Skilled Wages

Ironworker salary in Texas

Median $25.12 an hour for 9,700 structural iron and steel workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$25.12/hrMedian hourly wageTexas, May data
$52,240/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$20.27 – $37.2710th to 90th percentilehourly range
9,700Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Ironworker pay in Texas: the full range

Wage percentiles, TexasMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrTexas: 10th $20.27 · 25th $22.65 · median $25.12 · 75th $29.98 · 90th $37.27Texas$25.12$20.27$37.27United 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: Texas vs United States, May 2025.

Texas ranks 43rd of 50 states for median ironworker pay, and 46th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $25.87). 9,700 structural iron and steel workers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$20.27 – $22.65$42,160 – $47,120roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$22.65 – $29.98$47,120 – $62,360the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$29.98 – $37.27$62,360 – $77,520the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Ironworker pay by metro in Texas

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrAustin: $28.84Austin$28.84Amarillo: $28.66Amarillo$28.66Houston: $27.90Houston$27.90Sherman: $27.75Sherman$27.75Corpus Christi: $27.61Corpus Christi$27.61Beaumont: $27.51Beaumont$27.51Dallas-Fort Worth: $25.77Dallas-Fort Worth$25.77San Antonio: $24.10San Antonio$24.10Abilene: $21.96Abilene$21.96Waco: $21.92Waco$21.92Tyler: $21.65Tyler$21.65College Station: $21.52College Station$21.52
Median hourly wage for structural iron and steel workers by metro area in Texas, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Austin$22.41$28.84$37.2971015% above
Amarillo$18.52$28.66$35.866014% above
Houston$21.69$27.90$37.593,00011% above
Sherman$19.92$27.75$47.586010% above
Corpus Christi$20.29$27.61$31.1333010% above
Beaumont$20.51$27.51$34.5231010% above
Dallas-Fort Worth$21.93$25.77$37.272,8503% above
San Antonio$19.51$24.10$34.275104% below
Abilene$18.06$21.96$30.028013% below
Waco$16.78$21.92$31.755013% below
Tyler$17.94$21.65$25.368014% below
College Station$17.70$21.52$35.164014% below
McAllen$15.08$20.53$33.076018% below

Ironworker wages in Texas over time

Texas, 1999-2025TexasUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$0$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$30.18United States$25.12Texas
Median hourly wage for structural iron and steel workers, Texas vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearTexas $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$11.91$23.02$17.1911,420
2000$11.51$21.52$17.9211,690
2001$12.51$22.74$18.729,170
2002$13.54$24.23$19.558,360
2003$13.77$24.09$19.586,640
2004$15.36$26.18$20.405,460
2005$13.57$22.37$19.517,170
2006$13.51$21.57$19.466,990
2007$14.28$22.17$20.265,870
2008$16.20$24.22$20.687,170
2009$17.17$25.77$21.406,820
2010$17.82$26.31$21.426,360
2011$17.08$24.45$21.976,420
2012$17.63$24.72$22.188,130
2013$17.59$24.31$22.367,810
2014$18.27$24.85$23.177,240
2015$17.55$23.84$24.286,380
2016$18.80$25.22$24.917,230
2017$19.98$26.24$25.308,680
2018$20.38$26.13$25.958,930
2019$21.57$27.16$26.469,290
2020$21.52$26.77$26.368,400
2021$22.62$26.88$28.157,240
2022$21.96$24.16$29.096,330
2023$23.36$24.68$30.178,400
2024$23.75$24.37$30.1410,090
2025$25.12$25.12$30.189,700

In today's dollars, the median ironworker wage in Texas changed by +5.4% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for ironworkers in Texas

On federally funded construction in Texas, contractors must pay ironworkers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 185 of the 253 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $38.07 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $20.00). 68 of the 253 counties still use a survey rate dated 2014 or earlier (for example Aransas County at $27.42). The market median for the state is $25.12.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, TXUnion / prevailing package, $/hr$27.42$35.98$38.07n/asurvey 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/hrHardin (Beaumont): market median $27.51, prevailing (union) $48.79, gap +$21.28Hardin (Beaumont)+$21.28Brazoria (Houston): market median $27.90, prevailing (union) $48.79, gap +$20.89Brazoria (Houston)+$20.89Falls (Waco): market median $21.92, prevailing (union) $38.07, gap +$16.15Falls (Waco)+$16.15Cochran (Texas): market median $25.12, prevailing (union) $38.07, gap +$12.95Cochran (Texas)+$12.95Comal (San Antonio): market median $24.10, prevailing (union) $36.53, gap +$12.43Comal (San Antonio)+$12.43Collin (Dallas-Fort Worth): market median $25.77, prevailing (union) $38.07, gap +$12.30Collin (Dallas-Fort Worth)+$12.30Armstrong (Amarillo): market median $28.66, prevailing (union) $38.07, gap +$9.41Armstrong (Amarillo)+$9.41Bastrop (Austin): market median $28.84, prevailing (union) $36.53, gap +$7.69Bastrop (Austin)+$7.69Callahan (Abilene): market median $21.96, prevailing (survey) $27.42, gap +$5.46Callahan (Abilene)+$5.46Brazos (College Station): market median $21.52, prevailing (survey) $25.99, gap +$4.47Brazos (College Station)+$4.47Aransas (Corpus Christi): market median $27.61, prevailing (survey) $27.42, gap −$0.19Aransas (Corpus Christi)−$0.19Hidalgo (McAllen): market median $20.53, prevailing (survey) $19.38, gap −$1.15Hidalgo (McAllen)−$1.15Smith (Tyler): market median $21.65, prevailing (survey) $20.00, gap −$1.65Smith (Tyler)−$1.65Grayson (Sherman): market median $27.75, prevailing (survey) $21.41, gap −$6.34Grayson (Sherman)−$6.34
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for ironworkers, metro counties in Texas.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AngelinaUnion IRON0135-006 2022-09-01$34.35$14.44$48.79TX20260116
BrazoriaUnion IRON0135-002 2022-09-01$34.35$14.44$48.79TX20260233
ChambersUnion IRON0135-002 2022-09-01$34.35$14.44$48.79TX20260238
HardinUnion IRON0135-002 2022-09-01$34.35$14.44$48.79TX20260252
JeffersonUnion IRON0135-002 2022-09-01$34.35$14.44$48.79TX20260256
OrangeUnion IRON0135-002 2022-09-01$34.35$14.44$48.79TX20260263
SabineUnion IRON0135-005 2022-09-01$34.35$14.44$48.79TX20260178
AndersonUnion IRON0263-019 2025-06-01$29.64$8.43$38.07TX20260114
AndrewsUnion IRON0263-019 2025-06-01$29.64$8.43$38.07TX20260115
ArmstrongUnion IRON0263-003 2025-06-01$29.64$8.43$38.07TX20260228
BaileyUnion IRON0263-019 2025-06-01$29.64$8.43$38.07TX20260117
BaylorUnion IRON0263-019 2025-06-01$29.64$8.43$38.07TX20260192
BlancoUnion IRON0263-027 2025-06-01$29.64$8.43$38.07TX20260193
BordenUnion IRON0263-019 2025-06-01$29.64$8.43$38.07TX20260194
BrewsterUnion IRON0263-019 2025-06-01$29.64$8.43$38.07TX20260120

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

Is construction work growing in Texas?

929.9kConstruction jobsTexas, 2026-08
+2.2%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026200k400k600k800k1,000k19901995200020052010201520202025930kAug 2026
Construction employment in Texas (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Ironworker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Texas

Questions this page answers

How much do ironworkers make in Texas?

The median ironworker in Texas earned $25.12 an hour ($52,240 a year) in May 2025, 17% below the national median of $30.18. The middle half earn $22.65–$29.98; the top 10% earn more than $37.27.

Where does Texas rank for ironworker pay?

Texas ranks 43rd of 50 states for ironworker pay, with a median of $25.12 an hour, and 46th after adjusting for Texas's cost of living (BEA price parity 97.1, US = 100).

What is the union ironworker rate in Texas?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for ironworkers in 185 counties, with a typical package of $38.07 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many ironworkers work in Texas?

BLS counted 9,700 structural iron and steel workers in Texas in May 2025, 0.7 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.57; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

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