Skilled Wages

Ironworker salary in Maryland

Median $34.49 an hour for 710 structural iron and steel workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$34.49/hrMedian hourly wageMaryland, May data
$71,730/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$22.98 – $39.5010th to 90th percentilehourly range
710Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Ironworker pay in Maryland: the full range

Wage percentiles, MarylandMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrMaryland: 10th $22.98 · 25th $28.71 · median $34.49 · 75th $37.82 · 90th $39.50Maryland$34.49$22.98$39.50United 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: Maryland vs United States, May 2025.

Maryland ranks 20th of 50 states for median ironworker pay, and 25th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $32.85). 710 structural iron and steel workers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$22.98 – $28.71$47,790 – $59,710roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$28.71 – $37.82$59,710 – $78,660the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$37.82 – $39.50$78,660 – $82,160the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Ironworker pay by metro in Maryland

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrPhiladelphia: $49.68Philadelphia$49.68Baltimore: $34.23Baltimore$34.23Washington DC: $32.85Washington DC$32.85
Median hourly wage for structural iron and steel workers by metro area in Maryland, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Philadelphia$25.36$49.68$58.3880044% above
Baltimore$22.94$34.23$38.123001% below
Washington DC$24.39$32.85$41.041,0605% below

Ironworker wages in Maryland over time

Maryland, 1999-2025MarylandUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$34.49Maryland$30.18United States
Median hourly wage for structural iron and steel workers, Maryland vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearMaryland $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$13.51$26.11$17.19—
2000$17.18$32.12$17.921,550
2001$17.24$31.34$18.721,360
2002$17.16$30.71$19.55930
2003$19.33$33.82$19.58690
2004$20.13$34.31$20.40910
2005$21.63$35.66$19.511,480
2006$24.64$39.35$19.461,210
2007$24.57$38.15$20.261,250
2008$25.88$38.70$20.68950
2009$18.09$27.15$21.40810
2010$21.03$31.05$21.42760
2011$19.54$27.97$21.97910
2012$22.47$31.51$22.18860
2013$21.80$30.13$22.36890
2014$21.19$28.82$23.171,270
2015$22.42$30.45$24.281,090
2016$23.39$31.38$24.91910
2017$23.71$31.14$25.30630
2018$23.30$29.87$25.95900
2019$22.46$28.28$26.461,310
2020$24.42$30.38$26.361,570
2021$25.79$30.64$28.151,650
2022$28.23$31.06$29.091,660
2023$31.52$33.30$30.171,240
2024$32.55$33.41$30.14890
2025$34.49$34.49$30.18710

In today's dollars, the median ironworker wage in Maryland changed by +13.3% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for ironworkers in Maryland

On federally funded construction in Maryland, contractors must pay ironworkers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 24 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $62.94). The market median for the state is $34.49.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, MDAllegany: $56.40 (survey)Anne Arundel: $64.08 (survey)Baltimore: $68.54 (survey)Calvert: $64.08 (survey)Caroline: $26.52 (survey)Carroll: $64.73 (survey)Cecil: $26.52 (survey)Charles: $64.08 (survey)Dorchester: $34.64 (survey)Frederick: $66.44 (survey)Garrett: $56.40 (survey)Harford: $64.73 (survey)Howard: $66.44 (survey)Kent: $61.79 (survey)Montgomery: $66.44 (survey)Prince George's: $66.44 (survey)Queen Anne's: $26.52 (survey)St. Mary's: $66.44 (survey)Somerset: $34.64 (survey)Talbot: $26.52 (survey)Washington: $56.40 (survey)Wicomico: $34.64 (survey)Worcester: $34.64 (survey)Baltimore: $64.08 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$34.64$56.40$64.08$66.44survey 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 (survey)$20$40$60$80/hrBaltimore (Baltimore): market median $34.23, prevailing (survey) $68.54, gap +$34.31Baltimore (Baltimore)+$34.31Frederick (Washington DC): market median $32.85, prevailing (survey) $66.44, gap +$33.59Frederick (Washington DC)+$33.59St. Mary's (Maryland): market median $34.49, prevailing (survey) $66.44, gap +$31.95St. Mary's (Maryland)+$31.95Cecil (Philadelphia): market median $49.68, prevailing (survey) $26.52, gap −$23.16Cecil (Philadelphia)−$23.16
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for ironworkers, metro counties in Maryland.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
Baltimorestate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$39.01$29.53$68.54MD20260108
Frederickstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$39.30$27.14$66.44MD20260115
Howardstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$39.30$27.14$66.44MD20260118
Montgomerystate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$39.30$27.14$66.44MD20260120
Prince George'sstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$39.30$27.14$66.44MD20260121
St. Mary'sstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$39.30$27.14$66.44MD20260124
Carrollstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$37.60$27.13$64.73MD20260111
Harfordstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$37.60$27.13$64.73MD20260117
Anne Arundelstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$37.86$26.22$64.08MD20260082
Calvertstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$37.86$26.22$64.08MD20260109
Charlesstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$37.86$26.22$64.08MD20260113
Baltimorestate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$37.86$26.22$64.08MD20260107
Kentstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$35.58$26.21$61.79MD20260119
Alleganystate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$31.65$24.75$56.40MD20260081
Garrettstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$31.65$24.75$56.40MD20260116

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

Is construction work growing in Maryland?

165.8kConstruction jobsMaryland, 2026-08
-1.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026100k150k200k250k19901995200020052010201520202025166kAug 2026
Construction employment in Maryland (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Ironworker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Maryland

Questions this page answers

How much do ironworkers make in Maryland?

The median ironworker in Maryland earned $34.49 an hour ($71,730 a year) in May 2025, 14% above the national median of $30.18. The middle half earn $28.71–$37.82; the top 10% earn more than $39.50.

Where does Maryland rank for ironworker pay?

Maryland ranks 20th of 50 states for ironworker pay, with a median of $34.49 an hour, and 25th after adjusting for Maryland's cost of living (BEA price parity 105.0, US = 100).

What is the union ironworker rate in Maryland?

Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a ironworker classification for most Maryland counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.

How many ironworkers work in Maryland?

BLS counted 710 structural iron and steel workers in Maryland in May 2025, 0.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.59; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

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