Ironworker Salary: United States
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The median annual wage for Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in the United States was $62,780 in May 2025 (BLS). The middle half of workers in this occupation and area earned between $49,880 and $82,660. This is the broader occupation used for Ironworker, not a separately surveyed rate for that title or credential.
Broader occupation Our title "Ironworker" is reported by BLS as SOC 47-2221 Structural Iron and Steel Workers. BLS groups Ironworker within Structural Iron and Steel Workers; it does not publish this niche title or credential level separately.
Annual wages: Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221)
Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221), the United States, annual wages: 10% earned less than $44,580, half earned less than the median of $62,780, 90% earned less than $108,260 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Annual wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $44,580 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $49,880 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $62,780 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $82,660 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $108,260 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $70,280 | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Hourly wages: Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221)
Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221), the United States, hourly wages: 10% earned less than $21.43, half earned less than the median of $30.18, 90% earned less than $52.05 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Hourly wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $21.43 per hour | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $23.98 per hour | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $30.18 per hour | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $39.74 per hour | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $52.05 per hour | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $33.79 per hour | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Employment: BLS estimates 68,380 workers in this occupation nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 47-2221 Structural Iron and Steel Workers, National.
What BLS wages measure. OEWS estimates describe straight-time gross wages, not just base salary and not total compensation. They include commissions and production bonuses. They exclude overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits. Discuss travel, per diem, tool and truck allowances separately. Percentiles describe the occupation's wage distribution, not seniority, plant size, job complexity or credentials. Licensing, union agreements and prevailing-wage obligations depend on the work and assignment; these figures do not establish a premium for them.
Official BLS wage definitions | Source dates and methodology
BLS definitions, verbatim
wages
Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
hours
Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly wages by 2,080 hours; for occupations where hourly wages are not published, annual wages were taken directly from the reported survey data.
Target metros
New York City and Northern New Jersey share the New York-Newark-Jersey City BLS area and one estimate, shown once below.
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th percentile | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $60,270 | $49,830 to $67,760 | 890 | 0.72 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $48,720 | $41,600 to $62,000 | 320 | 0.51 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $48,400 | $41,090 to $61,910 | 310 | 0.49 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | Not published by BLS for this area. North Carolina annual median: $48,740. | |||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $102,060 | $82,160 to $124,640 | 2,300 | 0.55 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $53,600 | $49,080 to $61,720 | 2,850 | 1.6 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $58,030 | $47,790 to $64,830 | 3,000 | 2.07 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $102,350 | $83,630 to $121,760 | 2,120 | 1.07 |
How does Ironworker pay differ by industry?
These are national industry estimates for SOC 47-2221, not local offers or separate estimates for the niche title. Industry names are exactly as BLS publishes them.
| Industry | NAICS | Median | Basis | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | 23 | $63,550 | Annual | 57,020 |
| Construction of Buildings | 236000 | $61,460 | Annual | 13,680 |
| Residential Building Construction | 236100 | $43,860 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | 236200 | $61,930 | Annual | 12,960 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 237000 | $73,470 | Annual | 4,080 |
| Utility System Construction | 237100 | $62,510 | Annual | 2,520 |
| Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction | 237300 | $81,700 | Annual | 1,300 |
| Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 237900 | $78,090 | Annual | 260 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | 238000 | $64,370 | Annual | 39,260 |
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors | 238100 | $63,340 | Annual | 32,390 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | 238200 | $68,330 | Annual | 3,400 |
| Building Finishing Contractors | 238300 | $62,830 | Annual | 980 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors | 238900 | $72,700 | Annual | 2,490 |
| Manufacturing | 31-33 | $59,960 | Annual | 7,080 |
| Textile Product Mills | 314000 | $54,190 | Annual | 40 |
| Other Textile Product Mills | 314900 | $54,190 | Annual | 40 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 327000 | $59,540 | Annual | 440 |
| Primary Metal Manufacturing | 331000 | $48,870 | Annual | 710 |
| Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | 331100 | $50,070 | Annual | 640 |
| Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | 331200 | $36,400 | Annual | 70 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 332000 | $63,190 | Annual | 4,740 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 3320A1 | $64,000 | Annual | 60 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 3320A2 | $63,100 | Annual | 4,690 |
| Machinery Manufacturing | 333000 | $58,190 | Annual | 260 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 3330A1 | $92,470 | Annual | 130 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 336000 | $61,360 | Annual | 530 |
| Ship and Boat Building | 336600 | $61,360 | Annual | 530 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 339000 | $48,350 | Annual | 350 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 339900 | $48,350 | Annual | 350 |
| Rail Transportation | 482000 | $88,380 | Annual | 90 |
| Rail Transportation | 482100 | $88,380 | Annual | 90 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 53 | $52,240 | Annual | 180 |
| Rental and Leasing Services | 532000 | $52,240 | Annual | 180 |
| Rental and Leasing Services (5322, 5323, and 5324 only) | 5320A1 | $52,240 | Annual | 180 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 54 | $49,740 | Annual | 400 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 541000 | $49,740 | Annual | 400 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 541300 | $73,650 | Annual | 120 |
| Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services | 541800 | $44,220 | Annual | 270 |
| Repair and Maintenance | 811000 | $65,230 | Annual | 250 |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | 811300 | $65,230 | Annual | 250 |
Industry estimates are national. Do not combine an industry median with a local percentile to invent an industry-specific local rate.
Which related roles have a different BLS occupation?
A supervisory occupation is not an experience percentile for the craft. Compare the actual responsibilities and the published SOC.
Roofing Foreman (47-1011)Masonry Foreman (47-1011)Glazing Foreman (47-1011)Painting Foreman (47-1011)Drywall Foreman (47-1011)Insulation Foreman (47-1011)Which metros publish the highest and lowest medians?
This ranking uses the May 2025 annual median for Structural Iron and Steel Workers. It is not adjusted for living costs. A metro is a BLS statistical area, not just the city limits. Top-coded or suppressed medians are not ranked.
| Metro | Median | Employment | Location quotient | Trade median / all-occupations median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $120,840 | 1,310 | 1.1 | 1.81 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $116,360 | 70 | 0.62 | 1.83 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $114,570 | 30 | 0.45 | 2.41 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $111,500 | 40 | 0.73 | 1.80 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $111,440 | 450 | 0.49 | 1.53 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $109,440 | 330 | 0.67 | 1.30 |
| Vallejo, CA | $106,900 | 150 | 2.36 | 1.82 |
| Vineland, NJ | $105,370 | 40 | 1.46 | 2.19 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $103,330 | 800 | 0.62 | 1.90 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $102,350 | 2,120 | 1.07 | 1.87 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $46,800 | 90 | 2.39 | 1.03 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $46,660 | 310 | 1.94 | 1.02 |
| Abilene, TX | $45,680 | 80 | 2.36 | 1.03 |
| Waco, TX | $45,590 | 50 | 0.79 | 0.99 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | $45,220 | 40 | 0.88 | 1.14 |
| Tyler, TX | $45,030 | 80 | 1.49 | 1.06 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | $44,760 | 40 | 0.75 | 1.01 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $42,710 | 60 | 0.49 | 1.19 |
| Ocala, FL | $33,770 | 90 | 1.69 | 0.77 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $31,480 | 120 | 0.4 | 1.07 |
The wage ratio is simple arithmetic: this occupation's median divided by the all-occupations median in the same area and unit. It is not a cost-of-living measure. Location quotient describes the concentration of employment, not relative pay. Neither predicts what a particular candidate will accept.
What do these published wages mean for an offer?
Skilled Trades Headhunters reads the May 2025 figures for Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in National (reference for Ironworker) as an offer reference, not a quote for a particular candidate. For Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in National (reference for Ironworker), the published median for SOC 47-2221, Structural Iron and Steel Workers, is $62,780 per year. The middle half of the Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in National (reference for Ironworker) wage distribution runs from $49,880 to $82,660, a width of $32,780 per year; that spread shows how much published pay varies within the occupation and area, without assigning experience levels.
For the national Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) comparison used for Ironworker, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ reports $59,540 per year while Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX reports $58,030 per year; these are the largest-employment metros with published medians for the occupation, rather than neighboring places to a national estimate. The United States Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) reference for Ironworker pools markets with different work scopes and schedules, so use the area table before setting a local offer.
The highest published medians among the selected national industry rows for Structural Iron and Steel Workers, read alongside Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in National (reference for Ironworker), are Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) at $92,470 per year (NAICS 3330A1); Rail Transportation at $88,380 per year (NAICS 482000); Rail Transportation at $88,380 per year (NAICS 482100). Those Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in National (reference for Ironworker) industry comparisons are national cross-sections, not local industry estimates; BLS does not give us a metro-by-industry wage cut here, and overlapping industry groups should not be added together.
The Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in National (reference for Ironworker) median was $62,700 per year in May 2024, compared with $62,780 in May 2025, a published difference of $80. That Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in National (reference for Ironworker) comparison is between separate BLS releases, not the raise paid to the same workers or a projection of next year's offer. Read the $62,700 and $62,780 Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in National (reference for Ironworker) estimates with both dates visible, because the employers and workers represented by the survey can change.
Before using $62,780 per year from Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in National (reference for Ironworker) to calibrate an offer, separate on-call duties, overtime, travel reimbursement, tool replacement and any truck allowance separately; prevailing wage and union requirements must be checked against the actual assignment. The Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in National (reference for Ironworker) BLS comparison measures straight-time gross wages, including commissions and production bonuses, but excludes overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits. A candidate's take-home pay and the employer's total cost for Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in National (reference for Ironworker) can therefore differ from the median without either number being an error.
The mapping for Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in National (reference for Ironworker) is broader: BLS groups Ironworker within Structural Iron and Steel Workers; it does not publish this niche title or credential level separately. For a Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in National (reference for Ironworker) opening, establish the equipment, license requirements and responsibility before deciding which people the pay range should attract. A broader occupation can combine jobs that a Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in National (reference for Ironworker) buyer would screen separately, which is why the badge and SOC remain beside the figures.
Questions about this occupation and area
What does the middle-half band tell a Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in National (reference for Ironworker) buyer?
Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in National (reference for Ironworker) has a published middle-half band of $49,880 to $82,660, a width of $32,780 per year, with median $62,780. An offer inside that Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in National (reference for Ironworker) band is not automatically competitive for every scope; match the required work and the separate pay terms first.
Which areas should I compare before hiring Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in National (reference for Ironworker)?
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ and Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX are the largest-employment comparison markets used for Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in National (reference for Ironworker). Comparing those Structural Iron and Steel Workers tables with the $62,780 Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in National (reference for Ironworker) median does not measure commuting costs or predict what a particular applicant will accept.
Are the industry figures local to Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in National (reference for Ironworker)?
Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in National (reference for Ironworker) uses national industry rows for SOC 47-2221, not local sector-specific wages. Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) leads the selected sortable rows at $92,470 per year, but that national industry figure is not a quoted offer for Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in National (reference for Ironworker).
What changed between the releases for Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in National (reference for Ironworker)?
Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in National (reference for Ironworker) moved from $62,700 in May 2024 to $62,780 in May 2025. These Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) in National (reference for Ironworker) published medians do not describe an individual raise or establish a future wage trend.
What changed since May 2024
SOC 47-2221. Published annual median: $62,700 (May 2024) and $62,780 (May 2025). These are two BLS releases, not a projection.