Skilled Wages

Ironworker salary in Minnesota

Median $45.83 an hour for 910 structural iron and steel workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$45.83/hrMedian hourly wageMinnesota, May data
$95,320/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$38.47 – $47.6010th to 90th percentilehourly range
910Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Ironworker pay in Minnesota: the full range

Wage percentiles, MinnesotaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrMinnesota: 10th $38.47 · 25th $43.14 · median $45.83 · 75th $47.19 · 90th $47.60Minnesota$45.83$38.47$47.60United 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: Minnesota vs United States, May 2025.

Minnesota ranks 8th of 50 states for median ironworker pay, and 6th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $46.48). 910 structural iron and steel workers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$38.47 – $43.14$80,030 – $89,720roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$43.14 – $47.19$89,720 – $98,160the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$47.19 – $47.60$98,160 – $99,010the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Ironworker pay by metro in Minnesota

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrLa Crosse: $48.16La Crosse$48.16Minneapolis: $47.03Minneapolis$47.03Fargo: $40.00Fargo$40.00Sioux Falls: $28.46Sioux Falls$28.46
Median hourly wage for structural iron and steel workers by metro area in Minnesota, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
La Crosse$42.00$48.16$48.16405% above
Minneapolis$39.32$47.03$47.677503% above
Fargo$27.60$40.00$43.7417013% below
Sioux Falls$22.67$28.46$36.6020038% below

Ironworker wages in Minnesota over time

Minnesota, 1999-2025MinnesotaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40$50200020052010201520202025$45.83Minnesota$30.18United States
Median hourly wage for structural iron and steel workers, Minnesota vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearMinnesota $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$24.65$47.63$17.19130
2000$24.50$45.80$17.92870
2001$27.74$50.43$18.72960
2002$28.55$51.09$19.551,160
2003$30.02$52.53$19.581,580
2004$31.31$53.36$20.401,580
2005$30.44$50.18$19.51—
2006$29.13$46.52$19.46780
2007$27.84$43.23$20.26650
2008$30.36$45.40$20.681,000
2009$30.40$45.62$21.40960
2010$26.19$38.67$21.42750
2011$22.75$32.56$21.97610
2012$26.84$37.64$22.18560
2013$21.10$29.16$22.36680
2014$30.74$41.80$23.17720
2015$32.94$44.74$24.281,300
2016$34.51$46.29$24.911,470
2017$34.89$45.82$25.301,360
2018$33.27$42.66$25.95790
2019$29.16$36.72$26.46830
2020$28.49$35.44$26.361,050
2021$39.07$46.42$28.15570
2022$37.67$41.44$29.09990
2023$36.44$38.50$30.17520
2024$44.83$46.01$30.14850
2025$45.83$45.83$30.18910

In today's dollars, the median ironworker wage in Minnesota changed by +2.4% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for ironworkers in Minnesota

On federally funded construction in Minnesota, contractors must pay ironworkers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 87 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $87.36). The market median for the state is $45.83.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, MNAitkin: $84.57 (survey)Anoka: $85.61 (survey)Becker: $84.57 (survey)Beltrami: $84.57 (survey)Benton: $87.36 (survey)Big Stone: $87.36 (survey)Blue Earth: $87.36 (survey)Brown: $87.36 (survey)Carlton: $84.57 (survey)Carver: $87.36 (survey)Cass: $84.57 (survey)Chippewa: $87.36 (survey)Chisago: $87.36 (survey)Clay: $84.57 (survey)Clearwater: $84.57 (survey)Cook: $84.57 (survey)Cottonwood: $87.36 (survey)Crow Wing: $84.57 (survey)Dakota: $87.36 (survey)Dodge: $87.36 (survey)Douglas: $87.36 (survey)Faribault: $87.36 (survey)Fillmore: $87.36 (survey)Freeborn: $87.36 (survey)Goodhue: $87.36 (survey)Grant: $87.36 (survey)Hennepin: $87.36 (survey)Houston: $87.36 (survey)Hubbard: $84.57 (survey)Isanti: $87.36 (survey)Itasca: $84.57 (survey)Jackson: $87.36 (survey)Kanabec: $87.36 (survey)Kandiyohi: $87.36 (survey)Kittson: $84.57 (survey)Koochiching: $84.57 (survey)Lac qui Parle: $87.36 (survey)Lake: $84.57 (survey)Lake of the Woods: $84.57 (survey)Le Sueur: $87.36 (survey)Lincoln: $87.36 (survey)Lyon: $87.36 (survey)McLeod: $87.36 (survey)Mahnomen: $84.57 (survey)Marshall: $84.57 (survey)Martin: $87.36 (survey)Meeker: $87.36 (survey)Mille Lacs: $87.36 (survey)Morrison: $87.36 (survey)Mower: $87.36 (survey)Murray: $87.36 (survey)Nicollet: $87.36 (survey)Nobles: $87.36 (survey)Norman: $84.57 (survey)Olmsted: $87.36 (survey)Otter Tail: $87.36 (survey)Pennington: $84.57 (survey)Pine: $84.57 (survey)Pipestone: $87.36 (survey)Polk: $84.57 (survey)Pope: $87.36 (survey)Ramsey: $87.36 (survey)Red Lake: $76.87 (survey)Redwood: $87.36 (survey)Renville: $87.36 (survey)Rice: $87.36 (survey)Rock: $87.36 (survey)Roseau: $84.57 (survey)St. Louis: $84.57 (survey)Scott: $87.36 (survey)Sherburne: $87.36 (survey)Sibley: $87.36 (survey)Stearns: $87.36 (survey)Steele: $87.36 (survey)Stevens: $87.36 (survey)Swift: $87.36 (survey)Todd: $87.36 (survey)Traverse: $32.77 (survey)Wabasha: $87.36 (survey)Wadena: $87.36 (survey)Waseca: $87.36 (survey)Washington: $87.36 (survey)Watonwan: $87.36 (survey)Wilkin: $84.57 (survey)Winona: $87.36 (survey)Wright: $87.36 (survey)Yellow Medicine: $87.36 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$84.57survey 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$100/hrRock (Sioux Falls): market median $28.46, prevailing (survey) $87.36, gap +$58.90Rock (Sioux Falls)+$58.90Clay (Fargo): market median $40.00, prevailing (survey) $84.57, gap +$44.57Clay (Fargo)+$44.57Benton (Minnesota): market median $45.83, prevailing (survey) $87.36, gap +$41.53Benton (Minnesota)+$41.53Carver (Minneapolis): market median $47.03, prevailing (survey) $87.36, gap +$40.33Carver (Minneapolis)+$40.33Houston (La Crosse): market median $48.16, prevailing (survey) $87.36, gap +$39.20Houston (La Crosse)+$39.20
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for ironworkers, metro counties in Minnesota.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
Bentonstate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$49.50$37.86$87.36MN20260031
Big Stonestate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$49.50$37.86$87.36MN20260032
Blue Earthstate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$49.50$37.86$87.36MN20260033
Brownstate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$49.50$37.86$87.36MN20260034
Carverstate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$49.50$37.86$87.36MN20260036
Chippewastate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$49.50$37.86$87.36MN20260038
Chisagostate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$49.50$37.86$87.36MN20260039
Cottonwoodstate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$49.50$37.86$87.36MN20260043
Dakotastate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$49.50$37.86$87.36MN20260045
Dodgestate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$49.50$37.86$87.36MN20260046
Douglasstate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$49.50$37.86$87.36MN20260047
Faribaultstate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$49.50$37.86$87.36MN20260048
Fillmorestate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$49.50$37.86$87.36MN20260049
Freebornstate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$49.50$37.86$87.36MN20260050
Goodhuestate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$49.50$37.86$87.36MN20260051

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

Is construction work growing in Minnesota?

164.2kConstruction jobsMinnesota, 2026-08
+4.9%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-20260k50k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025164kAug 2026
Construction employment in Minnesota (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Ironworker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Minnesota

Questions this page answers

How much do ironworkers make in Minnesota?

The median ironworker in Minnesota earned $45.83 an hour ($95,320 a year) in May 2025, 52% above the national median of $30.18. The middle half earn $43.14–$47.19; the top 10% earn more than $47.60.

Where does Minnesota rank for ironworker pay?

Minnesota ranks 8th of 50 states for ironworker pay, with a median of $45.83 an hour, and 6th after adjusting for Minnesota's cost of living (BEA price parity 98.6, US = 100).

What is the union ironworker rate in Minnesota?

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

How many ironworkers work in Minnesota?

BLS counted 910 structural iron and steel workers in Minnesota in May 2025, 0.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.70; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

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