Structural Iron and Steel Workers Career, Salary and Skills
Structural Iron and Steel Workers have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $62,780 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 68,380. Wage data is published for 213 locations.
Occupation description
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.
O*NET code
47-2221.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
Not recorded
Experience
None
National salary and employment
Median annual
$62,780
Hourly median
$30.18
Employment
68,380
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.50 | 3.00 |
| Operation and Control | 3.50 | 3.12 |
| Coordination | 3.38 | 3.00 |
| Monitoring | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.00 | 2.50 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Active Listening | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Time Management | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Speaking | 2.88 | 2.38 |
Typical tasks
- Verify vertical and horizontal alignment of structural steel members, using plumb bobs, laser equipment, transits, or levels.
- Erect metal or precast concrete components for structures, such as buildings, bridges, dams, towers, storage tanks, fences, or highway guard rails.
- Bolt aligned structural steel members in position for permanent riveting, bolting, or welding into place.
- Assemble or inspect hoisting equipment or rigging, such as cables, pulleys, or hooks, to move heavy equipment or materials.
- Lift steel beams, girders, or columns using cranes or forklifts, or by signaling hoisting equipment operators to lift or position structural steel members.
- Fabricate metal parts, such as steel frames, columns, beams, or girders, according to blueprints or instructions from supervisors.
- Connect columns, beams, and girders with bolts, following blueprints and instructions from supervisors.
- Read specifications or blueprints to determine the locations, quantities, or sizes of materials required.
Technology
- Cost estimating software
- Inventory tracking software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Project scheduling software
- Turtle Creek Software Goldenseal
Structural Iron and Steel Workers salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Structural Iron and Steel Workers Salary in TXMedian $52,240 · Employment 9,700
- Structural Iron and Steel Workers Salary in CAMedian $76,370 · Employment 7,110
- Structural Iron and Steel Workers Salary in AZMedian $59,390 · Employment 3,980
- Structural Iron and Steel Workers Salary in Phoenix, AZMedian $59,540 · Employment 3,470
- Structural Iron and Steel Workers Salary in Houston, TXMedian $58,030 · Employment 3,000
- Structural Iron and Steel Workers Salary in Dallas, TXMedian $53,600 · Employment 2,850
- Structural Iron and Steel Workers Salary in INMedian $70,130 · Employment 2,750
- Structural Iron and Steel Workers Salary in ILMedian $101,850 · Employment 2,740
- Structural Iron and Steel Workers Salary in FLMedian $55,700 · Employment 2,730
- Structural Iron and Steel Workers Salary in NYMedian $92,610 · Employment 2,700
- Structural Iron and Steel Workers Salary in New York, NYMedian $102,060 · Employment 2,300
- Structural Iron and Steel Workers Salary in VAMedian $60,260 · Employment 2,300
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Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.