Skilled Wages

Ironworker salary in Washington

Median $51.76 an hour for 850 structural iron and steel workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$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 2026-09-28

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 structural iron and steel workers: 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 structural iron and steel workers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$25.58 – $38.37$53,210 – $79,810roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$38.37 – $57.77$79,810 – $120,170the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$57.77 – $62.01$120,170 – $128,970the 75th–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 structural iron and steel workers by metro area in Washington, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Olympia$38.37$53.61$58.74404% above
Seattle$26.31$53.58$62.264504% above
Portland$29.96$47.17$59.484109% below
Bellingham$23.59$41.41$55.225020% below
Spokane$19.28$39.74$45.8812023% below

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 structural iron and steel workers, 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.

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 2026-09-28. 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?

223.8kConstruction jobsWashington, 2026-08
-0.2%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k250k300k19901995200020052010201520202025224kAug 2026
Construction employment in Washington (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Ironworker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in 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 structural iron and steel workers in Washington in May 2025, 0.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.54; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

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