Shipfitter Jobs in Mobile, AL
Lay out, cut, fit, and align steel plate and structure for the welders.
What shipfitters earn around Mobile
The median, range, and annual figures above are market data — Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics for Alabama, via the U.S. Department of Labor's CareerOneStop. Cost of living here runs about 12% below the national average — your paycheck goes further. AMS pays $35–$40/hr plus overtime opportunities.
Shipfitters in the Mobile market
Mobile County is one of the largest shipbuilding centers on the Gulf Coast — Austal USA builds Navy vessels on the Mobile River, Alabama Shipyard runs a major repair yard nearby, and the marine trade runs south through Chickasaw and Theodore down to the boatbuilding town of Bayou La Batre, where Metal Shark and Steiner build for the Coast Guard and the commercial fleet. It's home ground for AMS, whose base sits just across the bay in Loxley, and crews are working here now.
The shipfitter's job around Mobile is blueprint layout, cutting & fit-up, bracing & tacking — the layout that has to be right before a welder ever strikes an arc on work staged through yards like Austal USA. Get the fit wrong and the weld cannot save it.
- Austal USA
- Alabama Shipyard
- World Marine of Alabama
- Metal Shark & Steiner Shipyard (Bayou La Batre)
- MMIF & Silver Ships (Theodore)
Named as public-record market activity — where marine work happens in this area, not a statement of AMS contracts.
- City population
- 185,097
- Median household income
- $51,090
- Average commute
- 23 min
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 87.797
Source: U.S. Census ACS 5-year · BEA Regional Price Parities. Figures are for Mobile city, Alabama, not the wider metro area.
What a shipfitter does in Mobile
Shipfitters turn plans into steel — reading blueprints, laying out and cutting plate and structural members, then fitting, bracing, and tacking them into alignment so the welders can finish the joint. It's the layout and fit-up craft at the front of every structural job, on new construction and repair alike, and it demands a sharp eye for tolerance and a feel for how a hull goes together.
Why Mobile needs shipfitters right now
Mobile is one of the few Gulf markets deliberately building its fitter pipeline. The AIDT Maritime Training Center runs no-cost welding and shipfitting training in a 67,000-square-foot facility with 64 welding booths — free entry into the trade. But the programs driving demand need more than entry-level hands: LCU landing craft, TAGOS surveillance ships, and the announced push into submarine modules and large steel assembly all start with layout — plate cut, fit, braced, and tacked true before a single production weld goes down.
Here's the gap the training center can't close fast: experience. A new fitter can learn to tack in a booth; holding tolerance on a curved hull section, working from a lines drawing, and knowing what the welder needs from a joint takes years on the deckplates. That's why seasoned fitters set their own terms in this market. AMS pays $35–$40/hr plus overtime, has active crews in the Mobile market today, and runs per-diem travel jobs for fitters who want to rotate out to other Gulf yards.
If you've laid out and cut plate from blueprints, fit and faired hull sections on new construction, or braced and tacked structure ahead of a weld crew at a Gulf yard, Mobile has work for you now. Entry pipelines can be scaled with boot camps — experienced fitters can't, and quality fit-up inside a complex vessel is the hire every builder struggles to make. AMS pays $35–$40/hr for that skill and doesn't start you back at square one.
Bring your experience to AMSShipfitter jobs in Mobile — FAQ
How much do shipfitters make in Mobile, AL?
In Alabama, shipfitters earn a median of about $18.07 per hour — typically $13.99–$29.30 per hour (BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics via the U.S. Department of Labor's CareerOneStop). With local prices at 87.797 against a national 100, that median buys roughly what $20.58 an hour would nationally. AMS pays $35–$40/hr plus overtime opportunities; the rate for a specific role is discussed when you apply.
Does AMS hire shipfitters in Mobile?
Yes. AMS has crews working the Mobile market and hires shipfitters for shipbuilding and ship repair. Apply through our Employment / Job Application page and tell us your trade and experience.
What do I need to get hired as a shipfitter in Mobile?
For shipfitters, AMS looks first at blueprint layout and cutting & fit-up. Every role also requires passing a shipyard safety orientation and a drug screen, and a TWIC card is usually needed for yard access at Austal USA and similar facilities. Bring your certifications — apply and an AMS representative will go over the specifics.
What is the commute like for Mobile yard work?
Workers in Mobile city, Alabama report an average commute of about 23 minutes (U.S. Census ACS). Yard start times are early, so most crews plan the drive around shift change rather than rush hour. If you would rather travel to the work than commute to it, AMS runs per-diem assignments across the Gulf Coast.
Ready to work as a shipfitter in Mobile?
Tell us your trade and experience — an AMS representative will follow up. Résumé optional.