Skilled Wages

Ironworker salary in Colorado

Median $28.28 an hour for 860 ironworkers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$28.28/hrMedian hourly wageColorado, May data
$58,830/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$21.57 – $39.9710th to 90th percentilehourly range
860Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-13

Ironworker pay in Colorado: the full range

Wage percentiles, ColoradoMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrColorado: 10th $21.57 · 25th $24.26 · median $28.28 · 75th $34.61 · 90th $39.97Colorado$28.28$21.57$39.97United States: 10th $21.43 · 25th $23.98 · median $30.18 · 75th $39.74 · 90th $52.05United States$30.18
Hourly wage percentiles for ironworkers: Colorado vs United States, May 2025.

Colorado ranks 35th of 50 states for median ironworker pay, and 40th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $27.43). 860 ironworkers work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.9× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$21.57 – $24.26$44,870 – $50,460roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$24.26 – $34.61$50,460 – $71,980the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$34.61 – $39.97$71,980 – $83,150the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Ironworker pay by metro in Colorado

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrFort Collins: $30.13Fort Collins$30.13Denver: $28.88Denver$28.88Greeley: $28.41Greeley$28.41Colorado Springs: $26.77Colorado Springs$26.77
Median hourly wage for ironworkers by metro area in Colorado, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Fort Collins$25.13$30.13$29.80$39.97607% above
Denver$23.97$28.88$27.30$40.114802% above
Greeley$20.01$28.41$28.35$36.4180about the same as
Colorado Springs$22.39$26.77$26.58$37.79705% below

Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).

Ironworker wages in Colorado over time

Colorado, 1999-2025ColoradoUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$30.18United States$28.28Colorado
Median hourly wage for ironworkers, Colorado vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearColorado $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$16.47$31.83$17.191,070
2000$17.28$32.31$17.921,030
2001$18.51$33.65$18.72830
2002$19.55$34.99$19.551,040
2003$20.00$34.99$19.58820
2004$19.11$32.57$20.40750
2005$18.35$30.25$19.51840
2006$19.06$30.44$19.46640
2007$17.49$27.16$20.26800
2008$18.65$27.89$20.681,420
2009$18.36$27.55$21.401,580
2010$19.94$29.44$21.421,140
2011$20.94$29.97$21.971,010
2012$20.78$29.14$22.18990
2013$19.07$26.35$22.36840
2014$20.73$28.19$23.17810
2015$19.89$27.02$24.28900
2016$21.97$29.47$24.911,280
2017$22.51$29.56$25.301,700
2018$24.18$31.00$25.951,680
2019$24.81$31.24$26.461,370
2020$27.58$34.31$26.361,080
2021$28.63$34.02$28.15890
2022$28.00$30.80$29.09960
2023$29.42$31.08$30.17940
2024$29.34$30.11$30.141,050
2025$28.28$28.28$30.18860

In today's dollars, the median ironworker wage in Colorado changed by +4.7% over the last ten years of data and by -9.5% since 2019.

Are there more ironworker jobs in Colorado?

0.3Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.7× the US share, 32nd of 49 states

BLS counted 860 ironworkers in Colorado 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 Colorado

+19.2%Projected growth in Colorado2024–2034, state agency
110Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
1,060Jobs in 20241,260 projected for 2034
+3.1%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Colorado's labor market agency projects the number of ironworkers in the state to change by +19.2% between 2024 and 2034, from 1,060 to 1,260, with about 110 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.1% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 860 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: Colorado labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).

Union scale and prevailing wage for ironworkers in Colorado

On federally funded construction in Colorado, contractors must pay ironworkers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 64 of the 64 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $51.71 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $28.28.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, COAdams: $51.71 (union)Alamosa: $51.71 (union)Arapahoe: $51.71 (union)Archuleta: $51.71 (union)Baca: $51.71 (union)Bent: $51.71 (union)Boulder: $51.71 (union)Broomfield: $51.71 (union)Chaffee: $51.71 (union)Cheyenne: $51.71 (union)Clear Creek: $51.71 (union)Conejos: $51.71 (union)Costilla: $51.71 (union)Crowley: $51.71 (union)Custer: $51.71 (union)Delta: $51.71 (union)Denver: $51.71 (union)Dolores: $51.71 (union)Douglas: $51.71 (union)Eagle: $51.71 (union)Elbert: $51.71 (union)El Paso: $51.71 (union)Fremont: $51.71 (union)Garfield: $51.71 (union)Gilpin: $51.71 (union)Grand: $51.71 (union)Gunnison: $51.71 (union)Hinsdale: $51.71 (union)Huerfano: $51.71 (union)Jackson: $51.71 (union)Jefferson: $51.71 (union)Kiowa: $51.71 (union)Kit Carson: $51.71 (union)Lake: $51.71 (union)La Plata: $51.71 (union)Larimer: $51.71 (union)Las Animas: $51.71 (union)Lincoln: $51.71 (union)Logan: $51.71 (union)Mesa: $51.71 (union)Mineral: $51.71 (union)Moffat: $51.71 (union)Montezuma: $51.71 (union)Montrose: $51.71 (union)Morgan: $51.71 (union)Otero: $51.71 (union)Ouray: $51.71 (union)Park: $51.71 (union)Phillips: $51.71 (union)Pitkin: $51.71 (union)Prowers: $51.71 (union)Pueblo: $51.71 (union)Rio Blanco: $51.71 (union)Rio Grande: $51.71 (union)Routt: $51.71 (union)Saguache: $51.71 (union)San Juan: $51.71 (union)San Miguel: $51.71 (union)Sedgwick: $51.71 (union)Summit: $51.71 (union)Teller: $51.71 (union)Washington: $51.71 (union)Weld: $51.71 (union)Yuma: $51.71 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for ironworkers by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)$20$30$40$50$60/hrEl Paso (Colorado Springs): market median $26.77, prevailing (union) $51.71, gap +$24.94El Paso (Colorado Springs)+$24.94Boulder (Colorado): market median $28.28, prevailing (union) $51.71, gap +$23.43Boulder (Colorado)+$23.43Weld (Greeley): market median $28.41, prevailing (union) $51.71, gap +$23.30Weld (Greeley)+$23.30Adams (Denver): market median $28.88, prevailing (union) $51.71, gap +$22.83Adams (Denver)+$22.83Larimer (Fort Collins): market median $30.13, prevailing (union) $51.71, gap +$21.58Larimer (Fort Collins)+$21.58
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for ironworkers, metro counties in Colorado.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AdamsUnion IRON0024-010 2024-11-01$39.21$12.50$51.71CO20260015
AlamosaUnion IRON0024-002 2024-11-01$39.21$12.50$51.71CO20260001
ArapahoeUnion IRON0024-011 2024-11-01$39.21$12.50$51.71CO20260016
ArchuletaUnion IRON0024-002 2024-11-01$39.21$12.50$51.71CO20260001
BacaUnion IRON0024-002 2024-11-01$39.21$12.50$51.71CO20260001
BentUnion IRON0024-002 2024-11-01$39.21$12.50$51.71CO20260001
BoulderUnion IRON0024-010 2024-11-01$39.21$12.50$51.71CO20260017
BroomfieldUnion IRON0024-010 2024-11-01$39.21$12.50$51.71CO20260018
ChaffeeUnion IRON0024-002 2024-11-01$39.21$12.50$51.71CO20260001
CheyenneUnion IRON0024-002 2024-11-01$39.21$12.50$51.71CO20260001
Clear CreekUnion IRON0024-010 2024-11-01$39.21$12.50$51.71CO20260019
ConejosUnion IRON0024-002 2024-11-01$39.21$12.50$51.71CO20260001
CostillaUnion IRON0024-002 2024-11-01$39.21$12.50$51.71CO20260001
CrowleyUnion IRON0024-002 2024-11-01$39.21$12.50$51.71CO20260001
CusterUnion IRON0024-002 2024-11-01$39.21$12.50$51.71CO20260001

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Colorado prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Colorado?

193.6kConstruction jobsColorado, 2026-09
+3.8%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-20260k50k100k150k200k250k19901995200020052010201520202025194kSep 2026
Construction employment in Colorado (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Ironworker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Colorado

More on Colorado

Questions this page answers

How much do ironworkers make in Colorado?

The median ironworker in Colorado earned $28.28 an hour ($58,830 a year) in May 2025, 6% below the national median of $30.18. The middle half earn $24.26–$34.61; the top 10% earn more than $39.97.

Where does Colorado rank for ironworker pay?

Colorado ranks 35th of 50 states for ironworker pay, with a median of $28.28 an hour, and 40th after adjusting for Colorado's cost of living (BEA price parity 103.1, US = 100).

What is the union ironworker rate in Colorado?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for ironworkers in 64 counties, with a typical package of $51.71 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many ironworkers work in Colorado?

BLS counted 860 ironworkers in Colorado in May 2025, 0.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.68; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is ironworker work growing in Colorado?

Colorado's labor market agency projects +19.2% growth for ironworkers between 2024 and 2034, from 1,060 to 1,260 jobs.

How many ironworker openings a year are there in Colorado?

Colorado 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, Colorado 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: Colorado labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.