Skilled Wages

Ironworker salary in Illinois

Median $48.97 an hour for 2,740 structural iron and steel workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$48.97/hrMedian hourly wageIllinois, May data
$101,850/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$31.17 – $59.8310th to 90th percentilehourly range
2,740Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Ironworker pay in Illinois: the full range

Wage percentiles, IllinoisMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60$80/hrIllinois: 10th $31.17 · 25th $39.30 · median $48.97 · 75th $58.00 · 90th $59.83Illinois$48.97$31.17$59.83United States: 10th $21.43 · 25th $23.98 · median $30.18 · 75th $39.74 · 90th $52.05United States$30.18
Hourly wage percentiles for structural iron and steel workers: Illinois vs United States, May 2025.

Illinois ranks 4th of 50 states for median ironworker pay, and 3rd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $48.97). 2,740 structural iron and steel workers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$31.17 – $39.30$64,830 – $81,750roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$39.30 – $58.00$81,750 – $120,640the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$58.00 – $59.83$120,640 – $124,450the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Ironworker pay by metro in Illinois

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrChicago: $49.21Chicago$49.21Rockford: $48.22Rockford$48.22Champaign: $39.65Champaign$39.65Springfield: $39.30Springfield$39.30St. Louis: $39.25St. Louis$39.25Peoria: $38.49Peoria$38.49Davenport: $38.02Davenport$38.02Decatur: $31.17Decatur$31.17
Median hourly wage for structural iron and steel workers by metro area in Illinois, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Chicago$31.07$49.21$59.872,120about the same as
Rockford$28.94$48.22$55.161902% below
Champaign$38.30$39.65$51.343019% below
Springfield$24.71$39.30$39.954020% below
St. Louis$24.22$39.25$47.1067020% below
Peoria$30.51$38.49$47.279021% below
Davenport$28.28$38.02$50.569022% below
Decatur$31.17$31.17$47.864036% below

Ironworker wages in Illinois over time

Illinois, 1999-2025IllinoisUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40$50$60200020052010201520202025$48.97Illinois$30.18United States
Median hourly wage for structural iron and steel workers, Illinois vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearIllinois $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$21.98$42.47$17.195,370
2000$23.51$43.95$17.922,740
2001$24.80$45.08$18.723,350
2002$26.99$48.30$19.553,140
2003$28.03$49.04$19.582,810
2004$29.75$50.70$20.403,820
2005$31.16$51.37$19.513,630
2006$33.46$53.43$19.463,050
2007$35.17$54.61$20.262,700
2008$35.68$53.35$20.682,360
2009$34.33$51.52$21.402,110
2010$35.15$51.90$21.422,030
2011$36.53$52.28$21.972,710
2012$38.13$53.47$22.183,090
2013$38.00$52.52$22.362,580
2014$41.25$56.10$23.172,890
2015$42.34$57.51$24.282,750
2016$43.78$58.73$24.912,790
2017$43.51$57.15$25.302,730
2018$42.48$54.46$25.952,760
2019$43.66$54.98$26.463,390
2020$43.05$53.55$26.362,630
2021$41.23$48.99$28.152,350
2022$45.14$49.66$29.093,240
2023$47.20$49.87$30.173,180
2024$48.57$49.85$30.143,250
2025$48.97$48.97$30.182,740

In today's dollars, the median ironworker wage in Illinois changed by -14.9% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for ironworkers in Illinois

On federally funded construction in Illinois, contractors must pay ironworkers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 102 of the 102 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $70.53 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $48.97.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, ILAdams: $70.53 (union)Alexander: $69.76 (union)Bond: $70.53 (union)Boone: $70.53 (union)Brown: $70.53 (union)Bureau: $70.53 (union)Calhoun: $70.53 (union)Carroll: $70.53 (union)Cass: $70.53 (union)Champaign: $69.76 (union)Christian: $69.76 (union)Clark: $69.76 (union)Clay: $69.76 (union)Clinton: $70.53 (union)Coles: $69.76 (union)Cook: $109.04 (union)Crawford: $69.76 (union)Cumberland: $69.76 (union)DeKalb: $70.53 (union)De Witt: $69.76 (union)Douglas: $69.76 (union)DuPage: $109.04 (union)Edgar: $69.76 (union)Edwards: $69.76 (union)Effingham: $69.76 (union)Fayette: $69.76 (union)Ford: $69.76 (union)Franklin: $69.76 (union)Fulton: $70.53 (union)Gallatin: $69.76 (union)Greene: $70.53 (union)Grundy: $109.04 (union)Hamilton: $69.76 (union)Hancock: $70.53 (union)Hardin: $69.76 (union)Henderson: $70.53 (union)Henry: $70.53 (union)Iroquois: $69.76 (union)Jackson: $69.76 (union)Jasper: $69.76 (union)Jefferson: $69.76 (union)Jersey: $70.53 (union)Jo Daviess: $70.53 (union)Johnson: $69.76 (union)Kane: $109.04 (union)Kankakee: $85.30 (union)Kendall: $109.04 (union)Knox: $70.53 (union)Lake: $109.04 (union)LaSalle: $70.53 (union)Lawrence: $69.76 (union)Lee: $70.53 (union)Livingston: $70.53 (union)Logan: $70.53 (union)McDonough: $70.53 (union)McHenry: $109.04 (union)McLean: $70.53 (union)Macon: $67.55 (union)Macoupin: $70.53 (union)Madison: $72.83 (union)Marion: $69.76 (union)Marshall: $70.53 (union)Mason: $70.53 (union)Massac: $69.76 (union)Menard: $70.53 (union)Mercer: $70.53 (union)Monroe: $70.53 (union)Montgomery: $70.53 (union)Morgan: $70.53 (union)Moultrie: $69.76 (union)Ogle: $70.53 (union)Peoria: $73.12 (union)Perry: $69.76 (union)Piatt: $69.76 (union)Pike: $70.53 (union)Pope: $69.76 (union)Pulaski: $69.76 (union)Putnam: $70.53 (union)Randolph: $70.53 (union)Richland: $69.76 (union)Rock Island: $70.53 (union)St. Clair: $72.83 (union)Saline: $69.76 (union)Sangamon: $67.55 (union)Schuyler: $70.53 (union)Scott: $70.53 (union)Shelby: $69.76 (union)Stark: $70.53 (union)Stephenson: $70.53 (union)Tazewell: $73.12 (union)Union: $69.76 (union)Vermilion: $69.76 (union)Wabash: $69.76 (union)Warren: $70.53 (union)Washington: $70.53 (union)Wayne: $69.76 (union)White: $69.76 (union)Whiteside: $70.53 (union)Will: $109.04 (union)Williamson: $69.76 (union)Winnebago: $70.53 (union)Woodford: $70.53 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$69.76$70.53
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)$0$25$50$75$100$125/hrCook (Chicago): market median $49.21, prevailing (union) $109.04, gap +$59.83Cook (Chicago)+$59.83Macon (Decatur): market median $31.17, prevailing (union) $67.55, gap +$36.38Macon (Decatur)+$36.38Kankakee (Illinois): market median $48.97, prevailing (union) $85.30, gap +$36.33Kankakee (Illinois)+$36.33Peoria (Peoria): market median $38.49, prevailing (union) $73.12, gap +$34.63Peoria (Peoria)+$34.63Madison (St. Louis): market median $39.25, prevailing (union) $72.83, gap +$33.58Madison (St. Louis)+$33.58Henry (Davenport): market median $38.02, prevailing (union) $70.53, gap +$32.51Henry (Davenport)+$32.51Menard (Springfield): market median $39.30, prevailing (union) $70.53, gap +$31.23Menard (Springfield)+$31.23Champaign (Champaign): market median $39.65, prevailing (union) $69.76, gap +$30.11Champaign (Champaign)+$30.11Boone (Rockford): market median $48.22, prevailing (union) $70.53, gap +$22.31Boone (Rockford)+$22.31
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for ironworkers, metro counties in Illinois.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
CookUnion IRON0001-026 2025-06-01$62.46$46.58$109.04IL20260009
DuPageUnion IRON0001-014 2025-06-01$62.46$46.58$109.04IL20260008
GrundyUnion IRON0001-014 2025-06-01$62.46$46.58$109.04IL20260008
KaneUnion IRON0001-014 2025-06-01$62.46$46.58$109.04IL20260008
KendallUnion IRON0001-014 2025-06-01$62.46$46.58$109.04IL20260008
LakeUnion IRON0001-014 2025-06-01$62.46$46.58$109.04IL20260008
McHenryUnion IRON0001-014 2025-06-01$62.46$46.58$109.04IL20260008
WillUnion IRON0001-014 2025-06-01$62.46$46.58$109.04IL20260008
KankakeeUnion IRON0444-005 2022-06-01$46.00$39.30$85.30IL20260006
PeoriaUnion IRON0112-003 2025-05-01$39.24$33.88$73.12IL20260003
TazewellUnion IRON0112-003 2025-05-01$39.24$33.88$73.12IL20260003
MadisonUnion IRON0392-004 2024-08-01$41.65$31.18$72.83IL20260007
St. ClairUnion IRON0392-004 2024-08-01$41.65$31.18$72.83IL20260007
AdamsUnion IRON0111-003 2025-07-01$38.25$32.28$70.53IL20260001
BondUnion IRON0111-003 2025-07-01$38.25$32.28$70.53IL20260001

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Illinois prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Illinois?

271.6kConstruction jobsIllinois, 2026-08
+6.6%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026150k200k250k300k350k19901995200020052010201520202025272kAug 2026
Construction employment in Illinois (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Ironworker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Illinois

Questions this page answers

How much do ironworkers make in Illinois?

The median ironworker in Illinois earned $48.97 an hour ($101,850 a year) in May 2025, 62% above the national median of $30.18. The middle half earn $39.30–$58.00; the top 10% earn more than $59.83.

Where does Illinois rank for ironworker pay?

Illinois ranks 4th of 50 states for ironworker pay, with a median of $48.97 an hour, and 3rd after adjusting for Illinois's cost of living (BEA price parity 100.0, US = 100).

What is the union ironworker rate in Illinois?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for ironworkers in 102 counties, with a typical package of $70.53 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many ironworkers work in Illinois?

BLS counted 2,740 structural iron and steel workers in Illinois in May 2025, 0.5 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.02; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Illinois and metro areas, SOC 47-2221.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.