Skilled Wages

Ironworker salary in Ohio

Median $35.92 an hour for 2,290 ironworkers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$35.92/hrMedian hourly wageOhio, May data
$74,710/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$23.00 – $42.7210th to 90th percentilehourly range
2,290Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-13

Ironworker pay in Ohio: the full range

Wage percentiles, OhioMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrOhio: 10th $23.00 · 25th $28.25 · median $35.92 · 75th $37.38 · 90th $42.72Ohio$35.92$23.00$42.72United States: 10th $21.43 · 25th $23.98 · median $30.18 · 75th $39.74 · 90th $52.05United States$30.18
Hourly wage percentiles for ironworkers: Ohio vs United States, May 2025.

Ohio ranks 17th of 50 states for median ironworker pay, and 15th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $38.71). 2,290 ironworkers work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.9× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$23.00 – $28.25$47,840 – $58,750roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$28.25 – $37.38$58,750 – $77,750the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$37.38 – $42.72$77,750 – $88,860the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Ironworker pay by metro in Ohio

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrColumbus: $36.98Columbus$36.98Akron: $36.70Akron$36.70Cleveland: $36.57Cleveland$36.57Cincinnati: $36.39Cincinnati$36.39Toledo: $35.92Toledo$35.92Dayton: $35.89Dayton$35.89
Median hourly wage for ironworkers by metro area in Ohio, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Columbus$24.50$36.98$38.72$63.783703% above
Akron$24.98$36.70$39.29$39.642102% above
Cleveland$23.00$36.57$38.95$41.773802% above
Cincinnati$23.27$36.39$38.14$42.484801% above
Toledo$27.16$35.92$39.26$37.58220about the same as
Dayton$22.40$35.89$38.72$41.1990about the same as

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

Ironworker wages in Ohio over time

Ohio, 1999-2025OhioUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$35.92Ohio$30.18United States
Median hourly wage for ironworkers, Ohio vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearOhio $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$21.39$41.33$17.194,070
2000$23.00$43.00$17.923,700
2001$23.13$42.05$18.723,700
2002$24.11$43.15$19.552,950
2003$23.99$41.98$19.582,890
2004$24.03$40.95$20.403,410
2005$24.67$40.67$19.512,790
2006$24.78$39.57$19.462,640
2007$25.82$40.09$20.262,760
2008$26.06$38.97$20.682,730
2009$26.46$39.71$21.402,580
2010$25.74$38.00$21.422,150
2011$25.60$36.64$21.971,870
2012$25.95$36.39$22.182,100
2013$26.59$36.75$22.362,140
2014$27.64$37.59$23.172,430
2015$27.90$37.90$24.282,540
2016$28.53$38.27$24.913,190
2017$28.63$37.60$25.303,720
2018$29.02$37.21$25.954,030
2019$28.98$36.49$26.463,460
2020$29.27$36.41$26.362,850
2021$29.44$34.98$28.153,320
2022$31.85$35.04$29.092,880
2023$34.97$36.95$30.172,860
2024$34.53$35.44$30.141,920
2025$35.92$35.92$30.182,290

In today's dollars, the median ironworker wage in Ohio changed by -5.2% over the last ten years of data and by -1.6% since 2019.

Are there more ironworker jobs in Ohio?

0.4Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.9× the US share, 22nd of 49 states

BLS counted 2,290 ironworkers in Ohio in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 11%. 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 Ohio

+4.2%Projected growth in Ohio2024–2034, state agency
160Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
1,940Jobs in 20242,020 projected for 2034
+3.1%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Ohio's labor market agency projects the number of ironworkers in the state to change by +4.2% between 2024 and 2034, from 1,940 to 2,020, with about 160 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 2,290 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for ironworkers in Ohio

On federally funded construction in Ohio, contractors must pay ironworkers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 79 of the 88 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $64.02 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $42.75). 9 of the 88 counties still use a survey rate dated 2014 or earlier (for example Allen County at $28.52). The market median for the state is $35.92.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, OHAdams: $69.29 (union)Allen: $28.52 (survey)Ashland: $59.57 (union)Ashtabula: $59.57 (union)Athens: $69.29 (union)Auglaize: $64.70 (union)Belmont: $60.85 (union)Brown: $61.67 (union)Butler: $61.67 (union)Carroll: $59.57 (union)Champaign: $64.70 (union)Clark: $62.74 (union)Clermont: $61.67 (union)Clinton: $69.29 (union)Columbiana: $59.57 (union)Coshocton: $59.57 (union)Crawford: $59.57 (union)Cuyahoga: $65.84 (union)Darke: $64.70 (union)Defiance: $64.70 (union)Delaware: $42.75 (survey)Erie: $65.84 (union)Fairfield: $42.75 (survey)Fayette: $69.29 (union)Franklin: $64.02 (union)Fulton: $64.70 (union)Gallia: $69.29 (union)Geauga: $65.84 (union)Greene: $62.74 (union)Guernsey: $59.57 (union)Hamilton: $61.67 (union)Hancock: $64.70 (union)Hardin: $64.70 (union)Harrison: $59.57 (union)Henry: $64.70 (union)Highland: $69.29 (union)Hocking: $69.29 (union)Holmes: $59.57 (union)Huron: $59.57 (union)Jackson: $69.29 (union)Jefferson: $60.85 (union)Knox: $59.57 (union)Lake: $65.84 (union)Lawrence: $59.57 (union)Licking: $42.75 (survey)Logan: $62.74 (union)Lorain: $65.84 (union)Lucas: $64.70 (union)Madison: $42.75 (survey)Mahoning: $64.42 (union)Marion: $59.57 (union)Medina: $59.57 (union)Meigs: $69.29 (union)Mercer: $64.70 (union)Miami: $62.74 (union)Monroe: $60.85 (union)Montgomery: $62.74 (union)Morgan: $59.57 (union)Morrow: $42.75 (survey)Muskingum: $59.57 (union)Noble: $59.57 (union)Ottawa: $64.70 (union)Paulding: $64.70 (union)Perry: $59.57 (union)Pickaway: $42.75 (survey)Pike: $69.29 (union)Portage: $65.84 (union)Preble: $62.74 (union)Putnam: $64.70 (union)Richland: $59.57 (union)Ross: $69.29 (union)Sandusky: $59.57 (union)Scioto: $69.29 (union)Seneca: $59.57 (union)Shelby: $64.70 (union)Stark: $59.57 (union)Summit: $65.84 (union)Trumbull: $64.42 (union)Tuscarawas: $59.57 (union)Union: $42.75 (survey)Van Wert: $64.70 (union)Vinton: $69.29 (union)Warren: $43.04 (survey)Washington: $60.75 (union)Wayne: $59.57 (union)Williams: $64.70 (union)Wood: $64.70 (union)Wyandot: $59.57 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$59.57$60.83$64.70$65.84survey 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)$30$40$50$60$70$80/hrHocking (Columbus): market median $36.98, prevailing (union) $69.29, gap +$32.31Hocking (Columbus)+$32.31Erie (Ohio): market median $35.92, prevailing (union) $65.84, gap +$29.92Erie (Ohio)+$29.92Cuyahoga (Cleveland): market median $36.57, prevailing (union) $65.84, gap +$29.27Cuyahoga (Cleveland)+$29.27Portage (Akron): market median $36.70, prevailing (union) $65.84, gap +$29.14Portage (Akron)+$29.14Fulton (Toledo): market median $35.92, prevailing (union) $64.70, gap +$28.78Fulton (Toledo)+$28.78Greene (Dayton): market median $35.89, prevailing (union) $62.74, gap +$26.85Greene (Dayton)+$26.85Brown (Cincinnati): market median $36.39, prevailing (union) $61.67, gap +$25.28Brown (Cincinnati)+$25.28
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for ironworkers, metro counties in Ohio.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AdamsUnion IRON0769-001 2025-06-01$39.70$29.59$69.29OH20260030
AthensUnion IRON0769-001 2025-06-01$39.70$29.59$69.29OH20260033
ClintonUnion IRON0769-001 2025-06-01$39.70$29.59$69.29OH20260064
FayetteUnion IRON0769-001 2025-06-01$39.70$29.59$69.29OH20260040
GalliaUnion IRON0769-001 2025-06-01$39.70$29.59$69.29OH20260041
HighlandUnion IRON0769-001 2025-06-01$39.70$29.59$69.29OH20260064
HockingUnion IRON0769-001 2025-06-01$39.70$29.59$69.29OH20260064
JacksonUnion IRON0769-001 2025-06-01$39.70$29.59$69.29OH20260064
MeigsUnion IRON0769-001 2025-06-01$39.70$29.59$69.29OH20260047
PikeUnion IRON0769-001 2025-06-01$39.70$29.59$69.29OH20260051
RossUnion IRON0769-001 2025-06-01$39.70$29.59$69.29OH20260053
SciotoUnion IRON0769-001 2025-06-01$39.70$29.59$69.29OH20260055
VintonUnion IRON0769-001 2025-06-01$39.70$29.59$69.29OH20260060
CuyahogaUnion IRON0017-011 2024-05-01$36.83$29.01$65.84OH20260074
ErieUnion IRON0017-011 2024-05-01$36.83$29.01$65.84OH20260076

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Ohio prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Ohio?

285.5kConstruction jobsOhio, 2026-09
+6.2%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026100k150k200k250k300k350k19901995200020052010201520202025286kSep 2026
Construction employment in Ohio (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Ironworker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Ohio

More on Ohio

Questions this page answers

How much do ironworkers make in Ohio?

The median ironworker in Ohio earned $35.92 an hour ($74,710 a year) in May 2025, 19% above the national median of $30.18. The middle half earn $28.25–$37.38; the top 10% earn more than $42.72.

Where does Ohio rank for ironworker pay?

Ohio ranks 17th of 50 states for ironworker pay, with a median of $35.92 an hour, and 15th after adjusting for Ohio's cost of living (BEA price parity 92.8, US = 100).

What is the union ironworker rate in Ohio?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for ironworkers in 79 counties, with a typical package of $64.02 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many ironworkers work in Ohio?

BLS counted 2,290 ironworkers in Ohio in May 2025, 0.4 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.94; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is ironworker work growing in Ohio?

Ohio's labor market agency projects +4.2% growth for ironworkers between 2024 and 2034, from 1,940 to 2,020 jobs.

How many ironworker openings a year are there in Ohio?

Ohio projects about 160 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, Ohio 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: Ohio labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.