# Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters

US SOC code 51-2041. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/51-2041

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **52,360** US structural metal fabricators and fitters, with median pay of **$51,330** a year. By the method BLS used before May 2021, the highest count from 2003 to 2020 was **111,620**, in May 2008. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Association_of_Bridge,_Structural,_Ornamental_and_Reinforcing_Iron_Workers) of **6,000** from 1901, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for structural metal fabricators and fitters: CNC beam-drilling lines, CAD/CAM plasma tables, and 3D structural modeling, 1990 to 2010.

Figures: Official statistic (latest count and pay, highest count); Researched context (earliest figure).

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to decline 6.2% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=51-2041&ioType=o) (Official statistic).

### AI exposure studies

- **2.3%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv) (Official statistic)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend. In May 2021 BLS changed how it estimates these counts (a model-based method using three years of survey data) and moved fully to the 2018 occupation codes, so part of a change across 2021 can come from the method rather than the work.

## Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1865
- Latest US employment: 52,360 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [3]
- Latest US median pay: $51,330 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [7]
- Outlook: -6.2% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [18]

### All 31 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1896 | n/a | $730 (average) (estimate) | Est., ironworking.com [4] |
| 1901 | 6,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Wikipedia [1] |
| 1948 | 100,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Wikipedia [1] |
| 1974 | n/a | $9,464 (average) | BLS historical bulletin November 1979 [5] |
| 1979 | n/a | $13,208 (average) | BLS historical bulletin November 1979 [5] |
| 1982 | 103,500 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Reference for Business [2] |
| 1993 | 70,700 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Reference for Business [2] |
| 2000 | 98,960 (estimate) | $30,742 (average) (estimate) | Est., Reference for Business [2] |
| 2003 | 85,330 | $28,990 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [3] |
| 2004 | 86,240 | $29,840 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [3] |
| 2005 | 93,490 | $30,290 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [3] |
| 2006 | 99,680 | $30,290 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [3] |
| 2007 | 107,830 | $31,030 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [3] |
| 2008 | 111,620 | $32,400 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [3] |
| 2009 | 96,870 | $33,890 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [3] |
| 2010 | 79,540 | $34,530 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [3] |
| 2011 | 76,050 | $35,170 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [3] |
| 2012 | 78,340 | $35,750 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [3] |
| 2013 | 77,860 | $36,370 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [3] |
| 2014 | 78,050 | $36,570 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [3] |
| 2015 | 79,620 | $37,050 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [3] |
| 2016 | 77,270 | $37,730 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [3] |
| 2017 | 77,600 | $38,450 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [3] |
| 2018 | 76,090 | $39,290 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [3] |
| 2019 | 76,890 | $40,390 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [3] |
| 2020 | 69,550 | $41,780 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [3] |
| 2021 | 61,070 | $45,480 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [3] |
| 2022 | 58,870 | $47,200 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [3] |
| 2023 | 57,810 | $48,480 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [3] |
| 2024 | 53,380 | $49,900 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [3] |
| 2025 | 52,360 | $51,330 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [3] |

## Sources (73)

### Employment series

1. [Wikipedia: International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers (membership history)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Association_of_Bridge,_Structural,_Ornamental_and_Reinforcing_Iron_Workers), Wikipedia / Iron Workers International
2. [Reference for Business — SIC 3441 Fabricated Structural Metal: industry employment history 1982-2000](https://www.referenceforbusiness.com/industries/Fabricated-Metal/Fabricated-Structural-Metal.html), Reference for Business / U.S. Census Bureau economic data
3. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Wage series

4. [ironworking.com — A Brief History of the Ironworkers International Union (wages circa 1896: $2/day pre-Parks, $4/day post-Parks in New York)](https://www.ironworking.com/interhis.html), Ironworking.com / Iron Workers International history
5. [BLS Industry Wage Survey: Fabricated Structural Metal, November 1979 (Bulletin No. 2094) — $4.55/hr average in 1974, cited as baseline for 40% increase to $6.35 by 1979](https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/title/industry-wage-survey-fabricated-structural-metal-4596/industry-wage-survey-fabricated-structural-metal-november-1979-499646/fulltext), Bureau of Labor Statistics / FRASER (St. Louis Fed)
6. [Reference for Business — SIC 3441 Fabricated Structural Metal: 72,085 production workers at mean $14.78/hr in 2000](https://www.referenceforbusiness.com/industries/Fabricated-Metal/Fabricated-Structural-Metal.html), Reference for Business / U.S. Census Bureau Census of Manufactures
7. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Tool eras

8. [Southland Holdings — A History of Manufacturing at American Bridge Company (fabrication and erection methods, 1900-1930)](https://www.southlandholdings.com/manufacturing-history-at-american-bridge/), Southland Holdings / American Bridge Company archives
9. [Wikipedia: International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers (history of the trade, 1896 founding)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Association_of_Bridge,_Structural,_Ornamental_and_Reinforcing_Iron_Workers), Wikipedia / Iron Workers International
10. [AISC — Foundations of AISC (National Steel Fabricators Association founded 1921, standardization history)](https://www.aisc.org/legacy/foundations-of-aisc/), American Institute of Steel Construction
11. [Construction Physics — "How the US Built 5,000 Ships in WWII" (welding vs. riveting in wartime shipbuilding)](https://www.construction-physics.com/p/how-the-us-built-5000-ships-in-wwii), Construction Physics
12. [BLS Industry Wage Survey: Fabricated Structural Metal, November 1979 (Bulletin No. 2094) — structural fitters $7.08/hr, welders $6.82/hr as two largest occupational groups](https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/title/industry-wage-survey-fabricated-structural-metal-4596/industry-wage-survey-fabricated-structural-metal-november-1979-499646/fulltext), Bureau of Labor Statistics / FRASER (St. Louis Fed)
13. [The Fabricator — "Plasma cutting: Then and now" (history of plasma cutting technology in metal fabrication)](https://www.thefabricator.com/thefabricator/article/plasmacutting/plasma-cutting-then-and-now), The Fabricator / Fabricators and Manufacturers Association
14. [FastCutCNC — "The Evolution of CNC Plasma Cutting Machines" (CNC plasma cutting history from 1980s to present)](https://www.fastcutcnc.com/post/the-evolution-of-cnc-plasma-cutting-machines), FastCutCNC
15. [Trimble Tekla — "Tekla Structures 2026: BIM for Structural Engineering and Fabrication" (DSTV-NC file automation history)](https://www.directionsmag.com/articles/tekla-structures-connected-workflows-for-2026-design-and-fabrication), Trimble / Directions Magazine
16. [Lincoln Electric — "Structural Steel Welding Automation Provides New Levels of Productivity" (robotic welding for structural fabrication)](https://www.lincolnelectric.com/en/welding-and-cutting-resource-center/application-stories/structural-steel-welding-automation-provides-new-levels-of-productivity), Lincoln Electric
17. [Informed Infrastructure — "Trimble Unveils 2026 Tekla Software: Accelerating BIM, Engineering and Construction Productivity" (AI-assisted structural detailing)](https://informedinfrastructure.com/post/trimble-unveils-2026-tekla-software-accelerating-bim-engineering-and-construction-productivity-through-streamlined-workflows-and-ai), Informed Infrastructure / Trimble

### Forecasts and exposure studies

18. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 51-2041 Structural metal fabricators and fitters (2025: 52.3 thousand; 2035: 49.0 thousand; -6.2%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=51-2041&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
19. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 51-2041.00, human-rated β 0.023)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

20. [Wikipedia: Eads Bridge (construction history, first steel bridge in the United States)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eads_Bridge), Wikipedia
21. [Wikipedia: International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers (founding February 4, 1896, Pittsburgh)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Association_of_Bridge,_Structural,_Ornamental_and_Reinforcing_Iron_Workers), Wikipedia / Iron Workers International
22. [Southland Holdings — A History of Manufacturing at American Bridge Company (1900 founding, Ambridge PA plant, Empire State Building)](https://www.southlandholdings.com/manufacturing-history-at-american-bridge/), Southland Holdings / American Bridge Company history
23. [AISC — Foundations of AISC (National Steel Fabricators Association, 1921 uniform code, standardization of the industry)](https://www.aisc.org/legacy/foundations-of-aisc/), American Institute of Steel Construction
24. [BLS Industry Wage Survey: Fabricated Structural Metal, November 1979 (Bulletin No. 2094) — $6.35/hr average, fitters $7.08/hr](https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/title/industry-wage-survey-fabricated-structural-metal-4596/industry-wage-survey-fabricated-structural-metal-november-1979-499646/fulltext), Bureau of Labor Statistics / FRASER (St. Louis Fed)
25. [Reference for Business — SIC 3441 Fabricated Structural Metal: employment history 103,500 (1982) to 70,700 (1993)](https://www.referenceforbusiness.com/industries/Fabricated-Metal/Fabricated-Structural-Metal.html), Reference for Business / US Census Bureau economic data

### Predecessors & successors

26. [International Brotherhood of Boilermakers — History (founding 1893, origins in steam-vessel and bridge metalwork)](https://boilermakers.org/about/history), International Brotherhood of Boilermakers
27. [Wikipedia: International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers (origin of the trade)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Association_of_Bridge,_Structural,_Ornamental_and_Reinforcing_Iron_Workers), Wikipedia / Iron Workers International

### Present-day analysis

- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-05-21
- [O\*NET 30.3 — US Department of Labor](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), accessed 2026-05-21

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.