Skilled Wages

Ironworker salary in New York

Median $44.52 an hour for 2,700 structural iron and steel workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$44.52/hrMedian hourly wageNew York, May data
$92,610/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$28.44 – $62.1010th to 90th percentilehourly range
2,700Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Ironworker pay in New York: the full range

Wage percentiles, New YorkMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60$80/hrNew York: 10th $28.44 · 25th $36.39 · median $44.52 · 75th $54.45 · 90th $62.10New York$44.52$28.44$62.10United 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 York vs United States, May 2025.

New York ranks 10th of 50 states for median ironworker pay, and 12th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $41.26). 2,700 structural iron and steel workers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$28.44 – $36.39$59,140 – $75,690roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$36.39 – $54.45$75,690 – $113,260the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$54.45 – $62.10$113,260 – $129,180the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Ironworker pay by metro in New York

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrNew York City: $49.07New York City$49.07Poughkeepsie: $46.71Poughkeepsie$46.71Albany: $37.07Albany$37.07Buffalo: $36.74Buffalo$36.74Rochester: $36.64Rochester$36.64Syracuse: $34.53Syracuse$34.53
Median hourly wage for structural iron and steel workers by metro area in New York, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
New York City$30.54$49.07$62.812,30010% above
Poughkeepsie$31.25$46.71$59.691505% above
Albany$25.17$37.07$46.9915017% below
Buffalo$23.08$36.74$52.0921017% below
Rochester$24.43$36.64$51.7311018% below
Syracuse$21.88$34.53$44.678022% below

Ironworker wages in New York over time

New York, 1999-2025New YorkUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40$50$60200020052010201520202025$44.52New York$30.18United States
Median hourly wage for structural iron and steel workers, New York vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearNew York $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$28.49$55.05$17.196,150
2000$30.78$57.55$17.925,720
2001$32.32$58.75$18.724,450
2002$33.48$59.91$19.554,160
2003$34.48$60.33$19.583,860
2004$35.99$61.34$20.404,150
2005$33.28$54.86$19.513,810
2006$34.63$55.30$19.464,490
2007$34.79$54.02$20.264,040
2008$33.61$50.26$20.685,490
2009$36.11$54.19$21.405,250
2010$36.89$54.47$21.424,510
2011$38.81$55.55$21.974,230
2012$38.64$54.18$22.184,080
2013$38.62$53.37$22.364,190
2014$40.74$55.40$23.174,170
2015$42.95$58.34$24.284,840
2016$42.82$57.44$24.915,720
2017$43.48$57.11$25.306,240
2018$43.16$55.34$25.955,940
2019$43.02$54.17$26.465,370
2020$38.19$47.51$26.363,880
2021$44.39$52.74$28.154,400
2022$47.06$51.77$29.093,480
2023$44.81$47.35$30.173,480
2024$45.85$47.06$30.143,190
2025$44.52$44.52$30.182,700

In today's dollars, the median ironworker wage in New York changed by -23.7% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for ironworkers in New York

On federally funded construction in New York, contractors must pay ironworkers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 51 of the 62 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $67.84 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $58.62). 3 of the 62 counties still use a survey rate dated 2017 or earlier (for example Jefferson County at $51.04). The market median for the state is $44.52.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, NYAlbany: $64.23 (union)Allegany: $67.79 (union)Bronx: $150.97 (union)Broome: $66.89 (union)Cattaraugus: $67.79 (union)Cayuga: $96.33 (union)Chautauqua: $67.79 (union)Chemung: $66.80 (union)Chenango: $96.33 (union)Clinton: $58.62 (survey)Columbia: $96.33 (union)Cortland: $96.33 (union)Delaware: $96.33 (union)Dutchess: $96.33 (union)Erie: $67.79 (union)Essex: $58.62 (survey)Franklin: $58.62 (survey)Fulton: $58.62 (survey)Genesee: $67.79 (union)Greene: $96.33 (union)Hamilton: $58.62 (survey)Herkimer: $66.89 (union)Jefferson: $51.04 (survey)Kings: $150.97 (union)Lewis: $58.62 (survey)Livingston: $66.80 (union)Madison: $45.73 (survey)Monroe: $66.80 (union)Montgomery: $58.62 (survey)Nassau: $150.97 (union)New York: $150.97 (union)Niagara: $69.37 (union)Oneida: $66.89 (union)Onondaga: $67.84 (union)Ontario: $66.80 (union)Orange: $96.33 (union)Orleans: $69.37 (union)Oswego: $36.28 (survey)Otsego: $96.33 (union)Putnam: $96.33 (union)Queens: $150.97 (union)Rensselaer: $64.23 (union)Richmond: $150.97 (union)Rockland: $96.33 (union)St. Lawrence: $58.62 (survey)Saratoga: $64.23 (union)Schenectady: $64.23 (union)Schoharie: $64.23 (union)Schuyler: $67.79 (union)Seneca: $67.79 (union)Steuben: $67.79 (union)Suffolk: $150.97 (union)Sullivan: $96.33 (union)Tioga: $67.84 (union)Tompkins: $67.84 (union)Ulster: $96.33 (union)Warren: $64.23 (union)Washington: $64.23 (union)Wayne: $66.80 (union)Westchester: $150.97 (union)Wyoming: $67.79 (union)Yates: $66.55 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$64.23$66.89$67.84$96.33survey 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)$0$50$100$150$200/hrBronx (New York City): market median $49.07, prevailing (union) $150.97, gap +$101.90Bronx (New York City)+$101.90Ulster (New York): market median $44.52, prevailing (union) $96.33, gap +$51.81Ulster (New York)+$51.81Dutchess (Poughkeepsie): market median $46.71, prevailing (union) $96.33, gap +$49.62Dutchess (Poughkeepsie)+$49.62Onondaga (Syracuse): market median $34.53, prevailing (union) $67.84, gap +$33.31Onondaga (Syracuse)+$33.31Orleans (Rochester): market median $36.64, prevailing (union) $69.37, gap +$32.73Orleans (Rochester)+$32.73Niagara (Buffalo): market median $36.74, prevailing (union) $69.37, gap +$32.63Niagara (Buffalo)+$32.63Albany (Albany): market median $37.07, prevailing (union) $64.23, gap +$27.16Albany (Albany)+$27.16
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for ironworkers, metro counties in New York.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BronxUnion IRON0361-002 2025-07-01$58.95$92.02$150.97NY20260003
KingsUnion IRON0361-002 2025-07-01$58.95$92.02$150.97NY20260003
NassauUnion IRON0361-001 2025-07-01$58.95$92.02$150.97NY20260012
New YorkUnion IRON0361-002 2025-07-01$58.95$92.02$150.97NY20260003
QueensUnion IRON0361-002 2025-07-01$58.95$92.02$150.97NY20260003
RichmondUnion IRON0361-002 2025-07-01$58.95$92.02$150.97NY20260003
SuffolkUnion IRON0361-001 2025-07-01$58.95$92.02$150.97NY20260012
WestchesterUnion IRON0040-001 2025-07-01$58.95$92.02$150.97NY20260017
CayugaUnion IRON0417-002 2025-07-01$42.63$53.70$96.33NY20260101
ChenangoUnion IRON0417-002 2025-07-01$42.63$53.70$96.33NY20260103
ColumbiaUnion IRON0417-002 2025-07-01$42.63$53.70$96.33NY20260105
CortlandUnion IRON0417-002 2025-07-01$42.63$53.70$96.33NY20260106
DelawareUnion IRON0417-002 2025-07-01$42.63$53.70$96.33NY20260107
DutchessUnion IRON0417-001 2025-07-01$42.63$53.70$96.33NY20260007
GreeneUnion IRON0417-002 2025-07-01$42.63$53.70$96.33NY20260111

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

Is construction work growing in New York?

396.0kConstruction jobsNew York, 2026-08
-1.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026100k200k300k400k500k19901995200020052010201520202025396kAug 2026
Construction employment in New York (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Ironworker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in New York

Questions this page answers

How much do ironworkers make in New York?

The median ironworker in New York earned $44.52 an hour ($92,610 a year) in May 2025, 48% above the national median of $30.18. The middle half earn $36.39–$54.45; the top 10% earn more than $62.10.

Where does New York rank for ironworker pay?

New York ranks 10th of 50 states for ironworker pay, with a median of $44.52 an hour, and 12th after adjusting for New York's cost of living (BEA price parity 107.9, US = 100).

What is the union ironworker rate in New York?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for ironworkers in 51 counties, with a typical package of $67.84 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many ironworkers work in New York?

BLS counted 2,700 structural iron and steel workers in New York in May 2025, 0.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.63; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

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