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Fence installer: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$47,980median pay per year, or $23.07 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $35,810lowest 10% earn less
  2. $40,40025th percentile
  3. $47,980median
  4. $58,61075th percentile
  5. $70,010top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[5]

A fence installer, which BLS calls a fence erector, earned a median of $47,980 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow faster than the rate for all occupations from 2025 to 2035[2][3].

Job growth, 2025–35
+5.6%[2]
Openings per year
2,500[6]
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential[7]

How much do fence installers make?

The median fence erector earned $47,980 a year, or $23.07 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. The mean, or average, was $50,530 a year and $24.29 an hour[8]. For all occupations, the median annual wage was $50,980, so this job sits a little below the national middle[5].

Here is the spread across the pay range[4][9]:

Point in the range Annual Hourly
10th percentile[4][9] $35,810 $17.22
25th percentile[4][9] $40,400 $19.43
Median[1] $47,980 $23.07
75th percentile[4][9] $58,610 $28.18
90th percentile[4][9] $70,010 $33.66

A percentile is a boundary. The lowest-paid 10% of workers earned less than $35,810[4]. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[10].

These figures cover workers paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed and do not include bonuses outside production or the cost of benefits[11]. About 21% of fence erectors were self-employed in 2025, so their earnings are not in the wage numbers[12].

Pay by state and city

Alaska had the top median annual wage at $64,600, but that figure rests on only 40 jobs[13]. Next came Pennsylvania at $58,600, Minnesota at $57,260, New Jersey at $56,690 and California at $56,060[13]. Texas ($37,270) and Georgia ($36,990) were at the bottom of the 45 states with published data[13].

California had the most jobs, at 3,150[14]. Florida (2,020), Texas (1,800), Washington (1,450) and Pennsylvania (1,150) followed[14].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, the Philadelphia area had the highest median at $59,530[15]. Stockton-Lodi, CA ($58,750) and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($58,640) came next[15]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs, at 1,290, with a median of $51,600[16].

Show median pay in 45 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Alaska[13]$64,60040
Pennsylvania$58,6001,150
Minnesota$57,260n/a
New Jersey$56,690910
California$56,0603,150
Montana$55,720680
Connecticut$53,180300
Iowa$52,510290
Washington$51,8601,450
Louisiana$51,770120
Wisconsin$51,410200
New Hampshire$50,850160
Illinois$50,710690
Delaware$50,630n/a
Nebraska$50,120190
North Dakota$49,310190
Utah$48,720440
Massachusetts$48,430n/a
Colorado$48,380270
South Dakota$48,380170
New York$48,0001,010
Ohio$47,870950
Indiana$47,520540
Kansas$47,13080
Nevada$46,940210
Rhode Island$46,450n/a
Arizona$46,270n/a
Arkansas$46,150270
Michigan$45,800460
Florida$45,5502,020
Tennessee$45,330550
Maine$45,310160
West Virginia$45,040170
Oregon$44,580n/a
New Mexico$44,450270
Missouri$43,290640
Virginia$40,050n/a
Alabama$39,820n/a
Wyoming$39,750n/a
North Carolina$39,100670
Mississippi$38,700150
South Carolina$37,960n/a
Oklahoma$37,870250
Texas$37,2701,800
Georgia$36,990500

How to become a fence installer

BLS lists the typical path into this job[7]:

O*NET places the job in Job Zone 1-2, which means very little to some preparation is needed[17]. Our data does not give a license requirement, a training cost or an exact number of months.

What fence installers do

O*NET describes the work as building and repairing fences and gates with hand and power tools[18]. Typical tasks include[19]:

Workers report job titles such as fence builder, fence contractor and gate technician[20].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment of fence erectors to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 30,600 to 32,300 jobs, a gain of 1,700[2]. For all occupations, the projected growth is 3.5%[3]. These projection counts include the self-employed. The OEWS count of about 24,480 jobs covers wage and salary jobs only[21].

BLS expects about 2,500 openings a year on average from 2025 to 2035[6]. Openings count new jobs and also spots left by people who retire or switch to another occupation. Each year, 3.4% of workers leave the labor force and 4.2% move to a different occupation[22].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show a job with no formal education requirement and training done on the job[7]. Median pay was a little under the all-occupations median, and the 90th percentile reached $70,010[1][5][4]. Pay differed by state, from $36,990 in Georgia to $64,600 in Alaska[13]. Growth is projected above the all-occupations rate[2][3]. About one in five workers were self-employed, which matters if you want to work for yourself[12].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[23].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a fence installer make an hour?
The median hourly wage for fence erectors was $23.07 in May 2025[1]. The 10th percentile was $17.22 and the 90th was $33.66[1][9].
Do you need a degree to be a fence installer?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential and no related work experience, with moderate-term on-the-job training[7].
Is fence installing in demand?
BLS projects 5.6% growth from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, and about 2,500 openings a year[2][3][6].
What is the highest paying state for fence installers?
Alaska had the top median annual wage at $64,600, based on 40 jobs[13]. Pennsylvania followed at $58,600[13].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Fence Erectors in the US was $47,980 per year and $23.07 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Fence Erectors is projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 30,600 to 32,300 jobs (a change of +1,700). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Fence Erectors: 10th percentile $35,810, 25th percentile $40,400, 75th percentile $58,610, 90th percentile $70,010. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 2,500 openings for Fence Erectors are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Fence Erectors: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Fence Erectors was $50,530 per year and $24.29 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Fence Erectors: 10th percentile $17.22, 25th percentile $19.43, 75th percentile $28.18, 90th percentile $33.66. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS Employment Projections: 21% of Fence Erectors were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  13. Median annual wage for Fence Erectors in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Fence Erectors jobs: California 3,150; Florida 2,020; Texas 1,800; Washington 1,450; Pennsylvania 1,150. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Fence Erectors (areas with at least 100 jobs): Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $59,530; Stockton-Lodi, CA $58,750; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $58,640; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $58,250; Billings, MT $57,380; Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $56,310; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $55,440; Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $55,060. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Fence Erectors jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 1,290 (median $51,600); Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 730 (median $55,440); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 710 (median $50,290); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 570 (median $59,530); Providence-Warwick, RI-MA 450 (median $46,450); Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 420 (median $55,060). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. O*NET 47-4031.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. 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. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET description of Fence Erectors. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET task list for Fence Erectors. O*NET OnLine
  20. O*NET 47-4031.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Fence Builder, Fence Contractor, Fence Erector, Fence Installer, Fence Laborer, Fence Mechanic, Fence Technician (Fence Tech), Gate Technician (Gate Tech). O*NET OnLine
  21. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 24,480 people were employed as Fence Erectors in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  22. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Fence Erectors: 3.4% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.2% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  23. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.