Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers vs Sheet Metal Workers: $59K vs $62K Median Pay

Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers vs Sheet Metal Workers: what changes?

Consider Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers if you want to position and secure steel bars or mesh in concrete forms in order to reinforce concrete. Consider Sheet Metal Workers if you would rather fabricate, assemble, install, and repair sheet metal products and equipment, such as ducts, control boxes, drainpipes, and furnace casings. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers and Sheet Metal Workers. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers

National median pay (2025): $58,970
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; Apprenticeship combines paid work and instruction; duration is not reported here. Check the full program and licensing requirements
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: Apprenticeship combines paid work and instruction; duration is not reported here. Check the full program and licensing requirements.
Work to investigate: Determine quantities, sizes, shapes, and locations of reinforcing rods from blueprints, sketches, or oral instructions.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 1,000

Know before you choose

The usual entry route includes an apprenticeship. Interest in the subject is not a substitute for supervised, paid training.

See the full Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers brief

Sheet Metal Workers

National median pay (2025): $61,800
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; Apprenticeship combines paid work and instruction; duration is not reported here. Check the full program and licensing requirements
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: Apprenticeship combines paid work and instruction; duration is not reported here. Check the full program and licensing requirements.
Work to investigate: Maintain equipment, making repairs or modifications when necessary.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 9,800

Know before you choose

The usual entry route includes an apprenticeship. Interest in the subject is not a substitute for supervised, paid training.

See the full Sheet Metal Workers brief

How the national numbers differ

Sheet Metal Workers has the edge on annual openings

Sheet Metal Workers is at 9,800 annual openings, compared with 1,000 annual openings for Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers.

Sheet Metal Workers has the edge on projected growth

Sheet Metal Workers is at 2.5% projected growth, compared with -5.3% projected growth for Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers.

Sheet Metal Workers has the edge on median pay

Sheet Metal Workers is at $61,800, compared with $58,970 for Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers.

34.6/ 100

Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers

58.1/ 100

Sheet Metal Workers

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers vs Sheet Metal Workers

Dimension	Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers	Sheet Metal Workers
Median pay (2025)	$58,970	$61,800
Pay percentile	46 percentile	51 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	-5.3%	2.5%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	1,000	9,800
2025 employment	16,600	131,100
How you qualify	High school diploma or equivalent; Apprenticeship combines paid work and instruction; duration is not reported here. Check the full program and licensing requirements	High school diploma or equivalent; Apprenticeship combines paid work and instruction; duration is not reported here. Check the full program and licensing requirements
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 2	Job Zone 2
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	Apprenticeship combines paid work and instruction; duration is not reported here. Check the full program and licensing requirements.	Apprenticeship combines paid work and instruction; duration is not reported here. Check the full program and licensing requirements.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers brief Read Sheet Metal Workers brief

Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers vs Sheet Metal Workers: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers

Sheet Metal Workers

How the national numbers differ

Sheet Metal Workers has the edge on annual openings

Sheet Metal Workers has the edge on projected growth

Sheet Metal Workers has the edge on median pay

Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers vs Sheet Metal Workers

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