Ironworker salary in Alabama
Median $27.23 an hour for 1,740 ironworkers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Ironworker pay in Alabama: the full range
Alabama ranks 40th of 50 states for median ironworker pay, and 29th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $30.66). 1,740 ironworkers work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.7× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $19.55 – $22.42 | $40,660 – $46,640 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $22.42 – $29.08 | $46,640 – $60,480 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $29.08 – $32.55 | $60,480 – $67,700 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Ironworker pay by metro in Alabama
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florence | $19.99 | $33.43 | $39.42 | $38.42 | 60 | 23% above |
| Tuscaloosa | $22.13 | $28.48 | $32.47 | $32.99 | 100 | 5% above |
| Birmingham | $21.39 | $28.45 | $31.06 | $30.62 | 550 | 4% above |
| Decatur | $23.29 | $27.03 | $31.00 | $30.95 | 70 | 1% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Ironworker wages in Alabama over time
Table
| Year | Alabama $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $13.81 | $26.69 | $17.19 | — |
| 2000 | $15.26 | $28.53 | $17.92 | 1,960 |
| 2001 | $16.83 | $30.59 | $18.72 | 1,610 |
| 2002 | $17.07 | $30.55 | $19.55 | 1,650 |
| 2003 | $16.88 | $29.53 | $19.58 | 1,350 |
| 2004 | $16.82 | $28.67 | $20.40 | 1,520 |
| 2005 | $17.47 | $28.80 | $19.51 | — |
| 2006 | $16.30 | $26.03 | $19.46 | 1,310 |
| 2007 | $16.30 | $25.31 | $20.26 | 1,370 |
| 2008 | $16.13 | $24.12 | $20.68 | 1,660 |
| 2009 | $16.60 | $24.91 | $21.40 | 1,420 |
| 2010 | $17.20 | $25.39 | $21.42 | 1,310 |
| 2011 | $17.71 | $25.35 | $21.97 | 1,070 |
| 2012 | $18.28 | $25.63 | $22.18 | 1,040 |
| 2013 | $18.22 | $25.18 | $22.36 | 1,200 |
| 2014 | $19.07 | $25.93 | $23.17 | 1,330 |
| 2015 | $18.59 | $25.25 | $24.28 | 1,560 |
| 2016 | $20.35 | $27.30 | $24.91 | 1,340 |
| 2017 | $21.22 | $27.87 | $25.30 | 1,260 |
| 2018 | $23.40 | $30.00 | $25.95 | 1,060 |
| 2019 | $23.26 | $29.29 | $26.46 | 1,370 |
| 2020 | $21.35 | $26.56 | $26.36 | 1,290 |
| 2021 | $22.00 | $26.14 | $28.15 | 1,290 |
| 2022 | $23.98 | $26.38 | $29.09 | 1,260 |
| 2023 | $27.85 | $29.43 | $30.17 | 880 |
| 2024 | $24.72 | $25.37 | $30.14 | 1,160 |
| 2025 | $27.23 | $27.23 | $30.18 | 1,740 |
In today's dollars, the median ironworker wage in Alabama changed by +7.8% over the last ten years of data and by -7.0% since 2019.
Are there more ironworker jobs in Alabama?
BLS counted 1,740 ironworkers in Alabama in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 22%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.
Outlook for ironworkers in Alabama
Alabama's labor market agency projects the number of ironworkers in the state to change by +7.1% between 2024 and 2034, from 1,210 to 1,300, with about 110 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.1% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed and use a different base year, so they do not match the 1,740 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Alabama labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Union scale and prevailing wage for ironworkers in Alabama
On federally funded construction in Alabama, contractors must pay ironworkers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 21 of the 29 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $47.78 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $28.54). 8 of the 29 counties still use a survey rate dated 2017 or earlier (for example Baldwin County at $20.88). The market median for the state is $27.23.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autauga | Union IRON0092-003 2024-09-01 | $33.75 | $14.03 | $47.78 | AL20260082 |
| Bibb | Union IRON0092-003 2024-09-01 | $33.75 | $14.03 | $47.78 | AL20260099 |
| Blount | Union IRON0092-003 2024-09-01 | $33.75 | $14.03 | $47.78 | AL20260099 |
| Calhoun | Union IRON0092-003 2024-09-01 | $33.75 | $14.03 | $47.78 | AL20260084 |
| Chilton | Union IRON0092-003 2024-09-01 | $33.75 | $14.03 | $47.78 | AL20260099 |
| Elmore | Union IRON0092-003 2024-09-01 | $33.75 | $14.03 | $47.78 | AL20260101 |
| Etowah | Union IRON0092-003 2024-09-01 | $33.75 | $14.03 | $47.78 | AL20260085 |
| Geneva | Union IRON0092-003 2024-09-01 | $33.75 | $14.03 | $47.78 | AL20260102 |
| Hale | Union IRON0092-003 2024-09-01 | $33.75 | $14.03 | $47.78 | AL20260103 |
| Henry | Union IRON0092-003 2024-09-01 | $33.75 | $14.03 | $47.78 | AL20260102 |
| Houston | Union IRON0092-003 2024-09-01 | $33.75 | $14.03 | $47.78 | AL20260086 |
| Jefferson | Union IRON0092-003 2024-09-01 | $33.75 | $14.03 | $47.78 | AL20260087 |
| Lowndes | Union IRON0092-003 2024-09-01 | $33.75 | $14.03 | $47.78 | AL20260101 |
| Montgomery | Union IRON0092-003 2024-09-01 | $33.75 | $14.03 | $47.78 | AL20260093 |
| Pickens | Union IRON0092-003 2024-09-01 | $33.75 | $14.03 | $47.78 | AL20260103 |
| St. Clair | Union IRON0092-003 2024-09-01 | $33.75 | $14.03 | $47.78 | AL20260097 |
| Shelby | Union IRON0092-003 2024-09-01 | $33.75 | $14.03 | $47.78 | AL20260096 |
| Tuscaloosa | Union IRON0092-003 2024-09-01 | $33.75 | $14.03 | $47.78 | AL20260098 |
| Walker | Union IRON0092-003 2024-09-01 | $33.75 | $14.03 | $47.78 | AL20260099 |
| Lee | Union IRON0387-001 2025-01-01 | $32.00 | $15.05 | $47.05 | AL20260089 |
| Russell | Union IRON0387-001 2025-01-01 | $32.00 | $15.05 | $47.05 | AL20260095 |
| Colbert | Survey SUAL2015-028 2017-08-02 | $21.77 | $6.77 | $28.54 | AL20260100 |
| Lauderdale | Survey SUAL2015-028 2017-08-02 | $21.77 | $6.77 | $28.54 | AL20260100 |
| Lawrence | Survey SUAL2015-016 2017-08-02 | $21.77 | $6.77 | $28.54 | AL20260088 |
| Limestone | Survey SUAL2015-018 2017-08-02 | $21.77 | $6.77 | $28.54 | AL20260090 |
| Madison | Survey SUAL2015-019 2017-08-02 | $21.77 | $6.77 | $28.54 | AL20260091 |
| Morgan | Survey SUAL2015-022 2017-08-02 | $21.77 | $6.77 | $28.54 | AL20260094 |
| Baldwin | Survey SUAL2015-011 2017-08-02 | $19.73 | $1.15 | $20.88 | AL20260083 |
| Mobile | Survey SUAL2015-020 2017-08-02 | $19.73 | $1.15 | $20.88 | AL20260092 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Alabama prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in Alabama?
Keep comparing
Ironworker pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Alabama
More on Alabama
Questions this page answers
How much do ironworkers make in Alabama?
The median ironworker in Alabama earned $27.23 an hour ($56,640 a year) in May 2025, 10% below the national median of $30.18. The middle half earn $22.42–$29.08; the top 10% earn more than $32.55.
Where does Alabama rank for ironworker pay?
Alabama ranks 40th of 50 states for ironworker pay, with a median of $27.23 an hour, and 29th after adjusting for Alabama's cost of living (BEA price parity 88.8, US = 100).
What is the union ironworker rate in Alabama?
Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for ironworkers in 21 counties, with a typical package of $47.78 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.
How many ironworkers work in Alabama?
BLS counted 1,740 ironworkers in Alabama in May 2025, 0.8 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.87; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is ironworker work growing in Alabama?
Alabama's labor market agency projects +7.1% growth for ironworkers between 2024 and 2034, from 1,210 to 1,300 jobs.
How many ironworker openings a year are there in Alabama?
Alabama projects about 110 openings a year for ironworkers over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 5,900 a year.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Alabama and metro areas, SOC 47-2221. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
- BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
- State projection: Alabama labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.