How much does an ironworker make?
a year · about $30 an hour
A typical ironworker in the United States makes $62,780 a year, about $30 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They read blueprints, prepare steel, and signal crane operators to move beams into place. Then they line up the pieces with levels or lasers and bolt or weld them together, sometimes outdoors or high above the ground.
Did you know? On some skyscraper jobs, ironworkers may have to walk on narrow beams 50 stories or higher.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $44,580 and $108,260How do you become one?
In the United States, many start after high school, often around age 18, in a paid 3- or 4-year apprenticeship; others learn on the job. Classes and site training cover blueprints and safety, while welding, rigging, or crane-signal certificates can help.
School needed: High school plus some training
Good for people who like building and doing and keeping things organized
Why does pay differ?
In the United States, ironworkers with more experience or useful certifications may earn more, and pay can differ by employer and industry. Location, hours worked, and the kind of ironwork someone specializes in can also matter.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Massachusetts ($120,840), lowest in Arkansas ($45,510).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $44,580 | $62,780 | $108,260 | about 68,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $120,840 | about 2,000 |
| New Jersey | $113,220 | about 1,000 |
| Washington | $107,660 | about 850 |
| Illinois | $101,850 | about 3,000 |
| Oregon | $96,050 | about 570 |
Official definition: Raise, place, and unite iron or steel girders, columns, and other structural members to form completed structures or structural frameworks. May erect metal storage tanks and assemble prefabricated metal buildings. Excludes “Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers” (47-2171).
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/structural-iron-and-steel-workers.ht
- www.onetonline.org/link/details/47-2221.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.ironworkers.org/s/do-you-have-what-it-takes
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY