | $90,030 | $47,350 | 1.90 times | 280 | 0.97 |
| Medford, OR | $94,440 | $49,900 | 1.89 times | 300 | 0.64 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Source: BLS OEWS BLS, May 2025, SOC 47-1011 and SOC 00-0000, matching metro areas. The ratio is our arithmetic on those published medians, not a BLS statistic.
Change since the prior BLS release
| Reference period | Median |
|---|---|
| May 2024 | $78,690 |
| May 2025 | $79,920 |
| Difference | +$1,230 (+1.6%) |
Two published BLS values, shown as released. Not annualized, not adjusted for inflation, and BLS metro boundaries and survey panels can differ between releases.
Levels above and below this title
These are different jobs, not experience bands within one occupation. The figures are not a promised raise.
| Title | Relationship | BLS occupation | Median | Against Sheet Metal Foreman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Journeyman Pipefitter | Frontline title | 47-2152 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | $63,800 | Lower by $16,120 |
| Pipe Welder | Frontline title | 51-4121 Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $53,750 | Lower by $26,170 |
| Sheet Metal Worker / Duct Installer | Frontline title | 47-2211 Sheet Metal Workers | $61,800 | Lower by $18,120 |
| HVAC Installer | Frontline title | 49-9021 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | $61,010 | Lower by $18,910 |
| Mechanical Superintendent | Higher-scope title | 11-9021 Construction Managers | $114,990 | Higher by $35,070 |
What is inside the BLS pay figure
For construction and commissioning hires, separate expense reimbursements and overtime from straight-time pay. Check a project bonus on its actual terms. Guaranteed pay and production incentives count in BLS wages; discretionary nonproduction bonuses do not.
| Component | In the BLS figure? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Base rate and guaranteed pay | Included | BLS counts the "base rate" and "guaranteed pay". |
| Production and incentive pay | Included | BLS counts "incentive pay including commissions and production bonuses". |
| On-call pay | Included | BLS lists "on-call pay" and "hazardous-duty pay" as wages. |
| Overtime pay matters here | Left out | BLS excludes "overtime pay". Straight-time pay only. |
| Shift differentials | Left out | BLS excludes "shift differentials", so night and weekend premiums are not in the figure. |
| Project-completion and discretionary bonuses matters here | Depends on the terms | Guaranteed pay and production incentives are included. Discretionary nonproduction bonuses are excluded. Check how the payment is defined. |
| Per diem, travel and relocation matters here | Left out | BLS does not name these as wages. They are expense reimbursements and are not in the figure. |
| Benefits and employer costs | Left out | BLS excludes "employer costs for supplementary benefits". |
Questions
What is the median pay for Sheet Metal Foreman?
The BLS median annual wage for First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers nationally is $79,920 (BLS, May 2025).
What range do most Sheet Metal Foreman earn?
Per BLS, the middle half earned $63,400 to $101,460, and 10% earned less than $53,280.
Is this the exact job title?
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers is a broader occupation based on the work described, not a separate data center wage series. BLS does not distinguish this title, experience level, shift, credentials or data center employers. Confirm the actual duties before using this comparison.
How many people are employed in this occupation?
BLS estimates 812,210 jobs nationally in First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers across all industries.
What do BLS wages leave out?
They leave out overtime, shift differentials, discretionary bonus, benefits, per diem and relocation. Base pay, guaranteed pay, on-call pay and production-based incentive pay are included.
Hiring Market Brief
A one-page brief for Sheet Metal Foreman: BLS pay, mapping and caveats.
Hiring Sheet Metal Foreman?
Pay is one input. Scope, license and travel decide whether the person says yes.
Related
What the published rows say about Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States
Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States is represented here by First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers, SOC 47-1011, in the May 2025 OEWS release. For Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States, data Center Headhunters uses the broader crosswalk for this title; the occupation row, rather than a separate survey of Sheet Metal Foreman, supplies the figures on this page. For Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States, the published annual median is $79,920 and the middle-half endpoints are $63,400 and $101,460.
The Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States middle-half band spans $38,060 on the annual basis. For Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States, its lower quarter-to-median distance is $16,520, compared with $21,540 from the median to the upper quarter. For Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States, the upper interval is at least as wide as the other interval in this row. For Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States, for an offer against this Sheet Metal Foreman crosswalk, these are published reference points, not experience grades; the width does not establish a reason for differences between individual workers.
Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States can also be compared with New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where the annual median for First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers is $103,990 in May 2025. For Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States, this comparison metro is selected by published occupation employment, not by a national geographic distance. For Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States, the Sheet Metal Foreman crosswalk comparison differs by $24,070 from the the United States median.
Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States can also be compared with Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, where the annual median for First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers is $76,020 in May 2025. For Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States, this comparison metro is selected by published occupation employment, not by a national geographic distance. For Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States, the Sheet Metal Foreman crosswalk comparison differs by $3,900 from the the United States median.
Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States has no local industry-by-occupation wage breakdown in the loaded OEWS rows. For Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States, the highest published national industry medians loaded for SOC 47-1011 are Nuclear Electric Power Generation at $141,350 and Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil at $140,520. For Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States, these May 2025 observations describe the national First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers occupation in those industries, not the pay of data center employers in the United States; they cannot support a local industry ranking.
The Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States matched median changed from $78,690 in May 2024 to $79,920 in May 2025, a difference of $1,230 up. For Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States, both observations use SOC 47-1011, area code 99 and the same annual wage basis. For Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States, this Sheet Metal Foreman comparison reports the released values without adjusting for inflation, annualizing the change or attributing it to a particular employer.
Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States uses the OEWS straight-time wage definition, not a complete cost-to-employ budget. For Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States, for an offer mapped to First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers, separate overtime, shift differentials and expense reimbursements from the annual figures for the United States; BLS excludes those categories. For Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States, on-call pay, guaranteed pay and production incentives are included under the wage definition. For Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States, no Sheet Metal Foreman-specific per diem, travel allowance or relocation amount is observed in this row, so this May 2025 page adds no dollar allowance on top.
Questions about Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States
Which BLS row supports Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States?
Sheet Metal Foreman is mapped to SOC 47-1011, First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers; the May 2025 the United States annual median is $79,920. The mapping is broader, not a separate survey of this niche title.
Does the the United States figure show all offer costs for Sheet Metal Foreman?
Sheet Metal Foreman pay in the United States uses straight-time OEWS wages. Overtime and shift differentials are excluded; on-call and guaranteed pay are included. No allowance for travel or relocation is added to this 47-1011 observation.
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Nearest-area selection uses Census Gazetteer internal points, not road distance. Source: 2025 Census Gazetteer.