Skilled Wages

Ironworker salary in Nebraska

Median $31.48 an hour for 610 ironworkers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$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 2026-11-06

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 ironworkers: 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 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$23.15 – $25.99$48,160 – $54,070roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$25.99 – $35.99$54,070 – $74,860the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$35.99 – $38.00$74,860 – $79,040the 75th to 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 ironworkers by metro area in Nebraska, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Omaha$25.30$35.79$38.94$38.0938014% above
Lincoln$22.52$27.84$30.39$34.5513012% below

Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).

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 ironworkers, 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 and by +23.4% since 2019.

Are there more ironworker jobs in Nebraska?

0.6Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.4× the US share, 13th of 49 states

BLS counted 610 ironworkers in Nebraska in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 22%. 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 Nebraska

+8.3%Projected growth in Nebraska2024–2034, state agency
50Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
540Jobs in 2024590 projected for 2034
+3.1%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Nebraska's labor market agency projects the number of ironworkers in the state to change by +8.3% between 2024 and 2034, from 540 to 590, with about 50 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.1% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed and use a different base year, so they do not match the 610 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

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 2026-11-06. 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?

70.4kConstruction jobsNebraska, 2026-09
+7.5%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-20260k20k40k60k80k1990199520002005201020152020202570kSep 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

More on 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 ironworkers in Nebraska in May 2025, 0.6 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.36; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is ironworker work growing in Nebraska?

Nebraska's labor market agency projects +8.3% growth for ironworkers between 2024 and 2034, from 540 to 590 jobs.

How many ironworker openings a year are there in Nebraska?

Nebraska projects about 50 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, Nebraska 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: Nebraska labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.