Statewide pay Government data
Sheet metal workers in Illinois earn a statewide median of $86,630 a year, 41% above the typical U.S. metro, ranking #5 of 50 states. About 3,260 people work in the trade statewide.
Statewide pay range
States ranked near Illinois
See all states on the sheet metal worker overview.
Pay by city Government data
| Metro | Median pay | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChicagoILLINOIS · IL | $95,310 | $92,003 | 2,430 |
| ChampaignILLINOIS · IL | $92,710 | $100,006 | 110 |
| SpringfieldILLINOIS · IL | $90,330 | $97,396 | 40 |
| PeoriaILLINOIS · IL | $87,120 | $95,494 | 120 |
| RockfordILLINOIS · IL | $78,640 | $85,335 | 150 |
Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025 (metro-level). Real pay: BEA price parities, 2024. How we calculate
Pay outside the cities Government data
BLS also reports pay for Illinois's rural (nonmetropolitan) regions.
BLS OEWS nonmetropolitan areas, May 2025.
The job (national)
Fabricate, assemble, install, and repair sheet metal products and equipment, such as ducts, control boxes, drainpipes, and furnace casings. Work may involve any of the following: setting up and operating fabricating machines to cut, bend, and straighten sheet metal; shaping metal over anvils, blocks, or forms using hammer; operating soldering and welding equipment to join sheet metal parts; or inspecting, assembling, and smoothing seams and joints of burred surfaces. Includes sheet metal duct installers who install prefabricated sheet metal ducts used for heating, air conditioning, or other purposes.
Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 2.5% from 2025 to 2035, with about 9,800 openings a year. Typical training: apprenticeship.
Nationally, sheet metal workers have 163 injuries or illnesses serious enough to miss work per 10,000 full-time workers, 1.9× the rate for all jobs (87). The most common cause is falls, slips and trips.
What the work is like Government data
How often sheet metal workers deal with each condition, from surveys of workers in the job.
Getting started usually takes some preparation (high school plus months of training).
O*NET 31.0 Work Context and Job Zones (U.S. Department of Labor), national.
Getting started: registered apprenticeship Government data
Most sheet metal workers train through a paid apprenticeship: you work and earn under experienced pros while taking classes, and pay usually rises as you progress. 727,586 people were active registered apprentices nationwide in FY2026, up 87% since FY2016, and construction is the largest field with 290,043 of them (40%), according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Search apprenticeship openings ↗Find training programs & sponsors ↗
Official U.S. Department of Labor tools at Apprenticeship.gov. Counts: DOL Apprentices by State dashboard, FY2026 (all occupations).
Licensing in Illinois Official source
The main state licensing office in Illinois is the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Most trades (including general contractors and electricians) are licensed locally; plumbers are licensed by the state health department. It can point you to the right license for sheet metal workers.
Official Illinois licensing site ↗
Requirements for sheet metal workers vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
Cities in Illinois
All trades in Illinois.