Skilled Wages

Ironworker salary in Montana

Median $32.40 an hour for 130 ironworkers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 2004 and the state's own outlook.

$32.40/hrMedian hourly wageMontana, May data
$67,390/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$23.02 – $36.3910th to 90th percentilehourly range
130Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-06

Ironworker pay in Montana: the full range

Wage percentiles, MontanaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrMontana: 10th $23.02 · 25th $24.80 · median $32.40 · 75th $36.09 · 90th $36.39Montana$32.40$23.02$36.39United States: 10th $21.43 · 25th $23.98 · median $30.18 · 75th $39.74 · 90th $52.05United States$30.18
Hourly wage percentiles for ironworkers: Montana vs United States, May 2025.

Montana ranks 23rd of 50 states for median ironworker pay, and 22nd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $34.25). 130 ironworkers work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.6× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$23.02 – $24.80$47,880 – $51,580roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$24.80 – $36.09$51,580 – $75,070the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$36.09 – $36.39$75,070 – $75,690the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Ironworker pay by metro in Montana

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrBillings: $33.19Billings$33.19
Median hourly wage for ironworkers by metro area in Montana, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Billings$23.02$33.19$36.39602% above

Ironworker wages in Montana over time

Montana, 2004-2025MontanaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$4020052010201520202025$32.40Montana$30.18United States
Median hourly wage for ironworkers, Montana vs United States, 2004–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearMontana $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
2004$30.59$52.13$20.40170
2005$18.64$30.73$19.51100
2006$19.01$30.36$19.46—
2007$19.68$30.56$20.26120
2008$14.76$22.07$20.68140
2009$16.30$24.46$21.40110
2010$17.76$26.22$21.42120
2012$32.68$45.82$22.18—
2013$25.79$35.64$22.36—
2014$26.26$35.71$23.17210
2015$26.54$36.05$24.28—
2016$25.12$33.70$24.91170
2017$24.89$32.69$25.30130
2018$24.01$30.78$25.95200
2019$26.78$33.72$26.46140
2020$26.75$33.28$26.36180
2021$28.66$34.05$28.15120
2022$28.22$31.04$29.09190
2023$30.08$31.78$30.17230
2024$26.99$27.70$30.14150
2025$32.40$32.40$30.18130

In today's dollars, the median ironworker wage in Montana changed by -10.1% over the last ten years of data and by -3.9% since 2019.

Are there more ironworker jobs in Montana?

0.2Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.6× the US share, 40th of 49 states

BLS counted 130 ironworkers in Montana in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 19%. 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 Montana

+8.3%Projected growth in Montana2024–2034, state agency
10Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
160Jobs in 2024170 projected for 2034
+3.1%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Montana's labor market agency projects the number of ironworkers in the state to change by +8.3% between 2024 and 2034, from 160 to 170, with about 10 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.1% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 130 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for ironworkers in Montana

On federally funded construction in Montana, contractors must pay ironworkers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 38 of the 56 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $62.13 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $33.21). 18 of the 56 counties still use a survey rate dated 2011 or earlier (for example Big Horn County at $33.21). The market median for the state is $32.40.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, MTBeaverhead: $61.14 (union)Big Horn: $33.21 (survey)Blaine: $62.13 (union)Broadwater: $62.13 (union)Carbon: $62.13 (union)Carter: $33.21 (survey)Cascade: $62.13 (union)Chouteau: $62.13 (union)Custer: $33.21 (survey)Daniels: $33.21 (survey)Dawson: $33.21 (survey)Deer Lodge: $62.13 (union)Fallon: $33.21 (survey)Fergus: $62.13 (union)Flathead: $61.14 (union)Gallatin: $62.13 (union)Garfield: $33.21 (survey)Glacier: $61.14 (union)Golden Valley: $62.13 (union)Granite: $62.13 (union)Hill: $62.13 (union)Jefferson: $62.13 (union)Judith Basin: $62.13 (union)Lake: $61.14 (union)Lewis and Clark: $62.13 (union)Liberty: $62.13 (union)Lincoln: $61.14 (union)McCone: $33.21 (survey)Madison: $62.13 (union)Meagher: $62.13 (union)Mineral: $61.14 (union)Missoula: $61.14 (union)Musselshell: $62.13 (union)Park: $62.13 (union)Petroleum: $62.13 (union)Phillips: $33.21 (survey)Pondera: $62.13 (union)Powder River: $33.21 (survey)Powell: $62.13 (union)Prairie: $33.21 (survey)Ravalli: $61.14 (union)Richland: $33.21 (survey)Roosevelt: $33.21 (survey)Rosebud: $33.21 (survey)Sanders: $61.14 (union)Sheridan: $33.21 (survey)Silver Bow: $62.13 (union)Stillwater: $62.13 (union)Sweet Grass: $62.13 (union)Teton: $62.13 (union)Toole: $62.13 (union)Treasure: $33.21 (survey)Valley: $33.21 (survey)Wheatland: $62.13 (union)Wibaux: $33.21 (survey)Yellowstone: $62.13 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$61.14survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for ironworkers by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BlaineUnion IRON0732-013 2024-06-01$36.83$25.30$62.13MT20260026
BroadwaterUnion IRON0732-013 2024-06-01$36.83$25.30$62.13MT20260027
CarbonUnion IRON0732-015 2024-06-01$36.83$25.30$62.13MT20260061
CascadeUnion IRON0732-015 2024-06-01$36.83$25.30$62.13MT20260062
ChouteauUnion IRON0732-013 2024-06-01$36.83$25.30$62.13MT20260058
Deer LodgeUnion IRON0732-013 2024-06-01$36.83$25.30$62.13MT20260030
FergusUnion IRON0732-013 2024-06-01$36.83$25.30$62.13MT20260031
GallatinUnion IRON0732-013 2024-06-01$36.83$25.30$62.13MT20260033
Golden ValleyUnion IRON0732-013 2024-06-01$36.83$25.30$62.13MT20260035
GraniteUnion IRON0732-013 2024-06-01$36.83$25.30$62.13MT20260036
HillUnion IRON0732-013 2024-06-01$36.83$25.30$62.13MT20260037
JeffersonUnion IRON0732-013 2024-06-01$36.83$25.30$62.13MT20260038
Judith BasinUnion IRON0732-013 2024-06-01$36.83$25.30$62.13MT20260058
Lewis and ClarkUnion IRON0732-013 2024-06-01$36.83$25.30$62.13MT20260040
LibertyUnion IRON0732-013 2024-06-01$36.83$25.30$62.13MT20260058

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Montana prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Montana?

38.7kConstruction jobsMontana, 2026-09
+0.5%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-20260k10k20k30k40k50k1990199520002005201020152020202539kSep 2026
Construction employment in Montana (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Ironworker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Montana

More on Montana

Questions this page answers

How much do ironworkers make in Montana?

The median ironworker in Montana earned $32.40 an hour ($67,390 a year) in May 2025, 7% above the national median of $30.18. The middle half earn $24.80–$36.09; the top 10% earn more than $36.39.

Where does Montana rank for ironworker pay?

Montana ranks 23rd of 50 states for ironworker pay, with a median of $32.40 an hour, and 22nd after adjusting for Montana's cost of living (BEA price parity 94.6, US = 100).

What is the union ironworker rate in Montana?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for ironworkers in 38 counties, with a typical package of $62.13 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many ironworkers work in Montana?

BLS counted 130 ironworkers in Montana in May 2025, 0.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.57; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is ironworker work growing in Montana?

Montana's labor market agency projects +8.3% growth for ironworkers between 2024 and 2034, from 160 to 170 jobs.

How many ironworker openings a year are there in Montana?

Montana projects about 10 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, Montana 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 2026-11-06. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: Montana labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.