Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2024
Ironworker Salary in Milwaukee
2024 BLS OEWS Data · Structural · COL Index: 96
Ironworkers in Milwaukee, WI earn a median annual wage of $95,160 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 10th percentile at $55,450 and the 90th at $95,160. After cost of living, that translates to $99,125 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Trade Pay Score: C (67/100).
What Ironworkers Take Home in Milwaukee
The $39,710 spread between entry-level and top-decile ironworkers in Milwaukee is relatively narrow — about 42% of the median. That tight band usually signals a trade where pay scales primarily with experience rather than employer or specialization. New entrants can expect to climb steadily toward median pay over their first 5-10 years.
Milwaukee's cost-of-living index of 96 is within a few points of the U.S. average, so the $95,160 median for ironworkers here translates almost directly into real purchasing power — roughly $99,125 in U.S.-average terms. What you see is what you take home, with no significant adjustment up or down.
With a Trade Pay Score of 67 (C), ironworkers in Milwaukee are mid-tier — neither standout strong nor materially weak. The combination earns a reasonable nominal wage but is dragged down by either flatter wage growth, a higher cost of living that erodes purchasing power, or thinner employment depth. Workers should compare the per-trade pages to see if a different metro improves the grade.
Salary Distribution
Percentile Breakdown
| Level | Salary | COL-Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (Apprentice / Entry) | $55,450 | $57,760 |
| 25th Percentile (Early Career) | $71,400 | $74,375 |
| 50th Percentile (Journeyman / Median) | $95,160 | $99,125 |
| 75th Percentile (Experienced) | $95,160 | $99,125 |
| 90th Percentile (Master / Foreman) | $95,160 | $99,125 |
How These Numbers Are Calculated
Every wage figure here comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — a survey of about 1.2 million employers per release covering more than 800 occupations and every U.S. metropolitan statistical area. The Trade Pay Score combines raw median pay (30%), 5-year wage growth (25%), employment depth (25%), and cost-of-living-adjusted purchasing power (20%) into a single 0-100 grade. Read the full methodology.
Career outlook detail — projected 2032 employment levels for ironworkers, typical entry-level requirements, on-the-job training expectations — comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at bls.gov/ooh. Apprenticeship programs in Milwaukee are listed at apprenticeship.gov. All three are public-domain federal data sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Ironworker make in Milwaukee?
Per 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data, the median ironworker salary in Milwaukee, WI is $95,160. The 10th percentile is $55,450 (typical for entry-level or apprentice-tier positions); the 90th percentile reaches $95,160 (master, foreman, or specialty roles).
How does Milwaukee pay compare for Ironworkers?
With a Trade Pay Score of 67/100 and a grade of C, the Milwaukee-Ironworker pairing is a mid-tier combination that is neither standout strong nor materially weak.
What is the apprenticeship path for Ironworkers in Milwaukee?
Ironworkers typically complete a 4-year registered apprenticeship before reaching journeyman pay, starting around the 10th percentile ($55,450) and progressing toward the median. Registered apprenticeship programs in the area are listed at https://www.apprenticeship.gov/.
How does cost of living affect Ironworker pay in Milwaukee?
Milwaukee has a cost-of-living index of 96. The median ironworker salary of $95,160 translates to $99,125 in U.S.-average purchasing power — an upward adjustment because the metro is less expensive than average.
Where does this salary data come from?
Every wage figure on this page is a real BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics median or percentile from the 2024 release at https://www.bls.gov/oes/, which surveys roughly 1.2 million U.S. employers per release. Career outlook context (projected employment growth through 2032) comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/. Both are public-domain U.S. government data sources.
Ironworkers in Milwaukee, WI earn a median annual wage of $95,160 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 10th percentile at $55,450 and the 90th at $95,160. After cost of living, that translates to $99,125 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Trade Pay Score: C (67/100).
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.