Statewide pay Government data
Ironworkers in Louisiana earn a statewide median of $68,830 a year, 8% above the typical U.S. metro, ranking #22 of 49 states and DC. About 1,180 people work in the trade statewide.
Statewide pay range
States ranked near Louisiana
See all states on the ironworker overview.
Pay by city Government data
BLS publishes ironworker pay for 3 Louisiana metros: Baton Rouge, Houma and New Orleans.
| Metro | Median pay | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baton RougeLOUISIANA · LA | $73,470 | $80,932 | 390 |
| New OrleansLOUISIANA · LA | $47,530 | $51,330 | 100 |
| HoumaLOUISIANA · LA | $46,800 | $54,992 | 90 |
Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025 (metro-level). Real pay: BEA price parities, 2024. How we calculate
The job (national)
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.
Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 3.1% from 2025 to 2035, with about 5,900 openings a year. Typical training: apprenticeship.
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.
What the work is like Government data
How often ironworkers deal with each condition, from surveys of workers in the job.
Getting started usually takes some preparation (high school plus months of training).
O*NET 31.0 Work Context and Job Zones (U.S. Department of Labor), national.
Getting started: registered apprenticeship Government data
Most ironworkers train through a paid apprenticeship: you work and earn under experienced pros while taking classes, and pay usually rises as you progress. 727,586 people were active registered apprentices nationwide in FY2026, up 87% since FY2016, and construction is the largest field with 290,043 of them (40%), according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Search apprenticeship openings ↗Find training programs & sponsors ↗
Official U.S. Department of Labor tools at Apprenticeship.gov. Counts: DOL Apprentices by State dashboard, FY2026 (all occupations).
Registered apprenticeships Government data
Of ironworker apprentices in Louisiana who finished or left a registered program in fiscal years 2020–2024, 12% completed (U.S.: 44%), about 5 graduates a year. The typical program runs 6,000 hours, about 3 years of full-time work.
U.S. Department of Labor, RAPIDS apprentice records (Completion Rate Analysis), FY2020–2024 exits.
Licensing in Louisiana Official source
The main state licensing office in Louisiana is the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors. It can point you to the right license for ironworkers.
Official Louisiana licensing site ↗
Requirements for ironworkers vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
Union membership
In 2025, 4.4% of wage and salary workers in Louisiana were union members, below the U.S. rate of about 10% (#43 of 51 states and D.C.), and 5.5% were covered by a union contract. These figures cover all jobs in the state, not only ironworkers.
BLS Union Members, 2025 (Current Population Survey), table 5.
Cities in Louisiana
All trades in Louisiana.