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.
Median pay ranges from $31,480 to $120,840 depending on the metro. Most people train through: apprenticeship. Job growth and openings are national figures.
Nationally, ironworkers have 131 injuries or illnesses serious enough to miss work per 10,000 full-time workers, 1.5× the rate for all jobs (87). The most common cause is being struck by or caught in objects and equipment.
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Highest-paying metros
Best real pay after local prices
What the median buys once each metro's price level is factored in.
Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025 (metro-level). Real pay: BEA price parities, 2024. How we calculate