Career profile · 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.
What the work can involve
- 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.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Preparation and entry routes
This broad O*NET group commonly involves some prior preparation and on-the-job learning. Check the specific employer, occupational credential and state requirements.
Check the route for the specific occupation where you plan to work. Education, employer experience requirements, occupational licensing and industry certification can be separate steps.
Understand the different credentials →Skills used in this occupation
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Active Learning
- Reading Comprehension
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Knowledge to build
- Building and Construction
- Public Safety and Security
- Production and Processing
- Mechanical
- Administration and Management
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Common work activities
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
Working conditions to consider
These are the most common published responses to selected O*NET work-setting questions. They describe occupation-level survey findings, not every employer or a particular job.
| Work-setting question | Most common response | Share giving that response |
|---|---|---|
| Contact With Others | Contact with others most of the time | 40.8%08/2026 · sample 13 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | Every day | 43.0%08/2026 · sample 13 |
| Exposed to Disease or Infections | Never | 96.8%08/2026 · sample 13 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | Every day | 37.0%08/2026 · sample 13 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | Every day | 74.4%08/2026 · sample 13 |
| Work Schedules | Regular (established routine, set schedule) | 77.6%08/2026 · sample 13 |
O*NET 31.0 Work Context, selected topics. Only unsuppressed source responses with sample size at least 10 are shown. A most-common response need not be a majority. Sampling uncertainty applies; source dates vary. Ask employers about actual schedules, accessibility, protective equipment and working conditions.
Software used in the workplace
Use these O*NET examples to ask how a course builds practical digital skills. They are workplace examples, not a required shopping list or confirmation of a school’s curriculum.
- Accounting software: Turtle Creek Software Goldenseal
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook
- Inventory management software: Inventory tracking software
- Project management software: Cost estimating software, Project scheduling software
Selected categories and examples from O*NET 31.0 Software Skills. Products and employer requirements change. These examples are not endorsements; check the complete official occupation profile.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for structural iron and steel workers
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- Apprenticeship
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 50 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $56,640 | $27.23 | 1,740 |
| Alaska | $76,970 | $37.01 | 120 |
| Arizona | $59,390 | $28.55 | 3,980 |
| Arkansas | $45,510 | $21.88 | 1,080 |
| California | $76,370 | $36.72 | 7,110 |
| Colorado | $58,830 | $28.28 | 860 |
| Connecticut | $62,400 | $30.00 | 330 |
| Delaware | $59,820 | $28.76 | 90 |
| District of Columbia | $61,240 | $29.44 | 210 |
| Florida | $55,700 | $26.78 | 2,730 |
| Georgia | $48,090 | $23.12 | 980 |
| Hawaii | $99,860 | $48.01 | 290 |
| Idaho | $72,750 | $34.98 | 500 |
| Illinois | $101,850 | $48.97 | 2,740 |
| Indiana | $70,130 | $33.72 | 2,750 |
| Iowa | $77,400 | $37.21 | Not published |
| Kansas | $58,560 | $28.15 | 260 |
| Kentucky | $64,060 | $30.80 | 990 |
| Louisiana | $68,830 | $33.09 | 1,180 |
| Maine | $61,750 | $29.69 | 200 |
| Maryland | $71,730 | $34.49 | 710 |
| Massachusetts | $120,840 | $58.10 | 2,050 |
| Michigan | $62,830 | $30.21 | 1,750 |
| Minnesota | $95,320 | $45.83 | 910 |
| Mississippi | $50,690 | $24.37 | 480 |
| Missouri | $77,410 | $37.22 | 1,320 |
| Montana | $67,390 | $32.40 | 130 |
| Nebraska | $65,470 | $31.48 | 610 |
| Nevada | $62,510 | $30.05 | 1,400 |
| New Hampshire | $59,920 | $28.81 | 220 |
| New Jersey | $113,220 | $54.43 | 1,060 |
| New York | $92,610 | $44.52 | 2,700 |
| North Carolina | $48,740 | $23.43 | 2,000 |
| North Dakota | $82,120 | $39.48 | 270 |
| Ohio | $74,710 | $35.92 | 2,290 |
| Oklahoma | $47,660 | $22.92 | 1,140 |
| Oregon | $96,050 | $46.18 | 570 |
| Pennsylvania | $82,970 | $39.89 | 1,610 |
| Rhode Island | $98,320 | $47.27 | 360 |
| South Carolina | $50,750 | $24.40 | 660 |
| South Dakota | $57,050 | $27.43 | 440 |
| Tennessee | $56,750 | $27.29 | 1,240 |
| Texas | $52,240 | $25.12 | 9,700 |
| Utah | $58,250 | $28.01 | 1,630 |
| Vermont | $55,640 | $26.75 | 50 |
| Virginia | $60,260 | $28.97 | 2,300 |
| Washington | $107,660 | $51.76 | 850 |
| West Virginia | $71,850 | $34.54 | 150 |
| Wisconsin | $92,820 | $44.63 | 710 |
| Wyoming | $47,480 | $22.83 | 80 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 206 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
Sources and attribution
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 47-2221.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.