Skilled Wages

Ironworker salary in North Dakota

Median $39.48 an hour for 270 structural iron and steel workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$39.48/hrMedian hourly wageNorth Dakota, May data
$82,120/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$27.60 – $48.0010th to 90th percentilehourly range
270Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Ironworker pay in North Dakota: the full range

Wage percentiles, North DakotaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrNorth Dakota: 10th $27.60 · 25th $29.72 · median $39.48 · 75th $40.38 · 90th $48.00North Dakota$39.48$27.60$48.00United 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: North Dakota vs United States, May 2025.

North Dakota ranks 12th of 50 states for median ironworker pay, and 9th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $44.36). 270 structural iron and steel workers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$27.60 – $29.72$57,410 – $61,820roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$29.72 – $40.38$61,820 – $83,990the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$40.38 – $48.00$83,990 – $99,840the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Ironworker pay by metro in North Dakota

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrFargo: $40.00Fargo$40.00
Median hourly wage for structural iron and steel workers by metro area in North Dakota, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Fargo$27.60$40.00$43.741701% above

Ironworker wages in North Dakota over time

North Dakota, 1999-2025North DakotaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40$50200020052010201520202025$39.48North Dakota$30.18United States
Median hourly wage for structural iron and steel workers, North Dakota vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearNorth Dakota $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$14.56$28.14$17.19—
2000$15.78$29.50$17.92—
2001$16.61$30.19$18.72480
2002$16.64$29.78$19.55360
2003$16.83$29.45$19.58200
2004$14.11$24.05$20.40140
2005$14.28$23.54$19.51160
2006$17.93$28.63$19.46220
2007$18.28$28.38$20.26170
2008$18.46$27.60$20.68250
2009$16.59$24.90$21.40260
2010$16.91$24.97$21.42270
2011$17.31$24.77$21.97440
2012$17.50$24.54$22.18360
2013$20.31$28.07$22.36370
2014$21.63$29.42$23.17—
2015$24.71$33.56$24.28330
2016$25.02$33.56$24.91220
2017$26.73$35.11$25.30190
2018$22.99$29.48$25.95140
2019$23.44$29.52$26.46230
2020$24.69$30.71$26.36220
2021$23.77$28.24$28.15170
2022$22.83$25.11$29.09130
2023$29.38$31.04$30.17270
2024$38.21$39.22$30.14270
2025$39.48$39.48$30.18270

In today's dollars, the median ironworker wage in North Dakota changed by +17.6% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for ironworkers in North Dakota

On federally funded construction in North Dakota, contractors must pay ironworkers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 28 of the 53 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $69.06 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $43.23). 25 of the 53 counties still use a survey rate dated 2014 or earlier (for example Barnes County at $43.23). The market median for the state is $39.48.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, NDAdams: $69.06 (union)Barnes: $43.23 (survey)Benson: $43.23 (survey)Billings: $69.06 (union)Bottineau: $69.06 (union)Bowman: $69.06 (union)Burke: $69.06 (union)Burleigh: $69.06 (union)Cass: $69.06 (union)Cavalier: $43.23 (survey)Dickey: $43.23 (survey)Divide: $69.06 (union)Dunn: $69.06 (union)Eddy: $43.23 (survey)Emmons: $43.23 (survey)Foster: $43.23 (survey)Golden Valley: $69.06 (union)Grand Forks: $69.06 (union)Grant: $43.23 (survey)Griggs: $43.23 (survey)Hettinger: $69.06 (union)Kidder: $43.23 (survey)LaMoure: $43.23 (survey)Logan: $43.23 (survey)McHenry: $69.06 (union)McIntosh: $43.23 (survey)McKenzie: $69.06 (union)McLean: $69.06 (union)Mercer: $69.06 (union)Morton: $69.06 (union)Mountrail: $69.06 (union)Nelson: $43.23 (survey)Oliver: $69.06 (union)Pembina: $43.23 (survey)Pierce: $69.06 (union)Ramsey: $69.06 (union)Ransom: $43.23 (survey)Renville: $69.06 (union)Richland: $43.23 (survey)Rolette: $43.23 (survey)Sargent: $43.23 (survey)Sheridan: $69.06 (union)Sioux: $69.06 (union)Slope: $69.06 (union)Stark: $69.06 (union)Steele: $43.23 (survey)Stutsman: $43.23 (survey)Towner: $43.23 (survey)Traill: $43.23 (survey)Walsh: $43.23 (survey)Ward: $69.06 (union)Wells: $43.23 (survey)Williams: $69.06 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hrsurvey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for ironworkers by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AdamsUnion IRON0512-014 2022-05-01$35.95$33.11$69.06ND20260018
BillingsUnion IRON0512-014 2022-05-01$35.95$33.11$69.06ND20260020
BottineauUnion IRON0512-014 2022-05-01$35.95$33.11$69.06ND20260021
BowmanUnion IRON0512-014 2022-05-01$35.95$33.11$69.06ND20260034
BurkeUnion IRON0512-014 2022-05-01$35.95$33.11$69.06ND20260035
BurleighUnion IRON0512-006 2022-05-01$35.95$33.11$69.06ND20260012
CassUnion IRON0512-006 2022-05-01$35.95$33.11$69.06ND20260013
DivideUnion IRON0512-014 2022-05-01$35.95$33.11$69.06ND20260034
DunnUnion IRON0512-014 2022-05-01$35.95$33.11$69.06ND20260034
Golden ValleyUnion IRON0512-014 2022-05-01$35.95$33.11$69.06ND20260034
Grand ForksUnion IRON0512-006 2022-05-01$35.95$33.11$69.06ND20260014
HettingerUnion IRON0512-014 2022-05-01$35.95$33.11$69.06ND20260034
McHenryUnion IRON0512-014 2022-05-01$35.95$33.11$69.06ND20260035
McKenzieUnion IRON0512-014 2022-05-01$35.95$33.11$69.06ND20260022
McLeanUnion IRON0512-014 2022-05-01$35.95$33.11$69.06ND20260023

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

Is construction work growing in North Dakota?

35.1kConstruction jobsNorth Dakota, 2026-08
+2.9%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-20260k10k20k30k40k50k1990199520002005201020152020202535kAug 2026
Construction employment in North Dakota (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Ironworker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in North Dakota

Questions this page answers

How much do ironworkers make in North Dakota?

The median ironworker in North Dakota earned $39.48 an hour ($82,120 a year) in May 2025, 31% above the national median of $30.18. The middle half earn $29.72–$40.38; the top 10% earn more than $48.00.

Where does North Dakota rank for ironworker pay?

North Dakota ranks 12th of 50 states for ironworker pay, with a median of $39.48 an hour, and 9th after adjusting for North Dakota's cost of living (BEA price parity 89.0, US = 100).

What is the union ironworker rate in North Dakota?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for ironworkers in 28 counties, with a typical package of $69.06 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many ironworkers work in North Dakota?

BLS counted 270 structural iron and steel workers in North Dakota in May 2025, 0.6 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.42; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, North Dakota 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.