Construction and extraction
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.
Median pay
$62,780
Growth to 2035
+3%
about as fast as average
Openings a year
5,900
Time to qualify*
4 years
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Structural iron and steel workers
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Apprenticeship
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Structural iron and steel workers: 34% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Read specifications or blueprints to determine the locations, quantities, or sizes of materials required.
- 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.
Also called: Field Iron Worker · Iron Worker · Ironworker · Steel Erector · Steel Fabricator · Steel Worker · Structural Erector · Structural Steel Erector
Outlook and AI
Structural iron and steel workers held 68,300 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 70,400 by 2035 (+3%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
- Structural iron and steel workers vs. Reinforcing iron and rebar workers
- Structural iron and steel workers vs. Structural metal fabricators and fitters
- Structural iron and steel workers vs. Sheet metal worker
- Structural iron and steel workers vs. Carpenter
- Structural iron and steel workers vs. Millwright
- Structural iron and steel workers vs. Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers
- Structural iron and steel workers vs. Drywall and ceiling tile installers
- Structural iron and steel workers vs. Layout workers, metal and plastic
- Structural iron and steel workers vs. Boilermaker
- Structural iron and steel workers vs. Construction laborer