Skilled Wages

Ironworker salary in Tennessee

Median $27.29 an hour for 1,240 structural iron and steel workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$27.29/hrMedian hourly wageTennessee, May data
$56,750/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$21.39 – $35.9110th to 90th percentilehourly range
1,240Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Ironworker pay in Tennessee: the full range

Wage percentiles, TennesseeMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrTennessee: 10th $21.39 · 25th $23.23 · median $27.29 · 75th $31.85 · 90th $35.91Tennessee$27.29$21.39$35.91United 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: Tennessee vs United States, May 2025.

Tennessee ranks 39th of 50 states for median ironworker pay, and 32nd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $29.70). 1,240 structural iron and steel workers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$21.39 – $23.23$44,500 – $48,320roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$23.23 – $31.85$48,320 – $66,240the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$31.85 – $35.91$66,240 – $74,700the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Ironworker pay by metro in Tennessee

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrChattanooga: $29.75Chattanooga$29.75Nashville: $29.75Nashville$29.75Knoxville: $29.45Knoxville$29.45Memphis: $24.23Memphis$24.23
Median hourly wage for structural iron and steel workers by metro area in Tennessee, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Chattanooga$21.09$29.75$34.581509% above
Nashville$23.06$29.75$36.374009% above
Knoxville$21.50$29.45$47.701308% above
Memphis$17.47$24.23$34.2024011% below

Ironworker wages in Tennessee over time

Tennessee, 1999-2025TennesseeUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$30.18United States$27.29Tennessee
Median hourly wage for structural iron and steel workers, Tennessee vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearTennessee $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$14.46$27.94$17.191,140
2000$14.41$26.94$17.922,000
2001$13.58$24.69$18.722,340
2002$15.01$26.86$19.551,810
2003$14.35$25.11$19.581,680
2004$14.66$24.99$20.401,120
2005$16.45$27.12$19.51980
2006$17.82$28.46$19.461,090
2007$18.39$28.55$20.261,040
2008$17.74$26.53$20.681,130
2009$16.40$24.61$21.401,080
2010$16.54$24.42$21.421,130
2011$17.66$25.28$21.971,280
2012$18.82$26.39$22.181,000
2013$19.15$26.47$22.361,060
2014$19.62$26.68$23.171,060
2015$19.59$26.61$24.281,250
2016$19.67$26.39$24.911,090
2017$18.83$24.73$25.301,040
2018$20.87$26.76$25.95930
2019$23.11$29.10$26.46870
2020$25.06$31.17$26.361,080
2021$23.53$27.96$28.151,330
2022$23.39$25.73$29.091,360
2023$24.63$26.02$30.171,640
2024$26.80$27.51$30.141,320
2025$27.29$27.29$30.181,240

In today's dollars, the median ironworker wage in Tennessee changed by +2.6% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for ironworkers in Tennessee

On federally funded construction in Tennessee, contractors must pay ironworkers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 26 of the 95 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $52.39 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $19.83). The market median for the state is $27.29.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, TNAnderson: $18.30 (survey)Bedford: $19.96 (survey)Benton: $19.47 (survey)Bledsoe: $19.83 (survey)Blount: $18.30 (survey)Bradley: $52.39 (union)Campbell: $18.30 (survey)Cannon: $52.39 (union)Carroll: $19.47 (survey)Carter: $17.77 (survey)Cheatham: $52.39 (union)Chester: $52.39 (union)Claiborne: $19.83 (survey)Clay: $19.83 (survey)Cocke: $19.83 (survey)Coffee: $19.96 (survey)Crockett: $52.39 (union)Cumberland: $19.83 (survey)Davidson: $52.39 (union)Decatur: $19.47 (survey)DeKalb: $19.83 (survey)Dickson: $52.39 (union)Dyer: $19.47 (survey)Fayette: $52.39 (union)Fentress: $19.83 (survey)Franklin: $19.96 (survey)Gibson: $19.47 (survey)Giles: $19.96 (survey)Grainger: $18.30 (survey)Greene: $19.83 (survey)Grundy: $19.96 (survey)Hamblen: $17.30 (survey)Hamilton: $52.39 (union)Hancock: $19.83 (survey)Hardeman: $19.47 (survey)Hardin: $19.47 (survey)Hawkins: $17.77 (survey)Haywood: $19.47 (survey)Henderson: $19.47 (survey)Henry: $19.47 (survey)Hickman: $52.39 (union)Houston: $19.47 (survey)Humphreys: $19.47 (survey)Jackson: $19.83 (survey)Jefferson: $16.50 (survey)Johnson: $19.83 (survey)Knox: $18.30 (survey)Lake: $19.47 (survey)Lauderdale: $19.47 (survey)Lawrence: $19.96 (survey)Lewis: $19.96 (survey)Lincoln: $19.96 (survey)Loudon: $18.30 (survey)McMinn: $19.83 (survey)McNairy: $19.47 (survey)Macon: $52.39 (union)Madison: $52.39 (union)Marion: $52.39 (union)Marshall: $19.96 (survey)Maury: $52.39 (union)Meigs: $19.83 (survey)Monroe: $19.83 (survey)Montgomery: $52.39 (union)Moore: $19.96 (survey)Morgan: $18.30 (survey)Obion: $19.47 (survey)Overton: $19.83 (survey)Perry: $19.96 (survey)Pickett: $19.83 (survey)Polk: $52.39 (union)Putnam: $19.83 (survey)Rhea: $19.83 (survey)Roane: $18.30 (survey)Robertson: $52.39 (union)Rutherford: $52.39 (union)Scott: $19.83 (survey)Sequatchie: $52.39 (union)Sevier: $19.83 (survey)Shelby: $52.39 (union)Smith: $52.39 (union)Stewart: $19.47 (survey)Sullivan: $17.77 (survey)Sumner: $52.39 (union)Tipton: $52.39 (union)Trousdale: $52.39 (union)Unicoi: $17.77 (survey)Union: $18.30 (survey)Van Buren: $19.83 (survey)Warren: $19.83 (survey)Washington: $17.77 (survey)Wayne: $19.96 (survey)Weakley: $19.47 (survey)White: $19.83 (survey)Williamson: $52.39 (union)Wilson: $52.39 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$19.47$19.83$19.88survey 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)Prevailing (survey)$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrFayette (Memphis): market median $24.23, prevailing (union) $52.39, gap +$28.16Fayette (Memphis)+$28.16Bradley (Tennessee): market median $27.29, prevailing (union) $52.39, gap +$25.10Bradley (Tennessee)+$25.10Cannon (Nashville): market median $29.75, prevailing (union) $52.39, gap +$22.64Cannon (Nashville)+$22.64Hamilton (Chattanooga): market median $29.75, prevailing (union) $52.39, gap +$22.64Hamilton (Chattanooga)+$22.64Anderson (Knoxville): market median $29.45, prevailing (survey) $18.30, gap −$11.15Anderson (Knoxville)−$11.15
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for ironworkers, metro counties in Tennessee.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BradleyUnion IRON0492-002 2025-05-01$35.32$17.07$52.39TN20260194
CannonUnion IRON0492-002 2025-05-01$35.32$17.07$52.39TN20260196
CheathamUnion IRON0492-002 2025-05-01$35.32$17.07$52.39TN20260196
ChesterUnion IRON0492-002 2025-05-01$35.32$17.07$52.39TN20260198
CrockettUnion IRON0492-002 2025-05-01$35.32$17.07$52.39TN20260198
DavidsonUnion IRON0492-002 2025-05-01$35.32$17.07$52.39TN20260178
DicksonUnion IRON0492-002 2025-05-01$35.32$17.07$52.39TN20260199
FayetteUnion IRON0492-002 2025-05-01$35.32$17.07$52.39TN20260200
HamiltonUnion IRON0492-002 2025-05-01$35.32$17.07$52.39TN20260180
HickmanUnion IRON0492-002 2025-05-01$35.32$17.07$52.39TN20260199
MaconUnion IRON0492-002 2025-05-01$35.32$17.07$52.39TN20260203
MadisonUnion IRON0492-002 2025-05-01$35.32$17.07$52.39TN20260183
MarionUnion IRON0492-002 2025-05-01$35.32$17.07$52.39TN20260184
MauryUnion IRON0492-002 2025-05-01$35.32$17.07$52.39TN20260203
MontgomeryUnion IRON0492-002 2025-05-01$35.32$17.07$52.39TN20260185

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

Is construction work growing in Tennessee?

168.5kConstruction jobsTennessee, 2026-08
-0.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025168kAug 2026
Construction employment in Tennessee (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Ironworker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Tennessee

Questions this page answers

How much do ironworkers make in Tennessee?

The median ironworker in Tennessee earned $27.29 an hour ($56,750 a year) in May 2025, 10% below the national median of $30.18. The middle half earn $23.23–$31.85; the top 10% earn more than $35.91.

Where does Tennessee rank for ironworker pay?

Tennessee ranks 39th of 50 states for ironworker pay, with a median of $27.29 an hour, and 32nd after adjusting for Tennessee's cost of living (BEA price parity 91.9, US = 100).

What is the union ironworker rate in Tennessee?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for ironworkers in 26 counties, with a typical package of $52.39 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many ironworkers work in Tennessee?

BLS counted 1,240 structural iron and steel workers in Tennessee in May 2025, 0.4 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.86; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Tennessee 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.