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Ship fitter: 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.

$51,330median pay per year, or $24.68 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $37,960lowest 10% earn less
  2. $45,61025th percentile
  3. $51,330median
  4. $61,25075th percentile
  5. $72,280top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

A ship fitter, which BLS counts as a structural metal fabricator and fitter, had a median pay of $51,330 a year[1]. BLS projects the number of jobs to shrink 6.2% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
-6.2%[2]
Openings per year
4,800[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do ship fitters make?

The median wage for structural metal fabricators and fitters was $51,330 a year, or $24.68 an hour, in May 2025[1]. The average was $54,030 a year, or $25.98 an hour[7]. The median for all occupations was $50,980[4].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $37,960, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $45,610[3]. The highest-paid 25% earned more than $61,250, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $72,280[3]. In hourly terms, those boundaries run from $18.25 to $34.75[8].

A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes no starting salary[9]. These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses and benefits such as health insurance[10]. About 52,360 people held these jobs[11].

Pay by state and city

Among the 47 states with published data, Maine had the highest median at $64,760, followed by Alaska at $63,420 and Oregon at $62,220[12]. Nevada was last in that list at $39,570[12].

The most jobs were in Texas (4,440), Indiana (3,870) and California (3,420)[13]. Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad led on pay at $68,350, followed by Chicago-Naperville-Elgin at $68,280 and Mobile at $66,820[14]. Chicago also had the most jobs of any metro area at 2,290, just ahead of the New York area at 2,240[15].

Show median pay in 47 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Maine[12]$64,760770
Alaska$63,42070
Oregon$62,220560
Massachusetts$62,040690
Washington$61,8501,050
Indiana$60,1803,870
Connecticut$58,760500
Idaho$58,140320
California$57,5903,420
Wisconsin$56,3101,810
Minnesota$56,210640
New Jersey$55,6501,540
Illinois$55,3801,910
Kentucky$55,250450
New York$55,0802,040
North Dakota$54,430140
Virginia$53,9401,220
New Hampshire$53,920100
Missouri$53,610550
Ohio$52,3001,090
Alabama$52,2202,130
Wyoming$51,74060
Pennsylvania$51,6401,690
Iowa$51,360650
Colorado$51,120330
South Dakota$50,800180
Tennessee$50,4602,260
Oklahoma$50,380710
Maryland$50,110620
Georgia$50,010560
Louisiana$49,1202,520
North Carolina$48,9901,070
Nebraska$48,820580
New Mexico$48,700240
Texas$48,4904,440
Arizona$48,150940
Utah$48,130780
Michigan$47,9501,270
Kansas$47,840620
Delaware$46,940110
South Carolina$46,9101,020
Florida$46,8802,950
West Virginia$46,880180
Hawaii$43,75060
Mississippi$42,550700
Arkansas$41,260640
Nevada$39,570150

How to become a ship fitter

BLS describes the typical path into this occupation[6]:

In an O*NET survey of 21 workers, 77% said a high school diploma or equivalent is required and 18% said less than a high school diploma[16]. Treat these as survey shares from a small group.

The training details below come from a BLS handbook profile that covers a wider group, assemblers and fabricators, so they may not match this job exactly[17]. That profile says workers typically get several months of on-the-job training, sometimes with technical instruction from the employer[18]. It also says some skilled workers may need special training or an associate's degree, and that apprenticeship programs exist[19]. Certifications can help a person advance, according to the same profile[20].

What ship fitters do

O*NET describes the work as making, positioning, aligning and fitting parts of structural metal products[21]. Common tasks include:

Workers reported job titles such as ship fitter, steel fabricator, mill beam fitter and layout man[23].

Where they work

This section also draws on the wider assemblers and fabricators profile[17]. It says manufacturing plants are where most of that group work, and conditions vary by plant and industry[24]. Transportation equipment manufacturing was the largest employer, at 25% of the group[25]. Many heavy tasks have been made easier by power tools or automation, but the work can still involve long stretches of standing or working on ladders[24].

The profile says most work full time, and some work shifts that include evenings, weekends or nights[26]. It also notes slips, falls and overexertion as sources of injury, and says safety practices lower the risk[27].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to fall 6.2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 52,300 to 49,000 jobs[2]. All occupations together are projected to grow 3.5%[28]. These counts include self-employed workers[2].

BLS still expects about 4,800 openings a year on average[5]. Openings include jobs left by people who retire or move to another occupation, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 4.1% of workers leave the labor force and 6.1% move to a different occupation[29].

BLS names one factor behind the decline. Collaborative robots raise efficiency, so the same amount of output needs less labor[30].

Is it a good fit?

The entry path starts with a high school diploma and on-the-job training, and pay is near the middle of all occupations[1][4][6]. The occupation is projected to shrink, though thousands of openings still come up each year[2][5]. Physical demands and shift work appear in the wider handbook profile, so they are worth checking with a specific employer[17][24][26].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[31].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a ship fitter make an hour?
The median wage for structural metal fabricators and fitters was $24.68 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $25.98 an hour[1][7].
What education do you need to be a ship fitter?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education, with moderate-term on-the-job training[6].
Is ship fitter a growing job?
BLS projects a decline of 6.2% from 2025 to 2035, while all occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[2][28]. About 4,800 openings a year are still expected[5].
What is the highest paying state for ship fitters?
Maine had the highest median among states with published data, at $64,760[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters in the US was $51,330 per year and $24.68 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters is projected to decline 6.2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 52,300 to 49,000 jobs (a change of -3,200). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters: 10th percentile $37,960, 25th percentile $45,610, 75th percentile $61,250, 90th percentile $72,280. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 4,800 openings for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters 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
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters was $54,030 per year and $25.98 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters: 10th percentile $18.25, 25th percentile $21.93, 75th percentile $29.45, 90th percentile $34.75. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 52,360 people were employed as Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters jobs: Texas 4,440; Indiana 3,870; California 3,420; Florida 2,950; Louisiana 2,520. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $68,350; Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $68,280; Mobile, AL $66,820; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $65,980; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $65,500; Portland-South Portland, ME $64,760; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $64,350; Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $64,230. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters jobs: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 2,290 (median $68,280); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 2,240 (median $56,870); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 1,580 (median $50,520); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,170 (median $49,280); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 920 (median $56,990); Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ 870 (median $48,150). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 51-2041.00 survey of workers (21 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 77%, Less than a High School Diploma 18% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  17. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Assemblers and Fabricators" covers Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. O*NET description of Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters. O*NET OnLine
  22. O*NET task list for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters. O*NET OnLine
  23. O*NET 51-2041.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Fabricator, Fitter, Layout Man, Metal Fabricator, Mill Beam Fitter, Ship Fitter, Small Parts Fabricator, Steel Fabricator. O*NET OnLine
  24. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of assemblers and fabricators in 2025: Transportation equipment manufacturing 25%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Injuries and Illnesses. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  29. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters: 4.1% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6.1% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  30. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters: Productivity change - share decreases as collaborative robotics increase efficiency, allowing more output to be produced with the same amount of labor. BLS Employment Projections
  31. 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. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

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.