Structural & reinforcing
Ironworker
Walking steel at altitude for very good money.
Typical pay
$50k-$110k
How you get in
3-4 year paid apprenticeship
Outlook
Steady; tied to commercial construction cycles
Average openings
46/100Fewer openings per worker than the average job, and the field is growing.
JobPOVs index, calculated from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025-2035 for Structural iron and steel workers. It measures how many openings arise each year relative to the size of the field — not how many people apply. BLS does not publish a saturation figure.
Ironworkers erect and connect the structural steel and rebar that hold buildings and bridges together. Structural work is done at height on open steel, which is exactly why it pays what it does.
A day in the life
6:00a – 3:30p · 9 hours 30 min
- 6:00aSafety meeting, check rigging and fall gear
- 6:30aRig the first pick, signal the crane
- 9:00aConnect beams — bolt up and plumb the steel
- 11:30aLunch on the deck
- 12:30pWeld and torque connections
- 3:30pSecure loose material before the wind picks up
How to get in
Union apprenticeship
Duration
3-4 years
Cost
$0 — paid while you train
Credential
Journeyman ironworker
- Apply to an Iron Workers local when applications open
- Pass the aptitude test, interview and physical requirements
- Work full time while attending classes; rotate through structural, reinforcing and rigging
- Finish with a journeyman card, pension and portable benefits
Rebar and non-union entry
Duration
1-3 years
Cost
$0
Credential
OSHA and rigging certifications
- Get hired tying rebar with a non-union contractor — the easiest entry point
- Learn rigging, signaling and layout
- Add welding and crane signal certifications
- Move to structural work or apply to a union local with experience
Certified welder into ironwork
Duration
1-2 years
Cost
$0-$5,000
Credential
AWS structural welding certification
- Get AWS certified in structural welding positions
- Enter as a welder on steel erection crews
- Learn connecting and rigging on the job
- Welder-connectors are among the highest-paid people on the site
What people love
- · Excellent union pay and pension
- · Paid apprenticeship with no debt
- · Visible, permanent landmark work
- · Travel work pays a substantial premium
What wears people down
- · Working at height with genuine fall risk
- · Weather exposure in every season
- · Layoffs between projects are normal
- · Hard on the body over a full career