Skilled Wages

Ironworker salary in Nebraska

Median $31.48 an hour for 610 structural iron and steel workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$31.48/hrMedian hourly wageNebraska, May data
$65,470/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$23.15 – $38.0010th to 90th percentilehourly range
610Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Ironworker pay in Nebraska: the full range

Wage percentiles, NebraskaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrNebraska: 10th $23.15 · 25th $25.99 · median $31.48 · 75th $35.99 · 90th $38.00Nebraska$31.48$23.15$38.00United 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: Nebraska vs United States, May 2025.

Nebraska ranks 24th of 50 states for median ironworker pay, and 21st once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $34.94). 610 structural iron and steel workers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$23.15 – $25.99$48,160 – $54,070roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$25.99 – $35.99$54,070 – $74,860the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$35.99 – $38.00$74,860 – $79,040the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Ironworker pay by metro in Nebraska

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrOmaha: $35.79Omaha$35.79Lincoln: $27.84Lincoln$27.84
Median hourly wage for structural iron and steel workers by metro area in Nebraska, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Omaha$25.30$35.79$38.0938014% above
Lincoln$22.52$27.84$34.5513012% below

Ironworker wages in Nebraska over time

Nebraska, 1999-2025NebraskaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$31.48Nebraska$30.18United States
Median hourly wage for structural iron and steel workers, Nebraska vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearNebraska $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$15.53$30.01$17.19880
2000$19.34$36.16$17.92620
2001$19.43$35.32$18.72500
2002$18.89$33.80$19.55710
2003$16.05$28.08$19.58540
2004$18.13$30.90$20.40470
2005$14.30$23.57$19.51670
2006$18.26$29.16$19.46690
2007$19.36$30.06$20.26710
2008$20.45$30.58$20.68750
2009$16.91$25.38$21.40720
2010$16.72$24.69$21.42730
2011$16.51$23.63$21.97760
2012$20.38$28.58$22.18560
2013$17.86$24.68$22.36690
2014$18.18$24.72$23.17810
2015$19.86$26.98$24.28930
2016$18.38$24.65$24.911,020
2017$19.69$25.86$25.30920
2018$17.99$23.06$25.951,330
2019$20.25$25.50$26.461,420
2020$20.76$25.82$26.361,690
2021$22.87$27.17$28.15990
2022$23.34$25.68$29.091,210
2023$30.12$31.82$30.17920
2024$29.81$30.59$30.14540
2025$31.48$31.48$30.18610

In today's dollars, the median ironworker wage in Nebraska changed by +16.7% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for ironworkers in Nebraska

On federally funded construction in Nebraska, contractors must pay ironworkers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 80 of the 93 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $61.30 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $27.46). 13 of the 93 counties still use a survey rate dated 2012 or earlier (for example Butler County at $27.46). The market median for the state is $31.48.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, NEAdams: $61.30 (union)Antelope: $61.30 (union)Arthur: $61.30 (union)Banner: $61.30 (union)Blaine: $61.30 (union)Boone: $61.30 (union)Box Butte: $61.30 (union)Boyd: $61.30 (union)Brown: $61.30 (union)Buffalo: $61.30 (union)Burt: $61.30 (union)Butler: $27.46 (survey)Cass: $61.30 (union)Cedar: $61.30 (union)Chase: $61.30 (union)Cherry: $51.42 (union)Cheyenne: $61.30 (union)Clay: $61.30 (union)Colfax: $61.30 (union)Cuming: $61.30 (union)Custer: $61.30 (union)Dakota: $51.42 (union)Dawes: $61.30 (union)Dawson: $61.30 (union)Deuel: $61.30 (union)Dixon: $51.42 (union)Dodge: $61.30 (union)Douglas: $61.30 (union)Dundy: $61.30 (union)Fillmore: $27.46 (survey)Franklin: $61.30 (union)Frontier: $61.30 (union)Furnas: $61.30 (union)Gage: $27.46 (survey)Garden: $61.30 (union)Garfield: $61.30 (union)Gosper: $61.30 (union)Grant: $61.30 (union)Greeley: $61.30 (union)Hall: $61.30 (union)Hamilton: $61.30 (union)Harlan: $61.30 (union)Hayes: $61.30 (union)Hitchcock: $61.30 (union)Holt: $61.30 (union)Hooker: $61.30 (union)Howard: $61.30 (union)Jefferson: $27.46 (survey)Johnson: $27.46 (survey)Kearney: $61.30 (union)Keith: $61.30 (union)Keya Paha: $61.30 (union)Kimball: $61.30 (union)Knox: $51.42 (union)Lancaster: $61.30 (union)Lincoln: $61.30 (union)Logan: $61.30 (union)Loup: $61.30 (union)McPherson: $61.30 (union)Madison: $51.42 (union)Merrick: $61.30 (union)Morrill: $61.30 (union)Nance: $61.30 (union)Nemaha: $27.46 (survey)Nuckolls: $61.30 (union)Otoe: $27.46 (survey)Pawnee: $27.46 (survey)Perkins: $61.30 (union)Phelps: $61.30 (union)Pierce: $51.42 (union)Platte: $61.30 (union)Polk: $27.46 (survey)Red Willow: $61.30 (union)Richardson: $27.46 (survey)Rock: $61.30 (union)Saline: $27.46 (survey)Sarpy: $61.30 (union)Saunders: $61.30 (union)Scotts Bluff: $61.30 (union)Seward: $61.30 (union)Sheridan: $61.30 (union)Sherman: $61.30 (union)Sioux: $61.30 (union)Stanton: $61.30 (union)Thayer: $27.46 (survey)Thomas: $51.42 (union)Thurston: $51.42 (union)Valley: $61.30 (union)Washington: $61.30 (union)Wayne: $61.30 (union)Webster: $61.30 (union)Wheeler: $61.30 (union)York: $27.46 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$51.42survey 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)$20$30$40$50$60$70/hrLancaster (Lincoln): market median $27.84, prevailing (union) $61.30, gap +$33.46Lancaster (Lincoln)+$33.46Hall (Nebraska): market median $31.48, prevailing (union) $61.30, gap +$29.82Hall (Nebraska)+$29.82Cass (Omaha): market median $35.79, prevailing (union) $61.30, gap +$25.51Cass (Omaha)+$25.51
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for ironworkers, metro counties in Nebraska.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AdamsUnion IRON0021-001 2025-06-01$39.00$22.30$61.30NE20260064
AntelopeUnion IRON0021-010 2025-06-01$39.00$22.30$61.30NE20260078
ArthurUnion IRON0021-008 2025-06-01$39.00$22.30$61.30NE20260079
BannerUnion IRON0021-008 2025-06-01$39.00$22.30$61.30NE20260079
BlaineUnion IRON0021-006 2025-06-01$39.00$22.30$61.30NE20260080
BooneUnion IRON0021-001 2025-06-01$39.00$22.30$61.30NE20260065
Box ButteUnion IRON0021-008 2025-06-01$39.00$22.30$61.30NE20260079
BoydUnion IRON0021-010 2025-06-01$39.00$22.30$61.30NE20260078
BrownUnion IRON0021-010 2025-06-01$39.00$22.30$61.30NE20260078
BuffaloUnion IRON0021-001 2025-06-01$39.00$22.30$61.30NE20260066
BurtUnion IRON0021-010 2025-06-01$39.00$22.30$61.30NE20260078
CassUnion IRON0021-002 2025-06-01$39.00$22.30$61.30NE20260056
CedarUnion IRON0021-010 2025-06-01$39.00$22.30$61.30NE20260078
ChaseUnion IRON0021-008 2025-06-01$39.00$22.30$61.30NE20260079
CheyenneUnion IRON0021-004 2025-06-01$39.00$22.30$61.30NE20260082

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

Is construction work growing in Nebraska?

71.2kConstruction jobsNebraska, 2026-08
+6.6%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-20260k20k40k60k80k1990199520002005201020152020202571kAug 2026
Construction employment in Nebraska (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Ironworker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Nebraska

Questions this page answers

How much do ironworkers make in Nebraska?

The median ironworker in Nebraska earned $31.48 an hour ($65,470 a year) in May 2025, 4% above the national median of $30.18. The middle half earn $25.99–$35.99; the top 10% earn more than $38.00.

Where does Nebraska rank for ironworker pay?

Nebraska ranks 24th of 50 states for ironworker pay, with a median of $31.48 an hour, and 21st after adjusting for Nebraska's cost of living (BEA price parity 90.1, US = 100).

What is the union ironworker rate in Nebraska?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for ironworkers in 80 counties, with a typical package of $61.30 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many ironworkers work in Nebraska?

BLS counted 610 structural iron and steel workers in Nebraska in May 2025, 0.6 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.36; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

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