diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ccb1a6626f..0537ee147e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+- Add metrics instrumentation for sqlalchemy
+  ([#1645](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-python-contrib/pull/1645))
+
 - Fix exception in Urllib3 when dealing with filelike body.
   ([#1399](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-python-contrib/pull/1399))
 
diff --git a/instrumentation/README.md b/instrumentation/README.md
index aa71744761..fd3a0258cf 100644
--- a/instrumentation/README.md
+++ b/instrumentation/README.md
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 | [opentelemetry-instrumentation-remoulade](./opentelemetry-instrumentation-remoulade) | remoulade >= 0.50 | No
 | [opentelemetry-instrumentation-requests](./opentelemetry-instrumentation-requests) | requests ~= 2.0 | Yes
 | [opentelemetry-instrumentation-sklearn](./opentelemetry-instrumentation-sklearn) | scikit-learn ~= 0.24.0 | No
-| [opentelemetry-instrumentation-sqlalchemy](./opentelemetry-instrumentation-sqlalchemy) | sqlalchemy | No
+| [opentelemetry-instrumentation-sqlalchemy](./opentelemetry-instrumentation-sqlalchemy) | sqlalchemy | Yes
 | [opentelemetry-instrumentation-sqlite3](./opentelemetry-instrumentation-sqlite3) | sqlite3 | No
 | [opentelemetry-instrumentation-starlette](./opentelemetry-instrumentation-starlette) | starlette ~= 0.13.0 | Yes
 | [opentelemetry-instrumentation-system-metrics](./opentelemetry-instrumentation-system-metrics) | psutil >= 5 | No
diff --git a/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-sqlalchemy/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/sqlalchemy/__init__.py b/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-sqlalchemy/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/sqlalchemy/__init__.py
index b19de5ec96..77db23b417 100644
--- a/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-sqlalchemy/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/sqlalchemy/__init__.py
+++ b/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-sqlalchemy/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/sqlalchemy/__init__.py
@@ -105,13 +105,16 @@
 from opentelemetry.instrumentation.instrumentor import BaseInstrumentor
 from opentelemetry.instrumentation.sqlalchemy.engine import (
     EngineTracer,
-    _get_tracer,
     _wrap_connect,
     _wrap_create_async_engine,
     _wrap_create_engine,
 )
 from opentelemetry.instrumentation.sqlalchemy.package import _instruments
+from opentelemetry.instrumentation.sqlalchemy.version import __version__
 from opentelemetry.instrumentation.utils import unwrap
+from opentelemetry.metrics import get_meter
+from opentelemetry.semconv.metrics import MetricInstruments
+from opentelemetry.trace import get_tracer
 
 
 class SQLAlchemyInstrumentor(BaseInstrumentor):
@@ -136,32 +139,47 @@ def _instrument(self, **kwargs):
             An instrumented engine if passed in as an argument or list of instrumented engines, None otherwise.
         """
         tracer_provider = kwargs.get("tracer_provider")
+        tracer = get_tracer(__name__, __version__, tracer_provider)
+
+        meter_provider = kwargs.get("meter_provider")
+        meter = get_meter(__name__, __version__, meter_provider)
+
+        connections_usage = meter.create_up_down_counter(
+            name=MetricInstruments.DB_CLIENT_CONNECTIONS_USAGE,
+            unit="connections",
+            description="The number of connections that are currently in state described by the state attribute.",
+        )
+
         enable_commenter = kwargs.get("enable_commenter", False)
+
         _w(
             "sqlalchemy",
             "create_engine",
-            _wrap_create_engine(tracer_provider, enable_commenter),
+            _wrap_create_engine(tracer, connections_usage, enable_commenter),
         )
         _w(
             "sqlalchemy.engine",
             "create_engine",
-            _wrap_create_engine(tracer_provider, enable_commenter),
+            _wrap_create_engine(tracer, connections_usage, enable_commenter),
         )
         _w(
             "sqlalchemy.engine.base",
             "Engine.connect",
-            _wrap_connect(tracer_provider),
+            _wrap_connect(tracer),
         )
         if parse_version(sqlalchemy.__version__).release >= (1, 4):
             _w(
                 "sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio",
                 "create_async_engine",
-                _wrap_create_async_engine(tracer_provider, enable_commenter),
+                _wrap_create_async_engine(
+                    tracer, connections_usage, enable_commenter
+                ),
             )
         if kwargs.get("engine") is not None:
             return EngineTracer(
-                _get_tracer(tracer_provider),
+                tracer,
                 kwargs.get("engine"),
+                connections_usage,
                 kwargs.get("enable_commenter", False),
                 kwargs.get("commenter_options", {}),
             )
@@ -170,8 +188,9 @@ def _instrument(self, **kwargs):
         ):
             return [
                 EngineTracer(
-                    _get_tracer(tracer_provider),
+                    tracer,
                     engine,
+                    connections_usage,
                     kwargs.get("enable_commenter", False),
                     kwargs.get("commenter_options", {}),
                 )
diff --git a/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-sqlalchemy/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/sqlalchemy/engine.py b/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-sqlalchemy/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/sqlalchemy/engine.py
index 2afbd7a82f..ca691fc052 100644
--- a/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-sqlalchemy/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/sqlalchemy/engine.py
+++ b/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-sqlalchemy/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/sqlalchemy/engine.py
@@ -20,9 +20,6 @@
 )
 
 from opentelemetry import trace
-from opentelemetry.instrumentation.sqlalchemy.package import (
-    _instrumenting_module_name,
-)
 from opentelemetry.instrumentation.sqlalchemy.version import __version__
 from opentelemetry.instrumentation.sqlcommenter_utils import _add_sql_comment
 from opentelemetry.instrumentation.utils import _get_opentelemetry_values
@@ -44,15 +41,9 @@ def _normalize_vendor(vendor):
     return vendor
 
 
-def _get_tracer(tracer_provider=None):
-    return trace.get_tracer(
-        _instrumenting_module_name,
-        __version__,
-        tracer_provider=tracer_provider,
-    )
-
-
-def _wrap_create_async_engine(tracer_provider=None, enable_commenter=False):
+def _wrap_create_async_engine(
+    tracer, connections_usage, enable_commenter=False
+):
     # pylint: disable=unused-argument
     def _wrap_create_async_engine_internal(func, module, args, kwargs):
         """Trace the SQLAlchemy engine, creating an `EngineTracer`
@@ -60,33 +51,26 @@ def _wrap_create_async_engine_internal(func, module, args, kwargs):
         """
         engine = func(*args, **kwargs)
         EngineTracer(
-            _get_tracer(tracer_provider), engine.sync_engine, enable_commenter
+            tracer, engine.sync_engine, connections_usage, enable_commenter
         )
         return engine
 
     return _wrap_create_async_engine_internal
 
 
-def _wrap_create_engine(tracer_provider=None, enable_commenter=False):
-    # pylint: disable=unused-argument
-    def _wrap_create_engine_internal(func, module, args, kwargs):
+def _wrap_create_engine(tracer, connections_usage, enable_commenter=False):
+    def _wrap_create_engine_internal(func, _module, args, kwargs):
         """Trace the SQLAlchemy engine, creating an `EngineTracer`
         object that will listen to SQLAlchemy events.
         """
         engine = func(*args, **kwargs)
-        EngineTracer(_get_tracer(tracer_provider), engine, enable_commenter)
+        EngineTracer(tracer, engine, connections_usage, enable_commenter)
         return engine
 
     return _wrap_create_engine_internal
 
 
-def _wrap_connect(tracer_provider=None):
-    tracer = trace.get_tracer(
-        _instrumenting_module_name,
-        __version__,
-        tracer_provider=tracer_provider,
-    )
-
+def _wrap_connect(tracer):
     # pylint: disable=unused-argument
     def _wrap_connect_internal(func, module, args, kwargs):
         with tracer.start_as_current_span(
@@ -107,10 +91,16 @@ class EngineTracer:
     _remove_event_listener_params = []
 
     def __init__(
-        self, tracer, engine, enable_commenter=False, commenter_options=None
+        self,
+        tracer,
+        engine,
+        connections_usage,
+        enable_commenter=False,
+        commenter_options=None,
     ):
         self.tracer = tracer
         self.engine = engine
+        self.connections_usage = connections_usage
         self.vendor = _normalize_vendor(engine.name)
         self.enable_commenter = enable_commenter
         self.commenter_options = commenter_options if commenter_options else {}
@@ -123,6 +113,49 @@ def __init__(
             engine, "after_cursor_execute", _after_cur_exec
         )
         self._register_event_listener(engine, "handle_error", _handle_error)
+        self._register_event_listener(engine, "connect", self._pool_connect)
+        self._register_event_listener(engine, "close", self._pool_close)
+        self._register_event_listener(engine, "checkin", self._pool_checkin)
+        self._register_event_listener(engine, "checkout", self._pool_checkout)
+
+    def _get_pool_name(self):
+        return self.engine.pool.logging_name or ""
+
+    def _add_idle_to_connection_usage(self, value):
+        self.connections_usage.add(
+            value,
+            attributes={
+                "pool.name": self._get_pool_name(),
+                "state": "idle",
+            },
+        )
+
+    def _add_used_to_connection_usage(self, value):
+        self.connections_usage.add(
+            value,
+            attributes={
+                "pool.name": self._get_pool_name(),
+                "state": "used",
+            },
+        )
+
+    def _pool_connect(self, _dbapi_connection, _connection_record):
+        self._add_idle_to_connection_usage(1)
+
+    def _pool_close(self, _dbapi_connection, _connection_record):
+        self._add_idle_to_connection_usage(-1)
+
+    # Called when a connection returns to the pool.
+    def _pool_checkin(self, _dbapi_connection, _connection_record):
+        self._add_used_to_connection_usage(-1)
+        self._add_idle_to_connection_usage(1)
+
+    # Called when a connection is retrieved from the Pool.
+    def _pool_checkout(
+        self, _dbapi_connection, _connection_record, _connection_proxy
+    ):
+        self._add_idle_to_connection_usage(-1)
+        self._add_used_to_connection_usage(1)
 
     @classmethod
     def _register_event_listener(cls, target, identifier, func, *args, **kw):
@@ -153,9 +186,8 @@ def _operation_name(self, db_name, statement):
             return self.vendor
         return " ".join(parts)
 
-    # pylint: disable=unused-argument
     def _before_cur_exec(
-        self, conn, cursor, statement, params, context, executemany
+        self, conn, cursor, statement, params, context, _executemany
     ):
         attrs, found = _get_attributes_from_url(conn.engine.url)
         if not found:
diff --git a/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-sqlalchemy/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/sqlalchemy/package.py b/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-sqlalchemy/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/sqlalchemy/package.py
index f1f833287d..e3029f57b6 100644
--- a/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-sqlalchemy/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/sqlalchemy/package.py
+++ b/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-sqlalchemy/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/sqlalchemy/package.py
@@ -12,6 +12,6 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-_instrumenting_module_name = "opentelemetry.instrumentation.sqlalchemy"
-
 _instruments = ("sqlalchemy",)
+
+_supports_metrics = True
diff --git a/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-sqlalchemy/tests/test_sqlalchemy_metrics.py b/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-sqlalchemy/tests/test_sqlalchemy_metrics.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..39e45945f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-sqlalchemy/tests/test_sqlalchemy_metrics.py
@@ -0,0 +1,159 @@
+# Copyright The OpenTelemetry Authors
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+import sqlalchemy
+from sqlalchemy.pool import QueuePool
+
+from opentelemetry.instrumentation.sqlalchemy import SQLAlchemyInstrumentor
+from opentelemetry.test.test_base import TestBase
+
+
+class TestSqlalchemyMetricsInstrumentation(TestBase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        super().setUp()
+        SQLAlchemyInstrumentor().instrument(
+            tracer_provider=self.tracer_provider,
+        )
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        super().tearDown()
+        SQLAlchemyInstrumentor().uninstrument()
+
+    def assert_pool_idle_used_expected(self, pool_name, idle, used):
+        metrics = self.get_sorted_metrics()
+        self.assertEqual(len(metrics), 1)
+        self.assert_metric_expected(
+            metrics[0],
+            [
+                self.create_number_data_point(
+                    value=idle,
+                    attributes={"pool.name": pool_name, "state": "idle"},
+                ),
+                self.create_number_data_point(
+                    value=used,
+                    attributes={"pool.name": pool_name, "state": "used"},
+                ),
+            ],
+        )
+
+    def test_metrics_one_connection(self):
+        pool_name = "pool_test_name"
+        engine = sqlalchemy.create_engine(
+            "sqlite:///:memory:",
+            pool_size=5,
+            poolclass=QueuePool,
+            pool_logging_name=pool_name,
+        )
+
+        metrics = self.get_sorted_metrics()
+        self.assertEqual(len(metrics), 0)
+
+        with engine.connect():
+            self.assert_pool_idle_used_expected(
+                pool_name=pool_name, idle=0, used=1
+            )
+
+        # After the connection is closed
+        self.assert_pool_idle_used_expected(
+            pool_name=pool_name, idle=1, used=0
+        )
+
+    def test_metrics_without_pool_name(self):
+        pool_name = ""
+        engine = sqlalchemy.create_engine(
+            "sqlite:///:memory:",
+            pool_size=5,
+            poolclass=QueuePool,
+        )
+
+        metrics = self.get_sorted_metrics()
+        self.assertEqual(len(metrics), 0)
+
+        with engine.connect():
+            self.assert_pool_idle_used_expected(
+                pool_name=pool_name, idle=0, used=1
+            )
+
+        # After the connection is closed
+        self.assert_pool_idle_used_expected(
+            pool_name=pool_name, idle=1, used=0
+        )
+
+    def test_metrics_two_connections(self):
+        pool_name = "pool_test_name"
+        engine = sqlalchemy.create_engine(
+            "sqlite:///:memory:",
+            pool_size=5,
+            poolclass=QueuePool,
+            pool_logging_name=pool_name,
+        )
+
+        metrics = self.get_sorted_metrics()
+        self.assertEqual(len(metrics), 0)
+
+        with engine.connect():
+            with engine.connect():
+                self.assert_pool_idle_used_expected(pool_name, idle=0, used=2)
+
+            # After the first connection is closed
+            self.assert_pool_idle_used_expected(pool_name, idle=1, used=1)
+
+        # After the two connections are closed
+        self.assert_pool_idle_used_expected(pool_name, idle=2, used=0)
+
+    def test_metrics_connections(self):
+        pool_name = "pool_test_name"
+        engine = sqlalchemy.create_engine(
+            "sqlite:///:memory:",
+            pool_size=5,
+            poolclass=QueuePool,
+            pool_logging_name=pool_name,
+        )
+
+        metrics = self.get_sorted_metrics()
+        self.assertEqual(len(metrics), 0)
+
+        with engine.connect():
+            with engine.connect():
+                self.assert_pool_idle_used_expected(
+                    pool_name=pool_name, idle=0, used=2
+                )
+
+            # After the first connection is closed
+            self.assert_pool_idle_used_expected(
+                pool_name=pool_name, idle=1, used=1
+            )
+
+            # Resume from idle to used
+            with engine.connect():
+                self.assert_pool_idle_used_expected(
+                    pool_name=pool_name, idle=0, used=2
+                )
+
+        # After the two connections are closed
+        self.assert_pool_idle_used_expected(
+            pool_name=pool_name, idle=2, used=0
+        )
+
+    def test_metric_uninstrument(self):
+        SQLAlchemyInstrumentor().uninstrument()
+        engine = sqlalchemy.create_engine(
+            "sqlite:///:memory:",
+            poolclass=QueuePool,
+        )
+
+        engine.connect()
+
+        metrics = self.get_sorted_metrics()
+        self.assertEqual(len(metrics), 0)