Metal Heat Treating — Average Employee Salary
The average employee in the metal heat treating industry earns $73,671 per year ($35.42/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.
What Do Metal Heat Treating Workers Earn?
At $73,671/year (equivalent to $35.42/hour for a full-time worker), metal heat treating wages are near the national average of ~$65,000.
The typical metal heat treating business employs 26 people. These are larger operations where staffing represents a major cost center and management complexity.
Wages as a Percentage of Revenue
For the average metal heat treating business generating $8.7M/year with 26 employees at $73,671 each, total payroll represents roughly 22.1% of revenue. Labor costs are relatively low compared to revenue — other costs (materials, equipment, overhead) dominate.
What This Means for Business Owners
If you're starting or running a metal heat treatingbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:
- Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $95,772/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
- Typical team size: 26 employees = ~$1,915,446/year in base payroll.
- Hourly equivalent: $35.42/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
- Revenue needed: With average revenue of $8.7M/business, you need strong utilization rates to maintain healthy margins after payroll.
See how these wages compare to total revenue and profit margins.
View full Metal Heat Treating revenue benchmarks →Frequently Asked Questions
- How much do metal heat treating employees make?
- The average metal heat treating employee earns $73,671 per year, which is equivalent to $35.42/hour for a full-time worker (2,080 hours/year). This is above the national average of approximately $65,000.
- How many people work in the metal heat treating industry?
- The metal heat treating industry employs 18,120 workers across 684 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 26 employees.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).