Ironworker salary in South Carolina
Median $24.40 an hour for 660 ironworkers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Ironworker pay in South Carolina: the full range
South Carolina ranks 44th of 50 states for median ironworker pay, and 44th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $26.04). 660 ironworkers work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.9× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $16.77 – $22.13 | $34,890 – $46,030 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $22.13 – $29.12 | $46,030 – $60,560 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $29.12 – $32.09 | $60,560 – $66,750 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Ironworker pay by metro in South Carolina
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston | $22.41 | $27.78 | $27.50 | $34.24 | 100 | 14% above |
| Augusta | $19.49 | $27.35 | $29.76 | $34.50 | 80 | 12% above |
| Greenville | $18.19 | $25.70 | $27.55 | $32.50 | 150 | 5% above |
| Columbia | $17.14 | $24.28 | $25.91 | $29.31 | 100 | about the same as |
| Charlotte | $18.90 | $23.22 | $23.86 | $30.54 | 550 | 5% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Ironworker wages in South Carolina over time
Table
| Year | South Carolina $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $12.59 | $24.33 | $17.19 | 1,160 |
| 2000 | $14.83 | $27.73 | $17.92 | 970 |
| 2001 | $15.56 | $28.29 | $18.72 | 970 |
| 2002 | $15.85 | $28.36 | $19.55 | 1,020 |
| 2003 | $16.39 | $28.68 | $19.58 | 1,020 |
| 2004 | $16.94 | $28.87 | $20.40 | 940 |
| 2005 | $17.26 | $28.45 | $19.51 | 730 |
| 2006 | $16.72 | $26.70 | $19.46 | 740 |
| 2007 | $17.29 | $26.85 | $20.26 | 600 |
| 2008 | $16.83 | $25.17 | $20.68 | 620 |
| 2009 | $15.57 | $23.36 | $21.40 | 680 |
| 2010 | $16.52 | $24.39 | $21.42 | 670 |
| 2011 | $16.98 | $24.30 | $21.97 | 690 |
| 2012 | $20.52 | $28.77 | $22.18 | 720 |
| 2013 | $21.38 | $29.55 | $22.36 | 850 |
| 2014 | $21.33 | $29.01 | $23.17 | 840 |
| 2015 | $20.09 | $27.29 | $24.28 | 720 |
| 2016 | $20.34 | $27.28 | $24.91 | 930 |
| 2017 | $19.44 | $25.53 | $25.30 | 850 |
| 2018 | $19.54 | $25.05 | $25.95 | 850 |
| 2019 | $20.57 | $25.90 | $26.46 | 710 |
| 2020 | $21.00 | $26.12 | $26.36 | 780 |
| 2021 | $22.62 | $26.88 | $28.15 | 630 |
| 2022 | $22.88 | $25.17 | $29.09 | 480 |
| 2023 | $26.05 | $27.52 | $30.17 | 480 |
| 2024 | $24.35 | $24.99 | $30.14 | 670 |
| 2025 | $24.40 | $24.40 | $30.18 | 660 |
In today's dollars, the median ironworker wage in South Carolina changed by -10.6% over the last ten years of data and by -5.8% since 2019.
Are there more ironworker jobs in South Carolina?
BLS counted 660 ironworkers in South Carolina in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 10%. 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 South Carolina
South Carolina's labor market agency projects the number of ironworkers in the state to change by +5.5% between 2024 and 2034, from 620 to 660, with about 50 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 660 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: South Carolina labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Union scale and prevailing wage for ironworkers in South Carolina
On federally funded construction in South Carolina, contractors must pay ironworkers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 6 of the 9 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $47.75 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $53.33). 3 of the 9 counties still use a survey rate dated 2008 or earlier (for example Aiken County at $53.33). The market median for the state is $24.40.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aiken | Survey SUSC2011-002 2008-10-01 | $37.61 | $15.72 | $53.33 | SC20260002 |
| Allendale | Survey SUSC2011-002 2008-10-01 | $37.61 | $15.72 | $53.33 | SC20260002 |
| Barnwell | Survey SUSC2011-002 2008-10-01 | $37.61 | $15.72 | $53.33 | SC20260002 |
| Berkeley | Union IRON0848-006 2025-07-01 | $29.75 | $18.00 | $47.75 | SC20260022 |
| Charleston | Union IRON0848-006 2025-07-01 | $29.75 | $18.00 | $47.75 | SC20260023 |
| Darlington | Union IRON0848-006 2025-07-01 | $29.75 | $18.00 | $47.75 | SC20260005 |
| Dorchester | Union IRON0848-006 2025-07-01 | $29.75 | $18.00 | $47.75 | SC20260024 |
| Florence | Union IRON0848-006 2025-07-01 | $29.75 | $18.00 | $47.75 | SC20260005 |
| Spartanburg | Union IRON0848-006 2025-07-01 | $29.75 | $18.00 | $47.75 | SC20260029 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the South Carolina prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in South Carolina?
Keep comparing
Ironworker pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in South Carolina
More on South Carolina
Questions this page answers
How much do ironworkers make in South Carolina?
The median ironworker in South Carolina earned $24.40 an hour ($50,750 a year) in May 2025, 19% below the national median of $30.18. The middle half earn $22.13–$29.12; the top 10% earn more than $32.09.
Where does South Carolina rank for ironworker pay?
South Carolina ranks 44th of 50 states for ironworker pay, with a median of $24.40 an hour, and 44th after adjusting for South Carolina's cost of living (BEA price parity 93.7, US = 100).
What is the union ironworker rate in South Carolina?
Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for ironworkers in 6 counties, with a typical package of $47.75 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.
How many ironworkers work in South Carolina?
BLS counted 660 ironworkers in South Carolina in May 2025, 0.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.66; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is ironworker work growing in South Carolina?
South Carolina's labor market agency projects +5.5% growth for ironworkers between 2024 and 2034, from 620 to 660 jobs.
How many ironworker openings a year are there in South Carolina?
South Carolina projects about 50 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, South Carolina 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: South Carolina labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.