Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters vs Structural Iron and Steel Workers
Side-by-side · O*NET · BLS · AI-exposure research · Anthropic Economic Index
A factual, source-backed comparison of Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters and Structural Iron and Steel Workers on the dimensions both occupations carry. Every figure is a position within an independent published dataset — not a verdict on which job is better, safer, or more “future-proof.”
At a glance
| Dimension | Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters | Structural Iron and Steel Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $49,900 | $62,700 |
| Employment | 53,380 | 64,720 |
| Employment outlook (2024–34) · BLS projection | Declining (-16.3%) | About average (+4.4%) |
| Annual openings · BLS projection | 4,100 | 5,500 |
| Typical education · O*NET | Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not. | Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not. |
| AI exposure · published exposure studies | Low · 9th pct | Low · 5th pct |
| Global GenAI gradient · ILO ISCO-08 · via crosswalk | 5th pct · 11% of tasks | 5th pct · 11% of tasks |
| Observed AI use · Anthropic Economic Index | — | — |
| Mostly remote-capable · Dingel–Neiman | No | No |
Pay and employment are BLS OEWS estimates; outlook and openings are BLS 2024–2034 projections; AI exposure and observed-use figures come from separate research and reflect exposure and usage, not predictions that either job will disappear. Compare like with like.
Skills
Shared: Mathematics, Mechanical, Arm-Hand Steadiness, Near Vision, Visualization, Manual Dexterity, Control Precision, Multilimb Coordination, Static Strength, Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Oral Expression, Problem Sensitivity, Deductive Reasoning, Information Ordering, Selective Attention, Finger Dexterity, Trunk Strength, Operations Monitoring, Oral Comprehension, Far Vision, Speech Clarity, Administration and Management, Reaction Time, Public Safety and Security, Depth Perception.
Specific to Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
- Production and Processing
- English Language
- Reading Comprehension
- Category Flexibility
- Monitoring
- Written Comprehension
- Inductive Reasoning
- Education and Training
Specific to Structural Iron and Steel Workers
- Building and Construction
- Extent Flexibility
- Gross Body Equilibrium
- Coordination
- Operation and Control
- Dynamic Strength
- Rate Control
- Stamina
Knowledge, skills & abilities O*NET rates as important for each occupation. “Shared” are common to both; the columns list what is distinctive to each (top by the order O*NET surfaces).
Tools & technology
Shared: Electronic mail software .
Specific to Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
Specific to Structural Iron and Steel Workers
Full profiles
This page is a summary. See the complete source-backed profile for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters or Structural Iron and Steel Workers — tasks, the full skill graph, tools, work context, preparation, wages by percentile, industries, AI exposure and the AI work map.
More comparisons
Related occupations you can place side by side on the same sourced scale.
- Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters vs Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers
- Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters vs Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic
- Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters vs Sheet Metal Workers
- Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters vs Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters vs Tool and Die Makers
- Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters vs Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
- Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters vs Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers
- Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters vs Millwrights
Sources for this page
Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.
- O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
- “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
- AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
- ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
- IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
- Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation academic
- Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic
Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.
Cite this page
Singulariki. "Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters vs Structural Iron and Steel Workers." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/compare/structural-metal-fabricators-and-fitters-vs-structural-iron-and-steel-workers
Singulariki. (2026). Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters vs Structural Iron and Steel Workers. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/compare/structural-metal-fabricators-and-fitters-vs-structural-iron-and-steel-workers
@misc{singulariki-structural-metal-fabricators-and-fitters-vs-structural-iron-and-steel-workers,
title = {Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters vs Structural Iron and Steel Workers},
author = {{Singulariki}},
year = {2026},
note = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
url = {https://singulariki.com/compare/structural-metal-fabricators-and-fitters-vs-structural-iron-and-steel-workers}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.