How Much Does a Ironworker Make? (2024)
Structural · SOC Code 47-2171 · 4-year apprenticeship
The average ironworker earns $70,146 per year ($34/hour) as of 2024, according to BLS data. Yearly income ranges from $45,610 to $117,110 depending on city, with entry-level workers earning about $56,020 and top earners making $118,980+.
Yes — top-decile ironworkers clear $100K in 7 of 20 metros
The 90th-percentile ironworker in Seattle, WA earns $118,980 per year ($57/hour). Reaching that tier typically takes journeyman-to-master progression plus union membership, specialization, or running a small contracting business. Median ironworker pay nationally is $70,146 — the $100K mark is the high-earner ceiling, not the middle.
National Salary Range
Ironworker salaries range from $45,610 to $117,110 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Ironworker Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | $117,110 | $56,020 – $118,980 | $78,597 | C | 160 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $99,570 | $47,160 – $100,720 | $95,740 | C | 310 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $95,160 | $55,450 – $95,160 | $99,125 | C | 60 |
| Portland, OR | $93,280 | $82,090 – $106,340 | $71,754 | C | 390 |
| Chicago, IL | $93,190 | $69,700 – $141,200 | $87,093 | C | 80 |
| New York, NY | $92,980 | $53,290 – $98,800 | $49,722 | D | 880 |
| Nashville, TN | $85,340 | $48,150 – $85,370 | $82,854 | C | 0 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $67,010 | $52,160 – $72,560 | $65,058 | C | 0 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $64,480 | $45,080 – $109,770 | $38,843 | D | 350 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $63,630 | $41,140 – $72,580 | $55,330 | D | 90 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $62,980 | $49,150 – $73,860 | $69,209 | C | 60 |
| Denver, CO | $58,710 | $47,470 – $71,240 | $45,867 | D | 240 |
| San Francisco, CA | $58,700 | $49,090 – $112,020 | $30,895 | F | 130 |
| Charlotte, NC | $55,220 | $43,820 – $59,800 | $56,347 | C | 50 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $53,290 | $43,900 – $66,130 | $51,240 | D | 150 |
| Houston, TX | $50,610 | $36,460 – $64,960 | $52,719 | D | 1,330 |
| Dallas, TX | $49,300 | $37,560 – $60,910 | $48,333 | D | 1,070 |
| San Antonio, TX | $48,410 | $34,880 – $57,470 | $53,789 | D | 170 |
| Atlanta, GA | $48,340 | $35,290 – $107,320 | $45,604 | D | 120 |
| Miami, FL | $45,610 | $41,340 – $51,640 | $37,385 | D | 190 |
About Ironworker Pay
Ironworkers earn a national median salary of $70,146 based on 2024 BLS occupational wage data. The highest-paying city for this trade is Seattle at $117,110 median, while Miami offers the lowest at $45,610.
Becoming a ironworker typically requires a 4-year apprenticeship program. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) can expect around $56,020, while master-level tradespeople (90th percentile) earn $118,980 or more. With 4% wage growth over the past 5 years, this trade is growing at a steady pace.
See how this compares to other trades on our highest paying trades ranking, or browse the best cities for trade workers.
Thinking about becoming a ironworker?
Step-by-step path: 4-year apprenticeship, certifications, state licensing, and apprentice-to-master pay timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
The highest-paying ironworker jobs are in Seattle, WA, where the 90th percentile reaches $118,980 and the median is $117,110. The pay-driving specialties tend to be structural steel erection and similar high-skill roles — workers who layer certifications and union membership on top of journeyman experience typically reach the 90th percentile within 10-15 years of entering the trade.
Yes — top-decile ironworkers clear $100K in 7 of the 20 metros tracked. The 90th-percentile ironworker in Seattle earns $118,980, well above six figures. Reaching that tier typically takes journeyman-to-master progression, plus union membership, specialization (industrial, commercial, or licensed-master tier), or running a small contracting business.
Ironworker work is physically demanding and can be stressful, especially under deadline pressure or in unsafe conditions. Ironworkers work outdoors at construction sites, often at extreme heights on steel beams and scaffolding. One of the most physically dangerous trades, high injury and fatality rates. The trade rewards problem-solving, attention to detail, and the ability to work safely with tools and equipment. Most ironworkers say the difficulty drops sharply once they finish their apprenticeship and gain field experience.
Ironworker pay varies by metro. The lowest-paying tracked city for ironworkers pays $45,610 median, while the highest-paying pays $117,110 — see the city table above for any specific metro.
The average ironworker salary is $70,146 per year ($34/hour) based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Average yearly income ranges from $45,610 to $117,110 depending on city, experience, and union status.
Ironworkers earn an average hourly wage of $34/hour based on a 2,080-hour work year. Entry-level (10th percentile) hourly pay is about $27/hour, while top earners (90th percentile) make $57/hour or more.
Seattle offers the highest median pay for ironworkers at $117,110. However, cost of living matters, the COL-adjusted pay may tell a different story. Check our city-by-city breakdown above.
With a Trade Pay Score of C and 4% wage growth over 5 years, ironworker offers steady career prospects. There are approximately 5,830 jobs nationwide across 20 metro areas.
Becoming a ironworker typically requires a 4-year apprenticeship program combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Entry-level pay starts around $56,020 (10th percentile).
Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024. Trade Pay Scores are a composite of median wage vs. metro income, wage growth, job demand, and COL-adjusted pay.
The this entity record above pulls directly from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. What follows is the per-entity context — how this entity sits in the broader U.S. skilled-trade wage data distribution and which underlying factors drive the headline numbers.
The methodology behind every numeric value on this page is publicly documented on the the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey portal and described in detail on this site’s methodology page. Refresh cadence varies by underlying series; the page surfaces the as-of date for each number so readers can trace any figure back to the source release.
For readers using this page as a decision input, the related-entity pages elsewhere on the site provide the comparison set. The most useful comparison for this entity is typically a peer within U.S. trades, cities, and states with similar size, similar exposure, or similar geography — not the national-level summary alone.