How to become an ironworker
Many ironworkers learn the trade in a three- or four-year apprenticeship; others train on the job with their employer. Structural Iron and Steel Workers earned a median $62,780 a year in May 2025, and BLS projects 3.1% growth in the job count from 2025 to 2035, with about 5,900 openings a year. Typical entry education: high school diploma or equivalent.
The steps
- Finish high school or the equivalent to enter an apprenticeship. A diploma or equivalent is generally required to enter an apprenticeship; workers learning through on-the-job training may not need one. Courses in math and vocational training such as blueprint reading and welding are useful.
BLS wording
“A high school diploma or equivalent is generally required to enter an apprenticeship. Workers learning through on-the-job training may not need a high school diploma or equivalent. Courses in math, as well as training in vocational subjects such as blueprint reading and welding, are useful.”
- Enter an apprenticeship. Many ironworkers learn the trade through a three- or four-year apprenticeship. Sponsors include unions and contractor associations, and nearly all programs teach both reinforcing and structural ironworking. Each year requires at least 144 hours of related technical instruction and 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training.
BLS wording
“Many ironworkers learn their trade through a 3- or 4-year apprenticeship. Sponsors of apprenticeship programs, nearly all of which teach both reinforcing and structural ironworking, include unions and contractor associations. For each year of the program, apprentices must have at least 144 hours of related technical instruction and 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training.”
- Consider welding, rigging or crane signaling certifications. Certifications in welding, rigging and crane signaling may make you more attractive to employers; several organizations provide certifications for different aspects of the work.
BLS wording
“Certifications in welding, rigging, and crane signaling may make ironworkers more attractive to prospective employers. Several organizations provide certifications for different aspects of the work.”
- Work at journey level. Finishing the apprenticeship makes you a journey-level worker who may perform tasks without direct supervision. After gaining experience, ironworkers may advance to supervisor or manager, directing other ironworkers.
BLS wording
“Ironworkers who complete an apprenticeship program are considered journey-level workers and may perform tasks without direct supervision. ... After gaining experience, ironworkers may advance to become a supervisor or a manager, a position in which they have more responsibilities and are tasked with directing other ironworkers.”
Steps follow the Occupational Outlook Handbook: Ironworkers, read 2026-09-23.
How long it takes
Three or four years for the many who train in an apprenticeship, each year with at least 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training; on-the-job training from an employer varies in length.
What it costs
No state license fee is sourced here for ironworkers. The on-the-job training in an apprenticeship is paid.
License requirements by state
Do you need a license? The Handbook names no license for ironworkers; it names certifications in welding, rigging and crane signaling that may make them more attractive to employers. No state licensing records are sourced here for ironworkers; the 50 state pages carry pay and employment.
Apprenticeships
Sponsors include unions and contractor associations; each year requires at least 144 hours of related technical instruction and 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training. The federal Apprenticeship Finder searches apprenticeship openings by occupation and by city, state or ZIP code. Apprenticeship Finder →
BLS wording
“Sponsors of apprenticeship programs, nearly all of which teach both reinforcing and structural ironworking, include unions and contractor associations. For each year of the program, apprentices must have at least 144 hours of related technical instruction and 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training.”
U.S. Department of Labor records list 8,552 registered apprentices active across the 50 states and DC in fiscal year 2024 under the occupation titles DOL maps to structural iron and steel workers; the state pages give each state's count and, where enough apprentices carry a wage DOL counts, the median starting and completing wages (how they are counted). Apprentice counts and wages in every state → · what those wages come to at your hours a week →
What ironworkers earn, by state
Structural Iron and Steel Workers (SOC 47-2221) earned a national median of $62,780 a year in May 2025, $30.18 an hour, with 68,380 employed. Massachusetts paid the most, $120,840, 92% above the national median.
Top five by median annual wage: Massachusetts ($120,840), New Jersey ($113,220), Washington ($107,660), Illinois ($101,850), Hawaii ($99,860). Lowest five: Arkansas ($45,510), Wyoming ($47,480), Oklahoma ($47,660), Georgia ($48,090), North Carolina ($48,740).
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employed | Per 1,000 jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $120,840 | $58.10 | $82,760 | $128,080 | 2,050 | 0.6 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $113,220 | $54.43 | $94,000 | $130,710 | 1,060 | 0.2 |
| 3 | Washington | $107,660 | $51.76 | $53,210 | $128,970 | 850 | 0.2 |
| 4 | Illinois | $101,850 | $48.97 | $64,830 | $124,450 | 2,740 | 0.4 |
| 5 | Hawaii | $99,860 | $48.01 | $53,970 | $121,680 | 290 | 0.5 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $98,320 | $47.27 | $65,500 | $98,330 | 360 | 0.7 |
| 7 | Oregon | $96,050 | $46.18 | $52,630 | $120,860 | 570 | 0.3 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $95,320 | $45.83 | $80,030 | $99,010 | 910 | 0.3 |
| 9 | Wisconsin | $92,820 | $44.63 | $58,150 | $100,160 | 710 | 0.2 |
| 10 | New York | $92,610 | $44.52 | $59,140 | $129,180 | 2,700 | 0.3 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $82,970 | $39.89 | $51,550 | $110,680 | 1,610 | 0.3 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $82,120 | $39.48 | $57,410 | $99,840 | 270 | 0.6 |
| 13 | Missouri | $77,410 | $37.22 | $48,650 | $89,350 | 1,320 | 0.5 |
| 14 | Iowa | $77,400 | $37.21 | $59,120 | $81,240 | not published | not published |
| 15 | Alaska | $76,970 | $37.01 | $65,990 | $99,980 | 120 | 0.4 |
| 16 | California | $76,370 | $36.72 | $47,480 | $118,030 | 7,110 | 0.4 |
| 17 | Ohio | $74,710 | $35.92 | $47,840 | $88,860 | 2,290 | 0.4 |
| 18 | Idaho | $72,750 | $34.98 | $49,780 | $80,140 | 500 | 0.6 |
| 19 | West Virginia | $71,850 | $34.54 | $50,620 | $80,200 | 150 | 0.2 |
| 20 | Maryland | $71,730 | $34.49 | $47,790 | $82,160 | 710 | 0.3 |
| 21 | Indiana | $70,130 | $33.72 | $45,720 | $98,840 | 2,750 | 0.9 |
| 22 | Louisiana | $68,830 | $33.09 | $39,130 | $80,560 | 1,180 | 0.6 |
| 23 | Montana | $67,390 | $32.40 | $47,880 | $75,690 | 130 | 0.3 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $65,470 | $31.48 | $48,160 | $79,040 | 610 | 0.6 |
| 25 | Kentucky | $64,060 | $30.80 | $48,240 | $98,360 | 990 | 0.5 |
| 26 | Michigan | $62,830 | $30.21 | $41,260 | $79,150 | 1,750 | 0.4 |
| 27 | Nevada | $62,510 | $30.05 | $46,560 | $103,770 | 1,400 | 0.9 |
| 28 | Connecticut | $62,400 | $30.00 | $47,810 | $97,760 | 330 | 0.2 |
| 29 | Maine | $61,750 | $29.69 | $45,660 | $86,840 | 200 | 0.3 |
| 30 | District of Columbia | $61,240 | $29.44 | $58,130 | $93,070 | 210 | 0.3 |
| 31 | Virginia | $60,260 | $28.97 | $47,040 | $73,890 | 2,300 | 0.6 |
| 32 | New Hampshire | $59,920 | $28.81 | $48,500 | $73,480 | 220 | 0.3 |
| 33 | Delaware | $59,820 | $28.76 | $50,000 | $72,370 | 90 | 0.2 |
| 34 | Arizona | $59,390 | $28.55 | $46,470 | $92,270 | 3,980 | 1.2 |
| 35 | Colorado | $58,830 | $28.28 | $44,870 | $83,150 | 860 | 0.3 |
| 36 | Kansas | $58,560 | $28.15 | $44,770 | $79,820 | 260 | 0.2 |
| 37 | Utah | $58,250 | $28.01 | $40,190 | $75,200 | 1,630 | 0.9 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $57,050 | $27.43 | $45,380 | $74,800 | 440 | 1.0 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $56,750 | $27.29 | $44,500 | $74,700 | 1,240 | 0.4 |
| 40 | Alabama | $56,640 | $27.23 | $40,660 | $67,700 | 1,740 | 0.8 |
| 41 | Florida | $55,700 | $26.78 | $37,950 | $73,280 | 2,730 | 0.3 |
| 42 | Vermont | $55,640 | $26.75 | $46,450 | $83,630 | 50 | 0.2 |
| 43 | Texas | $52,240 | $25.12 | $42,160 | $77,520 | 9,700 | 0.7 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $50,750 | $24.40 | $34,890 | $66,750 | 660 | 0.3 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $50,690 | $24.37 | $30,700 | $74,520 | 480 | 0.4 |
| 46 | North Carolina | $48,740 | $23.43 | $36,780 | $79,130 | 2,000 | 0.4 |
| 47 | Georgia | $48,090 | $23.12 | $38,370 | $70,680 | 980 | 0.2 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $47,660 | $22.92 | $37,790 | $63,670 | 1,140 | 0.7 |
| 49 | Wyoming | $47,480 | $22.83 | $39,960 | $60,820 | 80 | 0.3 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $45,510 | $21.88 | $32,430 | $61,460 | 1,080 | 0.8 |
No published median for: New Mexico. BLS suppresses estimates that do not meet its publication standards.
"Per 1,000 jobs" is how concentrated the trade is in that state's workforce. A state can pay well and still have few openings; the employment column and this one together say how much of a market there is.
As files: pay by state (CSV) · pay by metro area (CSV) · all files and how to credit them.
Job outlook, 2025 to 2035
BLS projects 3.1% growth in employment from 2025 to 2035 (68,300 to 70,400 jobs) and about 5,900 openings a year over the decade, counting growth and replacement.
| Figure | 2025 | 2035 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | 68,300 | 70,400 | +2,100 (3.1%) |
| Openings a year, average | 5,900 | ||
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent | ||
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program, Table 1.2 Occupational projections, 2025–35, and worker characteristics, 2025, retrieved 2026-10-03. Openings count growth plus the workers who leave the occupation.
Common questions
How long does it take to become an ironworker?
Three or four years for the many who train in an apprenticeship, each year with at least 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training; on-the-job training from an employer varies in length.
How much does it cost to become an ironworker?
No state license fee is sourced here for ironworkers. The on-the-job training in an apprenticeship is paid.
Do you need a license to be an ironworker?
The Handbook names no license for ironworkers; it names certifications in welding, rigging and crane signaling that may make them more attractive to employers.
How much do ironworkers make?
Structural Iron and Steel Workers earned a median $62,780 a year in May 2025 ($30.18 an hour). The 10th to 90th percentile range is $44,580 to $108,260; Massachusetts pays the most at $120,840.
What is the job outlook for ironworkers?
BLS projects 3.1% growth in employment from 2025 to 2035 (68,300 to 70,400 jobs) and about 5,900 openings a year over the decade, counting growth and replacement.
Sources
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Ironworkers, read 2026-09-23: the steps, training length and licensing pattern.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, retrieved 2026-10-03: every wage and employment figure. How the numbers are built.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program, Table 1.2, retrieved 2026-10-03: growth, openings and entry education.