Structural Iron and Steel Workers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for structural iron and steel workers in the U.S. is $62,780 ($30.18 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $62,780
- Mean annual wage
- $70,280
- Median hourly wage
- $30.18
- Employment
- 68,380
68,380 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $44,580 | $21.43 |
| 25th percentile | $49,880 | $23.98 |
| Median (50th) | $62,780 | $30.18 |
| 75th percentile | $82,660 | $39.74 |
| 90th percentile | $108,260 | $52.05 |
Highest-paying states for structural iron and steel workers
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $120,840 | 2,050 |
| New Jersey | $113,220 | 1,060 |
| Washington | $107,660 | 850 |
| Illinois | $101,850 | 2,740 |
| Hawaii | $99,860 | 290 |
| Rhode Island | $98,320 | 360 |
| Oregon | $96,050 | 570 |
| Minnesota | $95,320 | 910 |
| Wisconsin | $92,820 | 710 |
| New York | $92,610 | 2,700 |
Lowest-paying states
- Arkansas: $45,510 median annual wage
- Wyoming: $47,480 median annual wage
- Oklahoma: $47,660 median annual wage
- Georgia: $48,090 median annual wage
- North Carolina: $48,740 median annual wage
About this occupation
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.
Typical tasks
- Fabricate metal parts, such as steel frames, columns, beams, or girders, according to blueprints or instructions from supervisors.
- Erect metal or precast concrete components for structures, such as buildings, bridges, dams, towers, storage tanks, fences, or highway guard rails.
- Connect columns, beams, and girders with bolts, following blueprints and instructions from supervisors.
- Dismantle structures or equipment.
- Hold rivets while riveters use air hammers to form heads on rivets.
- Cut, bend, or weld steel pieces, using metal shears, torches, or welding equipment.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 9.5% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 48.4% |
| Some college, no degree | 27.0% |
| Associate's degree | 11.1% |
| Bachelor's degree | 3.8% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.1% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Construction Laborers$47,120
- First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$79,920
- Electricians$63,190
- Carpenters$60,580
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$59,850
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$63,800
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance$49,400
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$57,020
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.