Skilled Wages

Ironworker salary in New Jersey

Median $54.43 an hour for 1,060 structural iron and steel workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$54.43/hrMedian hourly wageNew Jersey, May data
$113,220/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$45.19 – $62.8410th to 90th percentilehourly range
1,060Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Ironworker pay in New Jersey: the full range

Wage percentiles, New JerseyMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60$80/hrNew Jersey: 10th $45.19 · 25th $50.20 · median $54.43 · 75th $59.93 · 90th $62.84New Jersey$54.43$45.19$62.84United 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: New Jersey vs United States, May 2025.

New Jersey ranks 2nd of 50 states for median ironworker pay, and 2nd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $50.03). 1,060 structural iron and steel workers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$45.19 – $50.20$94,000 – $104,410roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$50.20 – $59.93$104,410 – $124,640the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$59.93 – $62.84$124,640 – $130,710the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Ironworker pay by metro in New Jersey

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrTrenton: $55.94Trenton$55.94Atlantic City: $55.08Atlantic City$55.08Vineland: $50.66Vineland$50.66Philadelphia: $49.68Philadelphia$49.68New York City: $49.07New York City$49.07Allentown: $40.21Allentown$40.21
Median hourly wage for structural iron and steel workers by metro area in New Jersey, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Trenton$48.00$55.94$58.69703% above
Atlantic City$43.50$55.08$64.03301% above
Vineland$40.71$50.66$56.43407% below
Philadelphia$25.36$49.68$58.388009% below
New York City$30.54$49.07$62.812,30010% below
Allentown$34.66$40.21$52.7715026% below

Ironworker wages in New Jersey over time

New Jersey, 1999-2025New JerseyUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$0$20$40$60200020052010201520202025$54.43New Jersey$30.18United States
Median hourly wage for structural iron and steel workers, New Jersey vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearNew Jersey $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$29.88$57.74$17.192,220
2000$28.76$53.77$17.921,530
2001$30.23$54.95$18.721,890
2002$30.52$54.62$19.551,960
2003$30.69$53.70$19.581,530
2004$31.07$52.95$20.401,720
2005$30.94$51.00$19.511,230
2006$31.21$49.84$19.461,190
2007$27.24$42.30$20.261,230
2008$32.46$48.54$20.681,170
2009$34.10$51.17$21.401,210
2010$37.13$54.82$21.421,620
2011$34.81$49.82$21.971,820
2012$38.15$53.49$22.181,780
2013$38.46$53.15$22.361,070
2014$42.86$58.29$23.171,160
2015$44.07$59.86$24.281,160
2016$44.09$59.14$24.911,100
2017$41.98$55.14$25.301,300
2018$43.54$55.82$25.951,480
2019$44.01$55.42$26.461,590
2020$45.36$56.42$26.361,430
2021$47.61$56.57$28.151,570
2022$48.68$53.55$29.091,260
2023$50.36$53.21$30.17920
2024$53.75$55.16$30.141,250
2025$54.43$54.43$30.181,060

In today's dollars, the median ironworker wage in New Jersey changed by -9.1% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for ironworkers in New Jersey

On federally funded construction in New Jersey, contractors must pay ironworkers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 21 of the 21 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $102.56 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $54.43.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, NJAtlantic: $92.64 (union)Bergen: $102.56 (union)Burlington: $92.64 (union)Camden: $94.64 (union)Cape May: $92.64 (union)Cumberland: $92.64 (union)Essex: $102.56 (union)Gloucester: $94.64 (union)Hudson: $102.56 (union)Hunterdon: $102.56 (union)Mercer: $94.64 (union)Middlesex: $102.56 (union)Monmouth: $102.56 (union)Morris: $102.56 (union)Ocean: $102.56 (union)Passaic: $102.56 (union)Salem: $94.64 (union)Somerset: $102.56 (union)Sussex: $102.56 (union)Union: $102.56 (union)Warren: $100.11 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$94.64$100.11
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$40$60$80$100$120/hrWarren (Allentown): market median $40.21, prevailing (union) $100.11, gap +$59.90Warren (Allentown)+$59.90Bergen (New York City): market median $49.07, prevailing (union) $102.56, gap +$53.49Bergen (New York City)+$53.49Camden (Philadelphia): market median $49.68, prevailing (union) $94.64, gap +$44.96Camden (Philadelphia)+$44.96Cumberland (Vineland): market median $50.66, prevailing (union) $92.64, gap +$41.98Cumberland (Vineland)+$41.98Mercer (Trenton): market median $55.94, prevailing (union) $94.64, gap +$38.70Mercer (Trenton)+$38.70Atlantic (Atlantic City): market median $55.08, prevailing (union) $92.64, gap +$37.56Atlantic (Atlantic City)+$37.56
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for ironworkers, metro counties in New Jersey.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BergenUnion IRON0011-012 2025-07-01$52.24$50.32$102.56NJ20260026
EssexUnion IRON0011-012 2025-07-01$52.24$50.32$102.56NJ20260031
HudsonUnion IRON0011-012 2025-07-01$52.24$50.32$102.56NJ20260033
HunterdonUnion IRON0011-009 2025-07-01$52.24$50.32$102.56NJ20260034
MiddlesexUnion IRON0011-011 2025-07-01$52.24$50.32$102.56NJ20260036
MonmouthUnion IRON0011-007 2025-07-01$52.24$50.32$102.56NJ20260037
MorrisUnion IRON0011-012 2025-07-01$52.24$50.32$102.56NJ20260038
OceanUnion IRON0011-008 2025-07-01$52.24$50.32$102.56NJ20260039
PassaicUnion IRON0011-012 2025-07-01$52.24$50.32$102.56NJ20260040
SomersetUnion IRON0011-010 2025-07-01$52.24$50.32$102.56NJ20260042
SussexUnion IRON0011-012 2025-07-01$52.24$50.32$102.56NJ20260043
UnionUnion IRON0011-012 2025-07-01$52.24$50.32$102.56NJ20260044
WarrenUnion IRON0011-016 2024-07-01$50.74$49.37$100.11NJ20260045
CamdenUnion IRON0399-007 2025-07-01$54.24$40.40$94.64NJ20260028
GloucesterUnion IRON0399-007 2025-07-01$54.24$40.40$94.64NJ20260032

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

Is construction work growing in New Jersey?

167.4kConstruction jobsNew Jersey, 2026-08
-2.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025167kAug 2026
Construction employment in New Jersey (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Ironworker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in New Jersey

Questions this page answers

How much do ironworkers make in New Jersey?

The median ironworker in New Jersey earned $54.43 an hour ($113,220 a year) in May 2025, 80% above the national median of $30.18. The middle half earn $50.20–$59.93; the top 10% earn more than $62.84.

Where does New Jersey rank for ironworker pay?

New Jersey ranks 2nd of 50 states for ironworker pay, with a median of $54.43 an hour, and 2nd after adjusting for New Jersey's cost of living (BEA price parity 108.8, US = 100).

What is the union ironworker rate in New Jersey?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for ironworkers in 21 counties, with a typical package of $102.56 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many ironworkers work in New Jersey?

BLS counted 1,060 structural iron and steel workers in New Jersey in May 2025, 0.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.56; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, New Jersey 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.