Skilled Wages

Ironworker salary in Wisconsin

Median $44.63 an hour for 710 ironworkers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$44.63/hrMedian hourly wageWisconsin, May data
$92,820/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$27.96 – $48.1610th to 90th percentilehourly range
710Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-13

Ironworker pay in Wisconsin: the full range

Wage percentiles, WisconsinMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrWisconsin: 10th $27.96 · 25th $36.00 · median $44.63 · 75th $46.08 · 90th $48.16Wisconsin$44.63$27.96$48.16United States: 10th $21.43 · 25th $23.98 · median $30.18 · 75th $39.74 · 90th $52.05United States$30.18
Hourly wage percentiles for ironworkers: Wisconsin vs United States, May 2025.

Wisconsin ranks 9th of 50 states for median ironworker pay, and 5th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $47.43). 710 ironworkers work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.7× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$27.96 – $36.00$58,150 – $74,880roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$36.00 – $46.08$74,880 – $95,840the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$46.08 – $48.16$95,840 – $100,160the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Ironworker pay by metro in Wisconsin

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrLa Crosse: $48.16La Crosse$48.16Minneapolis: $47.03Minneapolis$47.03Milwaukee: $46.02Milwaukee$46.02Appleton: $45.17Appleton$45.17Madison: $44.45Madison$44.45
Median hourly wage for ironworkers by metro area in Wisconsin, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
La Crosse$42.00$48.16$52.46$48.16408% above
Minneapolis$39.32$47.03$44.88$47.677505% above
Milwaukee$28.81$46.02$47.49$47.852403% above
Appleton$29.18$45.17$48.89$45.17801% above
Madison$28.45$44.45$45.68$50.5070about the same as

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

Ironworker wages in Wisconsin over time

Wisconsin, 1999-2025WisconsinUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40$50200020052010201520202025$44.63Wisconsin$30.18United States
Median hourly wage for ironworkers, Wisconsin vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearWisconsin $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$15.66$30.26$17.192,120
2000$24.74$46.25$17.921,450
2001$24.10$43.81$18.721,640
2002$25.15$45.01$19.551,300
2003$22.86$40.00$19.581,310
2004$23.82$40.60$20.401,550
2005$22.66$37.35$19.511,760
2006$23.95$38.25$19.461,360
2007$27.04$41.99$20.261,370
2008$27.48$41.09$20.68940
2009$28.98$43.49$21.40980
2010$24.82$36.64$21.42720
2011$27.86$39.87$21.97640
2012$29.20$40.95$22.18710
2013$29.35$40.56$22.36570
2014$31.73$43.15$23.17670
2015$32.50$44.15$24.281,070
2016$32.72$43.89$24.911,330
2017$32.79$43.07$25.301,410
2018$29.06$37.26$25.951,160
2019$31.06$39.11$26.461,020
2020$33.00$41.05$26.36940
2021$36.11$42.90$28.151,160
2022$38.51$42.36$29.09970
2023$40.86$43.17$30.17610
2024$44.19$45.35$30.14710
2025$44.63$44.63$30.18710

In today's dollars, the median ironworker wage in Wisconsin changed by +1.1% over the last ten years of data and by +14.1% since 2019.

Are there more ironworker jobs in Wisconsin?

0.2Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.6× the US share, 42nd of 49 states

BLS counted 710 ironworkers in Wisconsin in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 11%. 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 Wisconsin

+10.3%Projected growth in Wisconsin2024–2034, state agency
60Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
720Jobs in 2024790 projected for 2034
+3.1%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Wisconsin's labor market agency projects the number of ironworkers in the state to change by +10.3% between 2024 and 2034, from 720 to 790, with about 60 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.1% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 710 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for ironworkers in Wisconsin

On federally funded construction in Wisconsin, contractors must pay ironworkers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 72 of the 72 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $98.39 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $44.63.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, WIAdams: $98.39 (union)Ashland: $98.39 (union)Barron: $98.39 (union)Bayfield: $98.39 (union)Brown: $78.33 (union)Buffalo: $98.39 (union)Burnett: $98.39 (union)Calumet: $78.33 (union)Chippewa: $83.21 (union)Clark: $98.39 (union)Columbia: $98.39 (union)Crawford: $98.39 (union)Dane: $76.66 (union)Dodge: $98.39 (union)Door: $98.39 (union)Douglas: $79.75 (union)Dunn: $98.39 (union)Eau Claire: $83.21 (union)Florence: $98.39 (union)Fond du Lac: $98.39 (union)Forest: $98.39 (union)Grant: $98.39 (union)Green: $98.39 (union)Green Lake: $98.39 (union)Iowa: $98.39 (union)Iron: $98.39 (union)Jackson: $98.39 (union)Jefferson: $98.39 (union)Juneau: $98.39 (union)Kenosha: $81.19 (union)Kewaunee: $98.39 (union)La Crosse: $76.66 (union)Lafayette: $98.39 (union)Langlade: $98.39 (union)Lincoln: $98.39 (union)Manitowoc: $98.39 (union)Marathon: $76.66 (union)Marinette: $98.39 (union)Marquette: $98.39 (union)Menominee: $98.39 (union)Milwaukee: $81.19 (union)Monroe: $98.39 (union)Oconto: $98.39 (union)Oneida: $98.39 (union)Outagamie: $78.33 (union)Ozaukee: $81.19 (union)Pepin: $98.39 (union)Pierce: $83.21 (union)Polk: $98.39 (union)Portage: $98.39 (union)Price: $98.39 (union)Racine: $81.19 (union)Richland: $98.39 (union)Rock: $98.39 (union)Rusk: $98.39 (union)St. Croix: $83.21 (union)Sauk: $98.39 (union)Sawyer: $98.39 (union)Shawano: $98.39 (union)Sheboygan: $78.33 (union)Taylor: $98.39 (union)Trempealeau: $98.39 (union)Vernon: $98.39 (union)Vilas: $98.39 (union)Walworth: $98.39 (union)Washburn: $98.39 (union)Washington: $81.19 (union)Waukesha: $81.19 (union)Waupaca: $98.39 (union)Waushara: $98.39 (union)Winnebago: $78.33 (union)Wood: $98.39 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$81.59
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)$40$60$80$100$120/hrColumbia (Madison): market median $44.45, prevailing (union) $98.39, gap +$53.94Columbia (Madison)+$53.94Fond du Lac (Wisconsin): market median $44.63, prevailing (union) $98.39, gap +$53.76Fond du Lac (Wisconsin)+$53.76Vernon (La Crosse): market median $48.16, prevailing (union) $98.39, gap +$50.23Vernon (La Crosse)+$50.23Pierce (Minneapolis): market median $47.03, prevailing (union) $83.21, gap +$36.18Pierce (Minneapolis)+$36.18Milwaukee (Milwaukee): market median $46.02, prevailing (union) $81.19, gap +$35.17Milwaukee (Milwaukee)+$35.17Calumet (Appleton): market median $45.17, prevailing (union) $78.33, gap +$33.16Calumet (Appleton)+$33.16
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for ironworkers, metro counties in Wisconsin.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AdamsUnion IRON0498-007 2025-06-01$48.74$49.65$98.39WI20260011
AshlandUnion IRON0498-007 2025-06-01$48.74$49.65$98.39WI20260011
BarronUnion IRON0498-007 2025-06-01$48.74$49.65$98.39WI20260011
BayfieldUnion IRON0498-007 2025-06-01$48.74$49.65$98.39WI20260011
BuffaloUnion IRON0498-007 2025-06-01$48.74$49.65$98.39WI20260011
BurnettUnion IRON0498-007 2025-06-01$48.74$49.65$98.39WI20260011
ClarkUnion IRON0498-007 2025-06-01$48.74$49.65$98.39WI20260011
ColumbiaUnion IRON0498-007 2025-06-01$48.74$49.65$98.39WI20260011
CrawfordUnion IRON0498-007 2025-06-01$48.74$49.65$98.39WI20260011
DodgeUnion IRON0498-007 2025-06-01$48.74$49.65$98.39WI20260011
DoorUnion IRON0498-007 2025-06-01$48.74$49.65$98.39WI20260011
DunnUnion IRON0498-007 2025-06-01$48.74$49.65$98.39WI20260011
FlorenceUnion IRON0498-007 2025-06-01$48.74$49.65$98.39WI20260011
Fond du LacUnion IRON0498-007 2025-06-01$48.74$49.65$98.39WI20260011
ForestUnion IRON0498-007 2025-06-01$48.74$49.65$98.39WI20260011

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Wisconsin prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Wisconsin?

160.1kConstruction jobsWisconsin, 2026-09
+5.0%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025160kSep 2026
Construction employment in Wisconsin (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Ironworker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Wisconsin

More on Wisconsin

Questions this page answers

How much do ironworkers make in Wisconsin?

The median ironworker in Wisconsin earned $44.63 an hour ($92,820 a year) in May 2025, 48% above the national median of $30.18. The middle half earn $36.00–$46.08; the top 10% earn more than $48.16.

Where does Wisconsin rank for ironworker pay?

Wisconsin ranks 9th of 50 states for ironworker pay, with a median of $44.63 an hour, and 5th after adjusting for Wisconsin's cost of living (BEA price parity 94.1, US = 100).

What is the union ironworker rate in Wisconsin?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for ironworkers in 72 counties, with a typical package of $98.39 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many ironworkers work in Wisconsin?

BLS counted 710 ironworkers in Wisconsin in May 2025, 0.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.55; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is ironworker work growing in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin's labor market agency projects +10.3% growth for ironworkers between 2024 and 2034, from 720 to 790 jobs.

How many ironworker openings a year are there in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin projects about 60 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, Wisconsin 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: Wisconsin labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.