Ironworker salary: what ironworkers actually make
Ironworkers earned a median $30.18 an hour ($62,780 a year) in May 2025, across 68,380 jobs in the BLS employer survey. Pay by state and metro, the 20-year trend, and the union scale contractors must pay on federal work.
How much do ironworkers make?
The median ironworker earned $30.18 an hour, or $62,780 a year, in May 2025 according to the BLS employer survey of 68,380 jobs. Half earn more and half earn less; the middle 50% earn between $23.98 and $39.74 an hour.
The middle half of ironworkers earn between $23.98 and $39.74 an hour. The top 10% earn more than $52.05 ($108,260 a year); the bottom 10% earn less than $21.43. The top 10% earn 2.4× what the bottom 10% earn.
Apprentice, journeyman and master ironworker pay
Pay tracks licence and experience: an apprentice or entry-level ironworker earns near the bottom of the range, a journeyman around the median, and a master ironworker, foreman or specialist in the top quarter. The union pay scale (journeyman base plus fringe) for every county is in the prevailing-wage section.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $21.43 – $23.98 | $44,580 – $49,880 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $23.98 – $39.74 | $49,880 – $82,660 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $39.74 – $52.05 | $82,660 – $108,260 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Career-stage bands are an approximate reading of the wage distribution, not a BLS classification or licence requirement.
Ironworker pay by state
Table
| State | Median $/hr | vs US |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $58.10 | 93% above |
| New Jersey | $54.43 | 80% above |
| Washington | $51.76 | 72% above |
| Illinois | $48.97 | 62% above |
| Hawaii | $48.01 | 59% above |
| Rhode Island | $47.27 | 57% above |
| Oregon | $46.18 | 53% above |
| Minnesota | $45.83 | 52% above |
| Wisconsin | $44.63 | 48% above |
| New York | $44.52 | 48% above |
| Pennsylvania | $39.89 | 32% above |
| North Dakota | $39.48 | 31% above |
| Missouri | $37.22 | 23% above |
| Iowa | $37.21 | 23% above |
| Alaska | $37.01 | 23% above |
| California | $36.72 | 22% above |
| Ohio | $35.92 | 19% above |
| Idaho | $34.98 | 16% above |
| West Virginia | $34.54 | 14% above |
| Maryland | $34.49 | 14% above |
| Indiana | $33.72 | 12% above |
| Louisiana | $33.09 | 10% above |
| Montana | $32.40 | 7% above |
| Nebraska | $31.48 | 4% above |
| Kentucky | $30.80 | 2% above |
| Michigan | $30.21 | about the same as |
| Nevada | $30.05 | about the same as |
| Connecticut | $30.00 | 1% below |
| Maine | $29.69 | 2% below |
| District of Columbia | $29.44 | 2% below |
| Virginia | $28.97 | 4% below |
| New Hampshire | $28.81 | 5% below |
| Delaware | $28.76 | 5% below |
| Arizona | $28.55 | 5% below |
| Colorado | $28.28 | 6% below |
| Kansas | $28.15 | 7% below |
| Utah | $28.01 | 7% below |
| South Dakota | $27.43 | 9% below |
| Tennessee | $27.29 | 10% below |
| Alabama | $27.23 | 10% below |
| Florida | $26.78 | 11% below |
| Vermont | $26.75 | 11% below |
| Texas | $25.12 | 17% below |
| South Carolina | $24.40 | 19% below |
| Mississippi | $24.37 | 19% below |
| North Carolina | $23.43 | 22% below |
| Georgia | $23.12 | 23% below |
| Oklahoma | $22.92 | 24% below |
| Wyoming | $22.83 | 24% below |
| Arkansas | $21.88 | 28% below |
| State | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | Adjusted rank | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $58.10 | $54.91 | #1 | 2,050 |
| New Jersey | $54.43 | $50.03 | #2 | 1,060 |
| Washington | $51.76 | $48.37 | #4 | 850 |
| Illinois | $48.97 | $48.97 | #3 | 2,740 |
| Hawaii | $48.01 | $43.65 | #10 | 290 |
| Rhode Island | $47.27 | $46.21 | #7 | 360 |
| Oregon | $46.18 | $44.66 | #8 | 570 |
| Minnesota | $45.83 | $46.48 | #6 | 910 |
| Wisconsin | $44.63 | $47.43 | #5 | 710 |
| New York | $44.52 | $41.26 | #12 | 2,700 |
| Pennsylvania | $39.89 | $40.87 | #14 | 1,610 |
| North Dakota | $39.48 | $44.36 | #9 | 270 |
| Missouri | $37.22 | $40.99 | #13 | 1,320 |
| Iowa | $37.21 | $42.38 | #11 | — |
| Alaska | $37.01 | $36.14 | #19 | 120 |
| California | $36.72 | $33.17 | #24 | 7,110 |
| Ohio | $35.92 | $38.71 | #15 | 2,290 |
| Idaho | $34.98 | $36.63 | #18 | 500 |
| West Virginia | $34.54 | $38.59 | #16 | 150 |
| Maryland | $34.49 | $32.85 | #25 | 710 |
| Indiana | $33.72 | $36.14 | #20 | 2,750 |
| Louisiana | $33.09 | $37.52 | #17 | 1,180 |
| Montana | $32.40 | $34.25 | #22 | 130 |
| Nebraska | $31.48 | $34.94 | #21 | 610 |
| Kentucky | $30.80 | $34.15 | #23 | 990 |
| Michigan | $30.21 | $31.40 | #26 | 1,750 |
| Nevada | $30.05 | $30.05 | #31 | 1,400 |
| Connecticut | $30.00 | $28.96 | #33 | 330 |
| Maine | $29.69 | $30.61 | #30 | 200 |
| District of Columbia | $29.44 | $26.79 | #42 | 210 |
| Virginia | $28.97 | $28.65 | #35 | 2,300 |
| New Hampshire | $28.81 | $27.65 | #39 | 220 |
| Delaware | $28.76 | $28.82 | #34 | 90 |
| Arizona | $28.55 | $28.35 | #36 | 3,980 |
| Colorado | $28.28 | $27.43 | #40 | 860 |
| Kansas | $28.15 | $31.24 | #27 | 260 |
| Utah | $28.01 | $28.32 | #37 | 1,630 |
| South Dakota | $27.43 | $30.96 | #28 | 440 |
| Tennessee | $27.29 | $29.70 | #32 | 1,240 |
| Alabama | $27.23 | $30.66 | #29 | 1,740 |
| Florida | $26.78 | $25.90 | #45 | 2,730 |
| Vermont | $26.75 | $27.30 | #41 | 50 |
| Texas | $25.12 | $25.87 | #46 | 9,700 |
| South Carolina | $24.40 | $26.04 | #44 | 660 |
| Mississippi | $24.37 | $28.01 | #38 | 480 |
| North Carolina | $23.43 | $24.85 | #48 | 2,000 |
| Georgia | $23.12 | $24.01 | #50 | 980 |
| Oklahoma | $22.92 | $26.10 | #43 | 1,140 |
| Wyoming | $22.83 | $24.63 | #49 | 80 |
| Arkansas | $21.88 | $25.18 | #47 | 1,080 |
Ironworker wages over time
Table
| Year | Nominal $/hr | In 2025 $ | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $17.19 | $33.22 | 85,520 |
| 2000 | $17.92 | $33.50 | 81,710 |
| 2001 | $18.72 | $34.03 | 78,700 |
| 2002 | $19.55 | $34.99 | 74,700 |
| 2003 | $19.58 | $34.26 | 70,420 |
| 2004 | $20.40 | $34.77 | 70,240 |
| 2005 | $19.51 | $32.16 | 68,900 |
| 2006 | $19.46 | $31.08 | 67,560 |
| 2007 | $20.26 | $31.46 | 65,100 |
| 2008 | $20.68 | $30.92 | 68,670 |
| 2009 | $21.40 | $32.11 | 65,130 |
| 2010 | $21.42 | $31.62 | 58,460 |
| 2011 | $21.97 | $31.44 | 56,920 |
| 2012 | $22.18 | $31.10 | 57,070 |
| 2013 | $22.36 | $30.90 | 57,480 |
| 2014 | $23.17 | $31.51 | 60,010 |
| 2015 | $24.28 | $32.98 | 64,280 |
| 2016 | $24.91 | $33.41 | 69,440 |
| 2017 | $25.30 | $33.23 | 74,420 |
| 2018 | $25.95 | $33.27 | 77,410 |
| 2019 | $26.46 | $33.32 | 76,570 |
| 2020 | $26.36 | $32.79 | 71,490 |
| 2021 | $28.15 | $33.45 | 68,620 |
| 2022 | $29.09 | $32.00 | 66,810 |
| 2023 | $30.17 | $31.88 | 63,780 |
| 2024 | $30.14 | $30.93 | 64,720 |
| 2025 | $30.18 | $30.18 | 68,380 |
Adjusted for inflation, the median ironworker wage changed by -8.5% over the last ten years and by -9.4% since 2019.
Are there more ironworker jobs than there used to be?
The BLS employer survey counted 68,380 ironworkers in May 2025, +6.4% compared with 64,280 ten years earlier and -10.7% since 2019.
Table
| Year | Jobs |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 85,520 |
| 2000 | 81,710 |
| 2001 | 78,700 |
| 2002 | 74,700 |
| 2003 | 70,420 |
| 2004 | 70,240 |
| 2005 | 68,900 |
| 2006 | 67,560 |
| 2007 | 65,100 |
| 2008 | 68,670 |
| 2009 | 65,130 |
| 2010 | 58,460 |
| 2011 | 56,920 |
| 2012 | 57,070 |
| 2013 | 57,480 |
| 2014 | 60,010 |
| 2015 | 64,280 |
| 2016 | 69,440 |
| 2017 | 74,420 |
| 2018 | 77,410 |
| 2019 | 76,570 |
| 2020 | 71,490 |
| 2021 | 68,620 |
| 2022 | 66,810 |
| 2023 | 63,780 |
| 2024 | 64,720 |
| 2025 | 68,380 |
Job counts are BLS OEWS survey estimates built from three years of samples, so moves of a few percent from one year to the next are within the survey's margin. Self-employed tradespeople are not counted. Areas with fewer than 3,000 jobs or a large sampling error are shown as a single figure rather than a trend.
Where the ironworker jobs are
Arizona has the highest concentration of ironworkers, 2.8× the national share, followed by South Dakota (2.2×) and Utah (2.1×). The lowest is Vermont at 0.3×. Concentration says where the trade is a large part of the local economy; the job count says where the most positions are.
| State | Jobs | Jobs per 1,000 | Concentration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | 3,980 | 1.2 | 2.8× |
| South Dakota | 440 | 1.0 | 2.2× |
| Utah | 1,630 | 0.9 | 2.1× |
| Nevada | 1,400 | 0.9 | 2.0× |
| Indiana | 2,750 | 0.9 | 1.9× |
| Arkansas | 1,080 | 0.8 | 1.9× |
| Alabama | 1,740 | 0.8 | 1.9× |
| Rhode Island | 360 | 0.7 | 1.6× |
| Texas | 9,700 | 0.7 | 1.6× |
| Oklahoma | 1,140 | 0.7 | 1.5× |
| North Dakota | 270 | 0.6 | 1.4× |
| Louisiana | 1,180 | 0.6 | 1.4× |
| Nebraska | 610 | 0.6 | 1.4× |
| Idaho | 500 | 0.6 | 1.3× |
| Massachusetts | 2,050 | 0.6 | 1.3× |
| Virginia | 2,300 | 0.6 | 1.3× |
| Kentucky | 990 | 0.5 | 1.1× |
| Hawaii | 290 | 0.5 | 1.1× |
| Illinois | 2,740 | 0.5 | 1.0× |
| Missouri | 1,320 | 0.5 | 1.0× |
| Mississippi | 480 | 0.4 | 0.9× |
| Ohio | 2,290 | 0.4 | 0.9× |
| North Carolina | 2,000 | 0.4 | 0.9× |
| Michigan | 1,750 | 0.4 | 0.9× |
| California | 7,110 | 0.4 | 0.9× |
| Tennessee | 1,240 | 0.4 | 0.9× |
| Alaska | 120 | 0.4 | 0.8× |
| New Hampshire | 220 | 0.3 | 0.7× |
| District of Columbia | 210 | 0.3 | 0.7× |
| Maine | 200 | 0.3 | 0.7× |
| Minnesota | 910 | 0.3 | 0.7× |
| Colorado | 860 | 0.3 | 0.7× |
| South Carolina | 660 | 0.3 | 0.7× |
| Oregon | 570 | 0.3 | 0.7× |
| Wyoming | 80 | 0.3 | 0.6× |
| Florida | 2,730 | 0.3 | 0.6× |
| New York | 2,700 | 0.3 | 0.6× |
| Pennsylvania | 1,610 | 0.3 | 0.6× |
| Maryland | 710 | 0.3 | 0.6× |
| Montana | 130 | 0.2 | 0.6× |
| New Jersey | 1,060 | 0.2 | 0.6× |
| Wisconsin | 710 | 0.2 | 0.6× |
| Washington | 850 | 0.2 | 0.5× |
| West Virginia | 150 | 0.2 | 0.5× |
| Georgia | 980 | 0.2 | 0.5× |
| Connecticut | 330 | 0.2 | 0.4× |
| Kansas | 260 | 0.2 | 0.4× |
| Delaware | 90 | 0.2 | 0.4× |
| Vermont | 50 | 0.1 | 0.3× |
Metros with the most ironworker jobs
| Metro | Jobs | Median $/hr |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 3,470 | $28.63 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 3,000 | $27.90 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 2,850 | $25.77 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 2,300 | $49.07 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 2,150 | $37.52 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 2,120 | $49.21 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,310 | $58.10 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 1,120 | $34.99 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | 1,110 | $33.72 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,060 | $32.85 |
Highest-paying metros for ironworkers
| Metro | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | Adjusted rank | 90th pct | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $58.10 | $53.65 | #1 | $61.83 | 1,310 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $49.68 | $48.42 | #2 | $58.38 | 800 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $49.21 | $47.50 | #3 | $59.87 | 2,120 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $49.07 | $43.58 | #6 | $62.81 | 2,300 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $47.27 | $46.43 | #4 | $59.67 | 640 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $47.03 | $44.88 | #5 | $47.67 | 750 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $41.99 | $36.32 | #8 | $59.84 | 800 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $39.25 | $41.27 | #7 | $47.10 | 670 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $37.52 | $33.03 | #10 | $52.98 | 2,150 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $36.73 | $32.82 | #12 | $53.05 | 740 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $34.99 | $32.89 | #11 | $50.75 | 1,120 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $33.72 | $35.24 | #9 | $46.93 | 1,110 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $32.85 | $30.17 | #14 | $41.04 | 1,060 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $30.23 | $30.14 | #15 | $38.05 | 930 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $30.05 | $29.99 | #16 | $49.11 | 910 |
Metros with at least 500 ironworkers. Cost-of-living adjustment divides the median by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100); the adjusted rank is among the 26 metros with a parity.
Union scale and prevailing wage for ironworkers
Federal construction projects must pay the Davis-Bacon rate for each county. Where the rate comes from a union contract it is the local journeyman scale: base wage plus fringe (health, pension, training). Where it comes from a survey, it is often older and lower. This table summarises the Building-construction determination for ironworkers in every state.
| State | Counties with a union rate | Typical union package (base + fringe, $/hr) | Typical survey rate | Counties with a rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 100% | $102.56 | — | 21/21 |
| Wisconsin | 100% | $98.39 | — | 72/72 |
| Hawaii | 100% | $93.96 | — | 5/5 |
| Massachusetts | 100% | $91.13 | — | 14/14 |
| Connecticut | 100% | $88.87 | — | 8/8 |
| Alaska | 100% | $86.46 | — | 30/30 |
| California | 91% | $85.85 | $28.08 | 58/58 |
| Oregon | 86% | $82.83 | $64.87 | 36/36 |
| Washington | 100% | $82.83 | — | 39/39 |
| Delaware | 33% | $79.33 | $51.73 | 3/3 |
| Rhode Island | 100% | $76.56 | — | 5/5 |
| Kansas | 11% | $73.25 | $38.11 | 105/105 |
| Missouri | 99% | $72.92 | $39.73 | 115/115 |
| Illinois | 100% | $70.53 | — | 102/102 |
| Pennsylvania | 96% | $69.89 | $55.47 | 67/67 |
| North Dakota | 53% | $69.06 | $43.23 | 53/53 |
| Michigan | 95% | $68.17 | $23.01 | 83/83 |
| New York | 82% | $67.84 | $58.62 | 62/62 |
| Indiana | 95% | $64.39 | $10.00 | 87/92 |
| Ohio | 90% | $64.02 | $42.75 | 88/88 |
| District of Columbia | 100% | $63.72 | — | 1/1 |
| Virginia | 100% | $63.72 | — | 80/133 |
| Montana | 68% | $62.13 | $33.21 | 56/56 |
| Kentucky | 70% | $61.97 | $37.71 | 120/120 |
| Nebraska | 86% | $61.30 | $27.46 | 93/93 |
| West Virginia | 49% | $60.75 | $38.19 | 55/55 |
| Iowa | 60% | $59.98 | $32.30 | 99/99 |
| Maine | 38% | $59.92 | $31.45 | 16/16 |
| New Hampshire | 80% | $59.77 | $36.69 | 10/10 |
| Vermont | 100% | $59.77 | — | 14/14 |
| Idaho | 100% | $56.35 | — | 43/44 |
| Arizona | 100% | $52.91 | — | 15/15 |
| Tennessee | 27% | $52.39 | $19.83 | 95/95 |
| Colorado | 100% | $51.71 | — | 64/64 |
| Mississippi | 41% | $49.58 | $36.34 | 82/82 |
| Oklahoma | 97% | $49.48 | $21.30 | 77/77 |
| Arkansas | 73% | $49.21 | $19.39 | 75/75 |
| Louisiana | 86% | $48.61 | $26.59 | 35/64 |
| Alabama | 72% | $47.78 | $28.54 | 29/67 |
| North Carolina | 48% | $47.75 | $24.37 | 100/100 |
| South Carolina | 67% | $47.75 | $53.33 | 9/46 |
| Georgia | 47% | $47.05 | $16.75 | 159/159 |
| South Dakota | 88% | $46.28 | $35.96 | 66/66 |
| New Mexico | 97% | $46.16 | $36.21 | 33/33 |
| Florida | 63% | $44.56 | $22.15 | 67/67 |
| Texas | 73% | $38.07 | $20.00 | 253/254 |
| Maryland | 0% | — | $62.94 | 24/24 |
| Minnesota | 0% | — | $87.36 | 87/87 |
| Nevada | 0% | — | $90.97 | 17/17 |
| Utah | 0% | — | $23.54 | 29/29 |
| Wyoming | 0% | — | $40.82 | 23/23 |
Source: SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions, Building construction type. Not the official determination; see each state page for county detail and links to the official text.
Job outlook
The BLS Employment Projections program expects the number of ironworkers to change by +3.1% over 2025-35, from 68,300 to 70,400, with about 5,900 openings a year.
Of those openings, 300 a year come from growth in the number of jobs and 5,600 from replacement: 2,000 for people who retire or leave the workforce and 3,600 for people who move to another occupation.
BLS worker characteristics, 2025-35: typical education for entry: high school diploma or equivalent; related work experience: none; on-the-job training: apprenticeship. The Occupational Outlook Handbook entry describes the work.
What each state projects
State labor market agencies publish their own projections on a 2024–2034 cycle. Arizona projects the fastest growth for ironworkers at +22.5%; by openings, Texas (850 a year), California (620 a year), Arizona (350 a year) lead. 51 states publish a figure for this occupation.
| State | Jobs, 2024 | Projected, 2034 | Change | Openings per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | 3,210 | 3,940 | +22.5% | 350 |
| Idaho | 800 | 970 | +21.0% | 90 |
| Colorado | 1,060 | 1,260 | +19.2% | 110 |
| Rhode Island | 400 | 470 | +17.5% | 40 |
| Wyoming | 70 | 80 | +16.4% | 10 |
| Florida | 2,080 | 2,400 | +15.4% | 210 |
| Nevada | 1,070 | 1,220 | +14.4% | 100 |
| Delaware | 110 | 120 | +13.1% | 10 |
| Tennessee | 1,970 | 2,230 | +13.1% | 190 |
| Utah | 1,200 | 1,360 | +13.0% | 120 |
| Arkansas | 940 | 1,060 | +12.6% | 90 |
| West Virginia | 140 | 160 | +12.4% | 10 |
| South Dakota | 480 | 540 | +12.3% | 50 |
| Louisiana | 1,620 | 1,800 | +11.3% | 150 |
| Oregon | 550 | 620 | +11.2% | 50 |
| Wisconsin | 720 | 790 | +10.3% | 60 |
| Connecticut | 290 | 320 | +9.3% | 30 |
| North Dakota | 270 | 300 | +9.2% | 20 |
| District of Columbia | 120 | 130 | +8.6% | 10 |
| Mississippi | 530 | 570 | +8.3% | 50 |
| Montana | 160 | 170 | +8.3% | 10 |
| Nebraska | 540 | 590 | +8.3% | 50 |
| Georgia | 530 | 570 | +7.8% | 50 |
| Iowa | 640 | 690 | +7.5% | 60 |
| Alabama | 1,210 | 1,300 | +7.1% | 110 |
| Maryland | 720 | 770 | +7.0% | 60 |
| Hawaii | 90 | 90 | +6.9% | 10 |
| Missouri | 1,300 | 1,380 | +6.9% | 110 |
| Vermont | 60 | 60 | +6.8% | 0 |
| New Jersey | 1,280 | 1,360 | +6.4% | 110 |
| Massachusetts | 2,150 | 2,280 | +6.1% | 180 |
| New Mexico | 100 | 110 | +5.7% | 10 |
| California | 7,300 | 7,700 | +5.5% | 620 |
| South Carolina | 620 | 660 | +5.5% | 50 |
| Indiana | 2,570 | 2,700 | +5.3% | 220 |
| New Hampshire | 290 | 300 | +5.2% | 20 |
| Illinois | 3,270 | 3,430 | +4.9% | 280 |
| North Carolina | 1,580 | 1,650 | +4.7% | 130 |
| Oklahoma | 830 | 860 | +4.4% | 70 |
| Kentucky | 890 | 930 | +4.3% | 80 |
| Ohio | 1,940 | 2,020 | +4.2% | 160 |
| Virginia | 1,080 | 1,120 | +4.0% | 100 |
| Kansas | 460 | 480 | +3.9% | 40 |
| Texas | 10,260 | 10,630 | +3.6% | 850 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,430 | 1,480 | +3.4% | 120 |
| Michigan | 2,050 | 2,080 | +1.7% | 160 |
| Alaska | 90 | 90 | -1.1% | 10 |
| Minnesota | 820 | 810 | -1.3% | 60 |
| Maine | 800 | 790 | -1.6% | 60 |
| Washington | 1,720 | 1,690 | -1.7% | 130 |
| New York | 3,240 | 3,150 | -2.9% | 240 |
Source: state labor market information agencies via Projections Central, 2024–2034 projections. State base counts include the self-employed, so they run higher than the BLS survey count above.
Compare ironworker pay with other trades
See how ironworker pay compares with other trades on the ranking of all trades and the comparison pages.
Questions this page answers
How much do ironworkers make an hour?
Hourly pay runs from about $21.43 at the 10th percentile to $52.05 at the 90th, with a median of $30.18. Overtime, per-diem and union fringe benefits are not included in these figures.
What does a starting or apprentice ironworker make?
Entry-level pay sits near the bottom of the distribution: roughly $21.43 to $23.98 an hour ($44,580 to $49,880 a year). Registered apprentices usually start at a fixed percentage of the local journeyman rate and step up every six to twelve months.
Which state pays ironworkers the most?
Massachusetts had the highest median at $58.10 an hour in May 2025, followed by New Jersey ($54.43) and Washington ($51.76). Adjusted for cost of living the order changes; see the state table.
Are ironworker wages going up?
In today's dollars the median ironworker wage changed by -8.5% over the last ten years of data (CPI-adjusted). The nominal median rose from $24.28 to $30.18.
Is ironworker a good career?
By the numbers: median pay of $62,780 a year, a 90th percentile of $108,260, projected growth of +3.1% and about 5,900 openings a year. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself; this site only reports the pay and demand data.
Are ironworker jobs growing?
The BLS employer survey counted 68,380 ironworkers in May 2025, +6.4% compared with ten years earlier and -10.7% since 2019. Looking ahead, BLS projects +3.1% growth over 2025-35 with about 5,900 openings a year, most of them replacing people who leave the occupation.
Which states will need the most ironworkers?
By projected annual openings, the state agencies' figures put Texas (850 a year, +3.6% growth), California (620 a year, +5.5% growth), Arizona (350 a year, +22.5% growth) at the top. Every state's projection is in the outlook table above.
Where are ironworkers most concentrated?
Relative to the size of each state's workforce, Arizona has the highest concentration at 2.8× the national share, then South Dakota (2.2×) and Utah (2.1×). The largest absolute job counts are usually in the most populous states; see the map above.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 47-2221 (Structural iron and steel workers). Wages exclude overtime and benefits; job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
- Inflation adjustment: BLS CPI-U annual averages, 2025 base.
- Cost-of-living adjustment: BEA Regional Price Parities, all items, 2024.
- Prevailing wage: SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35 (Tables 1.2, 1.10 and 1.12). Public-domain data; Skilled Wages is not affiliated with BLS.
- State projections: state labor market information agencies via Projections Central (Projections Managing Partnership), 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05. State figures include the self-employed.