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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023

47-2221 Structural Iron and Steel Workers

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. Excludes “Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers” (47-2171).


National estimates for Structural Iron and Steel Workers
Industry profile for Structural Iron and Steel Workers
Geographic profile for Structural Iron and Steel Workers

National estimates for Structural Iron and Steel Workers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Structural Iron and Steel Workers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
63,780 2.6 % $ 32.80 $ 68,220 1.1 %

Percentile wage estimates for Structural Iron and Steel Workers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 19.48 $ 23.49 $ 30.17 $ 38.48 $ 50.49
Annual Wage (2) $ 40,510 $ 48,860 $ 62,760 $ 80,040 $ 105,010


Industry profile for Structural Iron and Steel Workers:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Structural Iron and Steel Workers are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Structural Iron and Steel Workers, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Structural Iron and Steel Workers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors 32,090 3.28 $ 33.29 $ 69,240
Nonresidential Building Construction 13,210 1.54 $ 29.58 $ 61,530
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) 3,820 0.77 $ 30.87 $ 64,220
Building Equipment Contractors 2,910 0.12 $ 35.13 $ 73,060
Other Specialty Trade Contractors 2,470 0.32 $ 39.11 $ 81,340

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Structural Iron and Steel Workers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors 32,090 3.28 $ 33.29 $ 69,240
Nonresidential Building Construction 13,210 1.54 $ 29.58 $ 61,530
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) 3,820 0.77 $ 30.87 $ 64,220
Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing 490 0.58 $ 34.53 $ 71,830
Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction 1,780 0.48 $ 40.11 $ 83,440

Top paying industries for Structural Iron and Steel Workers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 450 0.01 $ 44.06 $ 91,630
Facilities Support Services (8) (8) $ 40.80 $ 84,870
Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction 1,780 0.48 $ 40.11 $ 83,440
Rail Transportation 130 0.07 $ 39.34 $ 81,830
Other Specialty Trade Contractors 2,470 0.32 $ 39.11 $ 81,340


Geographic profile for Structural Iron and Steel Workers:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Structural Iron and Steel Workers are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Structural Iron and Steel Workers, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of structural iron and steel workers by state, May 2023


States with the highest employment level in Structural Iron and Steel Workers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 8,400 0.62 1.47 $ 24.01 $ 49,940
California 7,730 0.43 1.03 $ 37.44 $ 77,870
New York 3,480 0.37 0.88 $ 44.56 $ 92,670
Illinois 3,180 0.53 1.26 $ 45.56 $ 94,760
Ohio 2,860 0.52 1.24 $ 33.86 $ 70,420


Map of location quotient of structural iron and steel workers by state, May 2023


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Structural Iron and Steel Workers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
South Dakota 820 1.84 4.38 $ 25.10 $ 52,210
Nebraska 920 0.92 2.20 $ 30.01 $ 62,410
Arizona 2,500 0.80 1.90 $ 27.76 $ 57,730
Louisiana 1,360 0.74 1.75 $ 30.89 $ 64,260
Indiana 2,290 0.73 1.73 $ 31.91 $ 66,380


Map of annual mean wages of structural iron and steel workers by state, May 2023


Top paying states for Structural Iron and Steel Workers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New Jersey 920 0.22 0.52 $ 48.88 $ 101,670
Massachusetts (8) (8) (8) $ 46.89 $ 97,520
Illinois 3,180 0.53 1.26 $ 45.56 $ 94,760
New York 3,480 0.37 0.88 $ 44.56 $ 92,670
Washington 1,500 0.43 1.02 $ 44.31 $ 92,160



Map of employment of structural iron and steel workers by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Structural Iron and Steel Workers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 3,220 0.34 0.81 $ 47.26 $ 98,290
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 3,180 1.00 2.38 $ 24.36 $ 50,660
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 2,480 0.55 1.31 $ 46.94 $ 97,630
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,300 0.37 0.89 $ 36.84 $ 76,640
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 2,160 0.94 2.24 $ 28.17 $ 58,600
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,950 0.49 1.17 $ 24.18 $ 50,290
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 1,270 0.41 0.98 $ 32.72 $ 68,050
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 1,110 0.67 1.59 $ 34.46 $ 71,670
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 990 0.47 1.13 $ 46.46 $ 96,640
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 970 0.51 1.21 $ 33.74 $ 70,190


Map of location quotient of structural iron and steel workers by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Structural Iron and Steel Workers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 430 3.09 7.35 $ 40.44 $ 84,110
Sioux Falls, SD 340 2.06 4.89 $ 25.69 $ 53,430
Rapid City, SD 140 1.99 4.74 $ 24.95 $ 51,890
Corpus Christi, TX 340 1.81 4.32 $ 25.02 $ 52,040
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 280 1.80 4.28 $ 28.31 $ 58,880
Billings, MT 130 1.42 3.39 $ 29.80 $ 61,980
Akron, OH 450 1.39 3.32 $ 35.29 $ 73,410
Fargo, ND-MN 200 1.39 3.30 $ 32.19 $ 66,960
Burlington, NC 90 1.37 3.26 $ 23.61 $ 49,100
Toledo, OH 380 1.33 3.16 $ 33.74 $ 70,180


Map of annual mean wages of structural iron and steel workers by area, May 2023


Top paying metropolitan areas for Structural Iron and Steel Workers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Trenton, NJ 60 0.23 0.56 $ 49.60 $ 103,160
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 3,220 0.34 0.81 $ 47.26 $ 98,290
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 2,480 0.55 1.31 $ 46.94 $ 97,630
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH (8) (8) (8) $ 46.81 $ 97,360
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 990 0.47 1.13 $ 46.46 $ 96,640
Olympia-Tumwater, WA 30 0.26 0.61 $ 45.61 $ 94,870
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA 440 0.77 1.82 $ 44.01 $ 91,540
Springfield, MA-CT (8) (8) (8) $ 43.28 $ 90,030
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 770 0.32 0.76 $ 43.04 $ 89,530
Urban Honolulu, HI 70 0.16 0.38 $ 42.75 $ 88,910

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Structural Iron and Steel Workers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 240 1.30 3.10 $ 31.35 $ 65,210
East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 210 1.60 3.81 $ 24.05 $ 50,030
South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 190 1.71 4.08 $ 26.67 $ 55,470
South Illinois nonmetropolitan area 180 2.13 5.06 $ 35.37 $ 73,570
Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 170 0.82 1.95 $ 30.17 $ 62,750

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Structural Iron and Steel Workers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
South Illinois nonmetropolitan area 180 2.13 5.06 $ 35.37 $ 73,570
South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 190 1.71 4.08 $ 26.67 $ 55,470
West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 100 1.64 3.90 $ 25.21 $ 52,430
East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 210 1.60 3.81 $ 24.05 $ 50,030
Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 240 1.30 3.10 $ 31.35 $ 65,210

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Structural Iron and Steel Workers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
South Illinois nonmetropolitan area 180 2.13 5.06 $ 35.37 $ 73,570
East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area 90 0.75 1.79 $ 34.69 $ 72,160
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 150 0.47 1.12 $ 32.37 $ 67,320
Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 40 0.32 0.77 $ 32.05 $ 66,660
Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 40 0.33 0.79 $ 31.88 $ 66,320


About May 2023 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 3, 2024