Skilled Wages

Ironworker salary in Iowa

Median $37.21 an hour for — structural iron and steel workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$37.21/hrMedian hourly wageIowa, May data
$77,400/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$28.42 – $39.0610th to 90th percentilehourly range
—Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Ironworker pay in Iowa: the full range

Wage percentiles, IowaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrIowa: 10th $28.42 · 25th $31.33 · median $37.21 · 75th $38.50 · 90th $39.06Iowa$37.21$28.42$39.06United 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: Iowa vs United States, May 2025.

Iowa ranks 14th of 50 states for median ironworker pay, and 11th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $42.38). — structural iron and steel workers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$28.42 – $31.33$59,120 – $65,160roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$31.33 – $38.50$65,160 – $80,080the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$38.50 – $39.06$80,080 – $81,240the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Ironworker pay by metro in Iowa

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrDes Moines: $38.50Des Moines$38.50Davenport: $38.02Davenport$38.02Iowa City: $37.88Iowa City$37.88Cedar Rapids: $36.24Cedar Rapids$36.24Omaha: $35.79Omaha$35.79
Median hourly wage for structural iron and steel workers by metro area in Iowa, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Des Moines$30.42$38.50$39.62—3% above
Davenport$28.28$38.02$50.56902% above
Iowa City$24.07$37.88$38.54—2% above
Cedar Rapids$25.83$36.24$37.22803% below
Omaha$25.30$35.79$38.093804% below

Ironworker wages in Iowa over time

Iowa, 1999-2025IowaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$37.21Iowa$30.18United States
Median hourly wage for structural iron and steel workers, Iowa vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearIowa $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$17.60$34.01$17.19950
2000$13.03$24.36$17.92970
2001$17.32$31.49$18.72930
2002$17.47$31.26$19.55800
2003$16.59$29.03$19.58860
2004$20.42$34.80$20.40870
2005$19.72$32.51$19.51810
2006$20.90$33.38$19.46810
2007$20.83$32.34$20.261,000
2008$21.06$31.49$20.68960
2009$22.19$33.30$21.401,070
2010$21.68$32.01$21.42850
2011$22.74$32.55$21.97690
2012$24.25$34.00$22.18460
2013$25.63$35.42$22.36570
2014$26.35$35.83$23.17810
2015$26.27$35.68$24.28850
2016$26.28$35.25$24.91850
2017$25.22$33.12$25.30700
2018$26.12$33.49$25.95630
2019$26.04$32.79$26.46930
2020$26.25$32.65$26.36870
2021$23.08$27.42$28.15620
2022$33.59$36.95$29.091,210
2023$34.84$36.81$30.17790
2024$31.81$32.65$30.14720
2025$37.21$37.21$30.18—

In today's dollars, the median ironworker wage in Iowa changed by +4.3% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for ironworkers in Iowa

On federally funded construction in Iowa, contractors must pay ironworkers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 59 of the 99 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $59.98 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $32.30). 40 of the 99 counties still use a survey rate dated 2016 or earlier (for example Adair County at $23.43). The market median for the state is $37.21.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, IAAdair: $23.43 (survey)Adams: $23.43 (survey)Allamakee: $59.98 (union)Appanoose: $41.18 (survey)Audubon: $23.43 (survey)Benton: $59.98 (union)Black Hawk: $59.98 (union)Boone: $23.43 (survey)Bremer: $59.98 (union)Buchanan: $59.98 (union)Buena Vista: $59.98 (union)Butler: $59.98 (union)Calhoun: $59.98 (union)Carroll: $23.43 (survey)Cass: $23.43 (survey)Cedar: $41.18 (survey)Cerro Gordo: $59.98 (union)Cherokee: $59.98 (union)Chickasaw: $59.98 (union)Clarke: $23.43 (survey)Clay: $59.98 (union)Clayton: $59.98 (union)Clinton: $68.49 (union)Crawford: $23.43 (survey)Dallas: $61.34 (union)Davis: $41.18 (survey)Decatur: $23.43 (survey)Delaware: $59.98 (union)Des Moines: $41.18 (survey)Dickinson: $59.98 (union)Dubuque: $59.98 (union)Emmet: $59.98 (union)Fayette: $59.98 (union)Floyd: $59.98 (union)Franklin: $59.98 (union)Fremont: $23.43 (survey)Greene: $23.43 (survey)Grundy: $59.98 (union)Guthrie: $68.49 (union)Hamilton: $59.98 (union)Hancock: $59.98 (union)Hardin: $59.98 (union)Harrison: $55.86 (union)Henry: $41.18 (survey)Howard: $59.98 (union)Humboldt: $59.98 (union)Ida: $59.98 (union)Iowa: $41.18 (survey)Jackson: $41.18 (survey)Jasper: $41.18 (survey)Jefferson: $41.18 (survey)Johnson: $59.98 (union)Jones: $59.98 (union)Keokuk: $41.18 (survey)Kossuth: $59.98 (union)Lee: $62.10 (union)Linn: $59.98 (union)Louisa: $41.18 (survey)Lucas: $23.43 (survey)Lyon: $59.98 (union)Madison: $68.49 (union)Mahaska: $41.18 (survey)Marion: $41.18 (survey)Marshall: $41.18 (survey)Mills: $55.86 (union)Mitchell: $59.98 (union)Monona: $23.43 (survey)Monroe: $41.18 (survey)Montgomery: $23.43 (survey)Muscatine: $41.18 (survey)O'Brien: $59.98 (union)Osceola: $59.98 (union)Page: $23.43 (survey)Palo Alto: $59.98 (union)Plymouth: $59.98 (union)Pocahontas: $59.98 (union)Polk: $61.34 (union)Pottawattamie: $55.86 (union)Poweshiek: $41.18 (survey)Ringgold: $23.43 (survey)Sac: $59.98 (union)Scott: $68.49 (union)Shelby: $23.43 (survey)Sioux: $59.98 (union)Story: $61.34 (union)Tama: $41.18 (survey)Taylor: $23.43 (survey)Union: $23.43 (survey)Van Buren: $41.18 (survey)Wapello: $41.18 (survey)Warren: $61.34 (union)Washington: $59.98 (union)Wayne: $23.43 (survey)Webster: $59.98 (union)Winnebago: $59.98 (union)Winneshiek: $59.98 (union)Woodbury: $48.05 (union)Worth: $59.98 (union)Wright: $59.98 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$34.08$42.55$59.98survey rate
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)$30$40$50$60$70$80/hrScott (Davenport): market median $38.02, prevailing (union) $68.49, gap +$30.47Scott (Davenport)+$30.47Guthrie (Des Moines): market median $38.50, prevailing (union) $68.49, gap +$29.99Guthrie (Des Moines)+$29.99Story (Iowa): market median $37.21, prevailing (union) $61.34, gap +$24.13Story (Iowa)+$24.13Benton (Cedar Rapids): market median $36.24, prevailing (union) $59.98, gap +$23.74Benton (Cedar Rapids)+$23.74Johnson (Iowa City): market median $37.88, prevailing (union) $59.98, gap +$22.10Johnson (Iowa City)+$22.10Harrison (Omaha): market median $35.79, prevailing (union) $55.86, gap +$20.07Harrison (Omaha)+$20.07
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for ironworkers, metro counties in Iowa.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
ClintonUnion IRON0111-009 2024-07-01$37.50$30.99$68.49IA20260038
GuthrieUnion IRON0111-002 2024-07-01$37.50$30.99$68.49IA20260079
MadisonUnion IRON0111-002 2024-07-01$37.50$30.99$68.49IA20260079
ScottUnion IRON0111-009 2024-07-01$37.50$30.99$68.49IA20260073
LeeUnion IRON0577-008 2025-06-01$36.30$25.80$62.10IA20260047
DallasUnion IRON0067-003 2025-05-01$37.80$23.54$61.34IA20260064
PolkUnion IRON0067-003 2025-05-01$37.80$23.54$61.34IA20260071
StoryUnion IRON0067-003 2025-05-01$37.80$23.54$61.34IA20260074
WarrenUnion IRON0067-003 2025-05-01$37.80$23.54$61.34IA20260075
AllamakeeUnion IRON0089-001 2025-05-01$35.53$24.45$59.98IA20260031
BentonUnion IRON0089-002 2025-05-01$35.53$24.45$59.98IA20260078
Black HawkUnion IRON0089-002 2025-05-01$35.53$24.45$59.98IA20260062
BremerUnion IRON0089-002 2025-05-01$35.53$24.45$59.98IA20260063
BuchananUnion IRON0089-001 2025-05-01$35.53$24.45$59.98IA20260080
Buena VistaUnion IRON0089-001 2025-05-01$35.53$24.45$59.98IA20260057

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

Is construction work growing in Iowa?

93.8kConstruction jobsIowa, 2026-08
+3.9%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202620k40k60k80k100k120k1990199520002005201020152020202594kAug 2026
Construction employment in Iowa (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Ironworker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Iowa

Questions this page answers

How much do ironworkers make in Iowa?

The median ironworker in Iowa earned $37.21 an hour ($77,400 a year) in May 2025, 23% above the national median of $30.18. The middle half earn $31.33–$38.50; the top 10% earn more than $39.06.

Where does Iowa rank for ironworker pay?

Iowa ranks 14th of 50 states for ironworker pay, with a median of $37.21 an hour, and 11th after adjusting for Iowa's cost of living (BEA price parity 87.8, US = 100).

What is the union ironworker rate in Iowa?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for ironworkers in 59 counties, with a typical package of $59.98 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many ironworkers work in Iowa?

BLS counted — structural iron and steel workers in Iowa in May 2025, 0.0 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.00; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Iowa 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.