Skilled Wages

Ironworker salary in Washington

Median $51.76 an hour for 850 ironworkers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$51.76/hrMedian hourly wageWashington, May data
$107,660/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$25.58 – $62.0110th to 90th percentilehourly range
850Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-06

Ironworker pay in Washington: the full range

Wage percentiles, WashingtonMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60$80/hrWashington: 10th $25.58 · 25th $38.37 · median $51.76 · 75th $57.77 · 90th $62.01Washington$51.76$25.58$62.01United States: 10th $21.43 · 25th $23.98 · median $30.18 · 75th $39.74 · 90th $52.05United States$30.18
Hourly wage percentiles for ironworkers: Washington vs United States, May 2025.

Washington ranks 3rd of 50 states for median ironworker pay, and 4th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $48.37). 850 ironworkers work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.4× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$25.58 – $38.37$53,210 – $79,810roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$38.37 – $57.77$79,810 – $120,170the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$57.77 – $62.01$120,170 – $128,970the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Ironworker pay by metro in Washington

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrOlympia: $53.61Olympia$53.61Seattle: $53.58Seattle$53.58Portland: $47.17Portland$47.17Bellingham: $41.41Bellingham$41.41Spokane: $39.74Spokane$39.74
Median hourly wage for ironworkers by metro area in Washington, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Olympia$38.37$53.61$51.70$58.74404% above
Seattle$26.31$53.58$48.23$62.264504% above
Portland$29.96$47.17$44.75$59.484109% below
Bellingham$23.59$41.41$40.09$55.225020% below
Spokane$19.28$39.74$39.62$45.8812023% below

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

Ironworker wages in Washington over time

Washington, 1999-2025WashingtonUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$0$20$40$60200020052010201520202025$51.76Washington$30.18United States
Median hourly wage for ironworkers, Washington vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearWashington $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$21.86$42.24$17.19860
2000$22.37$41.82$17.921,460
2001$23.48$42.68$18.721,380
2002$24.20$43.31$19.551,590
2003$24.40$42.69$19.581,880
2004$24.11$41.09$20.402,200
2005$25.13$41.43$19.512,040
2006$26.47$42.27$19.462,100
2007$23.65$36.72$20.262,290
2008$27.72$41.45$20.682,640
2009$29.66$44.51$21.402,070
2010$33.39$49.30$21.421,420
2011$32.09$45.93$21.971,120
2012$29.33$41.13$22.181,030
2013$33.10$45.74$22.361,380
2014$34.80$47.33$23.171,590
2015$40.07$54.43$24.281,420
2016$39.17$52.54$24.911,270
2017$38.41$50.45$25.301,440
2018$40.36$51.75$25.951,490
2019$40.94$51.55$26.461,750
2020$42.74$53.17$26.361,580
2021$43.41$51.58$28.152,540
2022$40.23$44.26$29.092,150
2023$47.38$50.06$30.171,500
2024$50.95$52.29$30.141,140
2025$51.76$51.76$30.18850

In today's dollars, the median ironworker wage in Washington changed by -4.9% over the last ten years of data and by +0.4% since 2019.

Are there more ironworker jobs in Washington?

0.2Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.5× the US share, 43rd of 49 states

BLS counted 850 ironworkers in Washington in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 16%. 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 Washington

-1.7%Projected growth in Washington2024–2034, state agency
130Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
1,720Jobs in 20241,690 projected for 2034
+3.1%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Washington's labor market agency projects the number of ironworkers in the state to change by -1.7% between 2024 and 2034, from 1,720 to 1,690, with about 130 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.1% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 850 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for ironworkers in Washington

On federally funded construction in Washington, contractors must pay ironworkers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 39 of the 39 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $82.83 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $51.76.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, WAAdams: $76.17 (union)Asotin: $76.17 (union)Benton: $76.17 (union)Chelan: $92.46 (union)Clallam: $92.46 (union)Clark: $82.83 (union)Columbia: $76.17 (union)Cowlitz: $92.46 (union)Douglas: $76.17 (union)Ferry: $76.17 (union)Franklin: $76.17 (union)Garfield: $76.17 (union)Grant: $76.17 (union)Grays Harbor: $92.46 (union)Island: $92.46 (union)Jefferson: $92.46 (union)King: $92.46 (union)Kitsap: $92.46 (union)Kittitas: $76.17 (union)Klickitat: $82.83 (union)Lewis: $92.46 (union)Lincoln: $76.17 (union)Mason: $92.46 (union)Okanogan: $76.17 (union)Pacific: $92.46 (union)Pend Oreille: $76.17 (union)Pierce: $92.46 (union)San Juan: $92.46 (union)Skagit: $92.46 (union)Skamania: $82.83 (union)Snohomish: $92.46 (union)Spokane: $76.17 (union)Stevens: $76.17 (union)Thurston: $92.46 (union)Wahkiakum: $82.83 (union)Walla Walla: $76.17 (union)Whatcom: $92.46 (union)Whitman: $76.17 (union)Yakima: $92.46 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr
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)$20$40$60$80$100/hrWhatcom (Bellingham): market median $41.41, prevailing (union) $92.46, gap +$51.05Whatcom (Bellingham)+$51.05Chelan (Washington): market median $51.76, prevailing (union) $92.46, gap +$40.70Chelan (Washington)+$40.70King (Seattle): market median $53.58, prevailing (union) $92.46, gap +$38.88King (Seattle)+$38.88Thurston (Olympia): market median $53.61, prevailing (union) $92.46, gap +$38.85Thurston (Olympia)+$38.85Spokane (Spokane): market median $39.74, prevailing (union) $76.17, gap +$36.43Spokane (Spokane)+$36.43Clark (Portland): market median $47.17, prevailing (union) $82.83, gap +$35.66Clark (Portland)+$35.66
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for ironworkers, metro counties in Washington.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
ChelanUnion IRON0086-006 2025-07-07$57.94$34.52$92.46WA20260103
ClallamUnion IRON0086-003 2025-07-07$57.94$34.52$92.46WA20260022
CowlitzUnion IRON0086-006 2025-07-07$57.94$34.52$92.46WA20260105
Grays HarborUnion IRON0086-003 2025-07-07$57.94$34.52$92.46WA20260027
IslandUnion IRON0086-011 2025-07-07$57.94$34.52$92.46WA20260028
JeffersonUnion IRON0086-003 2025-07-07$57.94$34.52$92.46WA20260029
KingUnion IRON0086-006 2025-07-07$57.94$34.52$92.46WA20260108
KitsapUnion IRON0086-006 2025-07-07$57.94$34.52$92.46WA20260109
LewisUnion IRON0086-003 2025-07-07$57.94$34.52$92.46WA20260032
MasonUnion IRON0086-003 2025-07-07$57.94$34.52$92.46WA20260034
PacificUnion IRON0086-003 2025-07-07$57.94$34.52$92.46WA20260036
PierceUnion IRON0086-006 2025-07-07$57.94$34.52$92.46WA20260111
San JuanUnion IRON0086-011 2025-07-07$57.94$34.52$92.46WA20260038
SkagitUnion IRON0086-006 2025-07-07$57.94$34.52$92.46WA20260112
SnohomishUnion IRON0086-006 2025-07-07$57.94$34.52$92.46WA20260113

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Washington prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Washington?

223.9kConstruction jobsWashington, 2026-09
+0.7%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k250k300k19901995200020052010201520202025224kSep 2026
Construction employment in Washington (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Ironworker pay in neighbouring states

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More on Washington

Questions this page answers

How much do ironworkers make in Washington?

The median ironworker in Washington earned $51.76 an hour ($107,660 a year) in May 2025, 72% above the national median of $30.18. The middle half earn $38.37–$57.77; the top 10% earn more than $62.01.

Where does Washington rank for ironworker pay?

Washington ranks 3rd of 50 states for ironworker pay, with a median of $51.76 an hour, and 4th after adjusting for Washington's cost of living (BEA price parity 107.0, US = 100).

What is the union ironworker rate in Washington?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for ironworkers in 39 counties, with a typical package of $82.83 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many ironworkers work in Washington?

BLS counted 850 ironworkers in Washington in May 2025, 0.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.54; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is ironworker work growing in Washington?

Washington's labor market agency projects -1.7% growth for ironworkers between 2024 and 2034, from 1,720 to 1,690 jobs.

How many ironworker openings a year are there in Washington?

Washington projects about 130 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, Washington 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 2026-11-06. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: Washington labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.