Skilled Wages

Ironworker salary in New York

Median $44.52 an hour for 2,700 ironworkers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$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 2026-11-13

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 ironworkers: 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 ironworkers work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.2× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$28.44 – $36.39$59,140 – $75,690roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$36.39 – $54.45$75,690 – $113,260the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$54.45 – $62.10$113,260 – $129,180the 75th to 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 ironworkers by metro area in New York, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
New York City$30.54$49.07$43.58$62.812,30010% above
Poughkeepsie$31.25$46.71$42.70$59.691505% above
Albany$25.17$37.07$37.22$46.9915017% below
Buffalo$23.08$36.74$38.35$52.0921017% below
Rochester$24.43$36.64$37.77$51.7311018% below
Syracuse$21.88$34.53$36.08$44.678022% below

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

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 ironworkers, 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 and by -17.8% since 2019.

Are there more ironworker jobs in New York?

0.3Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.6× the US share, 37th of 49 states

BLS counted 2,700 ironworkers in New York in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 12%. 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 New York

-2.9%Projected growth in New York2024–2034, state agency
240Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
3,240Jobs in 20243,150 projected for 2034
+3.1%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

New York's labor market agency projects the number of ironworkers in the state to change by -2.9% between 2024 and 2034, from 3,240 to 3,150, with about 240 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.1% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 2,700 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

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 2026-11-13. 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?

396.1kConstruction jobsNew York, 2026-09
-0.2%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026100k200k300k400k500k19901995200020052010201520202025396kSep 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

More on 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 ironworkers in New York in May 2025, 0.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.63; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is ironworker work growing in New York?

New York's labor market agency projects -2.9% growth for ironworkers between 2024 and 2034, from 3,240 to 3,150 jobs.

How many ironworker openings a year are there in New York?

New York projects about 240 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, New York 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 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: New York labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.