Trade · ONET 47-2121.00
Glazier
Cuts, installs, and replaces glass in windows, storefronts, curtain walls, and skylights.
What the work looks like
Glaziers work in commercial storefronts, high-rise curtain wall, and residential window replacement. Commercial glaziers set aluminum framing systems, glaze large lites with suction cups or vacuum lifts, and seal joints. Residential glaziers replace broken panes, install shower doors, and handle insulated glass units. Auto glass is a separate specialty.
Physical demands
- Lifting and handling large glass panels (often 50 to 200 lbs)
- Working at heights on scaffolds and swing stages
- Cut exposure: cuts-resistant gloves and sleeves required
- Working with sealants and adhesives in confined spaces
Common tools
- Suction cups (single and rotating multi-cup)
- Glass-cutting wheel and score tool
- Setting blocks and shims
- Caulking guns and backer rod tools
- Tape measures and squares sized for glass
Union and non-union paths
The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) represents many commercial glaziers through its Glaziers' District Councils. Non-union glaziers are common in residential and small commercial. Federal OSHA requirements for fall protection and silica exposure apply regardless of path.
How to enter
Entry routes include IUPAT apprenticeship (typically three to four years), trade school programs, and direct hire as a helper. Auto glass work has its own training track through organizations like the Auto Glass Safety Council.
Specialty paths in this trade
Most states license one glazier classification, but the work splits into distinct paths with different schedules, tools, and wage schedules. Read before choosing a program.
Storefront / Architectural Glazier
Commercial storefront systems, entrance doors, interior partitions, and mid-rise architectural glazing. The core commercial classification in most IUPAT Glaziers' District Councils.
Typical scope
- Setting aluminum storefront framing and thresholds
- Glazing insulated units into pressure-plate and structural silicone systems
- Hanging commercial entrance doors and closers
- Caulking and weatherproofing perimeter joints
Entry: IUPAT Glaziers apprenticeship, typically 3 to 4 years. Open-shop storefront contractors also run helper-to-journey programs at similar length.
Wage note: IUPAT wage schedules are public in most District Councils; open-shop storefront rates are set per contractor. Ask for the schedule in writing before signing on.
Curtain-Wall Installer
High-rise and mid-rise curtain-wall systems, unitized or stick-built. Work runs from swing stages, mast climbers, and building maintenance units. A top-of-scale commercial specialty in dense metros.
Typical scope
- Setting unitized curtain-wall panels from swing stages and cranes
- Stick-built mullion-and-transom assembly on rack-and-pinion lifts
- Structural sealant glazing and weatherseal
- Coordination with ironworkers and concrete crews on high-rise schedules
Entry: Most curtain-wall installers journey out through an IUPAT Glaziers apprenticeship first and specialize by landing with a curtain-wall contractor. Some District Councils offer dedicated curtain-wall upgrade training.
Wage note: Curtain-wall wage rates typically sit at the top of the local Glaziers schedule, with height pay and swing-stage premiums in many agreements.
Auto Glass Technician
Windshield and door-glass replacement on passenger vehicles and commercial fleets. A distinct specialty from architectural glazing, with its own safety standard and certification track.
Typical scope
- Windshield removal and replacement using urethane adhesive systems
- ADAS (advanced driver-assistance system) camera recalibration after windshield replacement
- Door glass, back glass, and sunroof replacement
- Mobile service calls and insurance-network work
Entry: Most auto glass techs train through employer programs at Safelite, Glass Doctor, and independent shops. AGSC-registered shops follow the AGRSS standard for safe windshield replacement.
Wage note: Auto glass pay often runs on a piece-rate or commission structure rather than a posted hourly schedule. Compare guaranteed hourly, commission split, and fleet-vehicle terms before signing on.
Residential Replacement
Single-family window replacement, patio doors, shower enclosures, and mirror work. Smaller crews, homeowner contact, shorter jobs. Largely non-union.
Typical scope
- Measuring and installing replacement windows and patio doors
- Frameless shower enclosures and glass shelving
- Insulated glass unit (IGU) replacement in existing sash
- Mirror cutting and install
Entry: Direct hire as a helper with a residential window or shower-door company is the most common path. Some IUPAT locals run residential tracks; trade school glass programs also feed this segment.
Wage note: Residential replacement wages typically sit below commercial Glaziers schedules in the same metro. Installer-dealer programs for brands like Pella and Andersen set their own rate structures.
Residential, commercial, industrial
Glazing splits sharply by building type. Residential runs on window and shower replacement in occupied homes. Commercial runs on storefront, curtain-wall, and high-rise on active construction sites. Industrial adds skylights and specialty glazing in plants and institutional buildings.
Residential
Window replacement, patio doors, shower enclosures, and mirror work in single-family homes. Smaller crews, direct homeowner contact, shorter jobs. Largely non-union; installer-dealer programs for major window brands set much of the rate structure.
Commercial
Storefront framing, entrance doors, and mid-rise to high-rise curtain wall. Larger crews, longer schedules, coordination with general contractors and other trades. Most IUPAT Glaziers' District Councils route apprentices into commercial work for the bulk of their career.
Industrial
Skylights, atrium glazing, blast-resistant and hurricane-rated systems, clean-room partitions, and specialty glazing in plants, transit stations, and institutional buildings. Schedules can include shutdown and turnaround windows. Pay commonly sits at the top of the local Glaziers schedule.
Certifications that unlock premium work
Credentials beyond the state license. Each one opens a specific segment of work where the qualified pool is smaller.
FGIA / AAMA InstallationMasters ↗
The Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance (FGIA, formerly AAMA) InstallationMasters program is the recognized installer credential for residential and light-commercial window installation. Commonly required on manufacturer warranty programs and Energy Star replacement contracts.
Issuer: Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance (FGIA)
AGSC / AGRSS Auto Glass Certification ↗
The Auto Glass Safety Council's AGRSS (Auto Glass Replacement Safety Standard) is the ANSI-accredited safety standard for windshield replacement. AGSC registration and technician certification are commonly required by insurance networks and fleet contracts.
Issuer: Auto Glass Safety Council (AGSC)
OSHA 30-Hour Construction ↗
OSHA 30 is the standard supervisor-track safety credential for construction trades. Most commercial glazing contractors require it for foremen and lead glaziers; many general contractors require it for site access on larger jobs.
Issuer: OSHA-authorized outreach trainers
Suspended Scaffold (Swing Stage) User Training ↗
OSHA 1926 Subpart L requires training for workers on suspended scaffolds. Curtain-wall and high-rise glazing runs from swing stages; most commercial glazing contractors require documented user training before swing-stage work.
Issuer: Scaffold & Access Industry Association (SAIA) and other OSHA-compliant providers
IUPAT Finishing Trades Institute Journeyman ↗
The IUPAT Finishing Trades Institute (FTI) is the union training arm for glaziers. FTI journeyman status is the portable credential recognized across IUPAT Glaziers' District Councils and on signatory projects nationwide.
Issuer: IUPAT Finishing Trades Institute
Tool and equipment investment
Apprentice, year 1
$200 to $500 for cut-resistant gloves and sleeves, small suction cups, tape measure, utility knives, and a basic pouch. Programs and employers commonly supply larger suction cups and sealant guns.
Journey level
$1,500 to $4,000 over time for a personal kit: cordless drill/driver, laser level, diamond glass-cutter, rotating suction cups, setting blocks, sealant guns, and measuring tools. Shops supply vacuum lifts, scaffolds, and swing-stage rigging.
Going independent
$30,000 to $80,000 for a delivery truck or van with an exterior suction-cup frame (unitized rack), interior shop racking, cutting table, and a stock of sealants and setting materials. Auto glass mobile setups sit at the lower end; commercial storefront setups at the top.
Shop-supplied tools vary by contractor. Ask during hiring which suction cups, lifts, and PPE the employer provides and which come out of your pocket.
Wages
National median
$55,440
annual, all workers
National mean
$60,260
annual, all workers
By pilot state
BLS OOH covers glaziers across specialties. Regional demand tracks commercial construction, hurricane glazing retrofit in coastal markets, and energy retrofit windows.
BLS OES 47-2121 by-state data shown on this page is statewide median and mean, all-worker, across commercial, residential, and auto glass. IUPAT density varies widely by metro. Dense-union markets like New York, Chicago, SF Bay, Seattle, and DC commonly pay well above statewide medians on commercial and curtain-wall work, while right-to-work and low-density metros track closer to or below the statewide figure. Check the BLS OES metropolitan tables for your target area before relocating. Source: BLS OES 47-2121 by area, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes472121.htm.