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Structural Ironworker Salary in the United States

How much does a Structural Ironworker make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Structural Ironworker in the United States is $52,925 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $25.

However, a Structural Ironworker's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $61,205
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $47,700 to $57,259
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $42,943

Key Factors That Influence Structural Ironworker Salaries

A Structural Ironworker's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Structural Ironworker Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Structural Ironworker's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $51,989
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $52,925
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $54,348
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $54,542
  • Expert (over 8 years): $54,866
Levels Salary
Entry Level Structural Ironworker$51,989
Intermediate Level Structural Ironworker$52,925
Senior Level Structural Ironworker$54,348
Specialist Level Structural Ironworker$54,542
Expert Level Structural Ironworker$54,866

Top Paying Cities for Structural Ironworker

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $66,754
  • San Francisco: $66,023
  • Oakland: $64,632

What Skills Can Increase a Structural Ironworker's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Alignment (Mentioned in 11.19% Job Postings): Ensuring one’s own behavior and the behavior of others is consistent with the strategies, priorities, and goals of our business.
  • Carpentry (Mentioned in 1.61% Job Postings): Carpentry is a skilled trade and a craft in which the primary work performed is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings, ships, timber bridges, concrete formwork, etc. Carpenters traditionally worked with natural wood and did the rougher work such as framing, but today many other materials are also used and sometimes the finer trades of cabinetmaking and furniture building are considered carpentry. In the United States, 98.5% of carpenters are male, and it was the fourth most male-dominated occupation in the country in 1999. In 2006 in the United States, there were about 1.5 million carpentry positions. Carpenters are usually the first tradesmen on a job and the last to leave. Carpenters normally framed post-and-beam buildings until the end of the 19th century; now this old fashioned carpentry is called timber framing. Carpenters learn this trade by being employed through an apprenticeship training—normally 4 years—and qualify by successfully completing that country's competence test in places such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia and South Africa. It is also common that the skill can be learned by gaining work experience other than a formal training program, which may be the case in many places.
  • Renewable Energy (Mentioned in 1.4% Job Postings): Using renewable energy sources for more sustainable business operations to drive environmental risk and cost reduction.
Skills Demand Percentage
Alignment 11.19%
Carpentry 1.61%
Renewable Energy 1.4%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Structural Ironworker's salary.

  • Sense Of Urgency: Can increase your salary by up to 17%.
  • Project Management: Can increase your salary by up to 15%.
  • Initiative: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Sense Of Urgency $61,922
17%
Project Management $60,864
15%
Initiative $59,276
12%

Structural Ironworker Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Structural Ironworker salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $56,670. While startup companies pay approximate $47,890.

Structural Ironworker Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $47,890
Growth Stage 51~500 $50,660
Established 501~5000 $54,716
Enterprise 5000+ $56,670

How Education impacts an Structural Ironworker's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Structural Ironworker enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Structural Ironworker with a Bachelor's Degree is between $48,680 and $50,751.

Structural Ironworker Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Structural Ironworker
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 12.5%
High School 75.0%
Associates 8.3%
Bachelors 4.2%
Masters 0.0%
Doctorate 0.0%

Structural Ironworker Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Structural Ironworker's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026
$47,700
Average $52,925/year
$57,259
$3,975
Average $4,410/month
$4,772
$917
Average $1,018/week
$1,101
$23
Average $25/hour
$28
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $57,259 $4,772 $1,101 $28
Average $52,925 $4,410 $1,018 $25
25th Percentile $47,700 $3,975 $917 $23

Structural Ironworker Salary Growth & Career Path

For a Structural Ironworker, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Structural Ironworker, Sr. role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $58,599 - a projected growth of 11% over your current level.

Most common benefits for Structural Ironworker

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Structural Ironworker

Here are companies hiring for Structural Ironworker and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Structural Ironworker

1. Where can a Structural Ironworker earn the most?

A Structural Ironworker's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Structural Ironworker earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Structural Ironworker is $66,754.

2. What is the highest pay for Structural Ironworker?

The highest pay for Structural Ironworker is $61,205.

3. What is the lowest pay for Structural Ironworker?

The lowest pay for Structural Ironworker is $42,943.

4. What are the responsibilities of Structural Ironworker?

Installs girders and columns to provide a structural framework. May fabricate and assemble iron and steel materials. Ensures proper placement and alignment according to blueprints and instructions. Requires a high school diploma or equivalent. Typically reports to a supervisor. Works under moderate supervision. Gaining or has attained full proficiency in a specific area of discipline. Typically requires 1-3 years of related experience.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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