Ironworkers erect the structural steel skeletons of buildings, bridges, and towers — and reinforce concrete with rebar. It's demanding, high-up, high-skill work, well compensated through the union, and you can literally point to skylines you helped raise.
Union apprenticeship. Learning connecting, rigging, welding, and safety while earning.
Advanced structural and welding work. Wage scale rises with hours.
Full union scale. Strong hourly plus benefits; more on high-rise and prevailing-wage jobs.
Leading raising gangs and running structural projects.
Your skills and interests may align with more than one trade. Compare before committing.
Our Salary Compare tool shows Ironworker / Structural Steel wages at every experience level — and compares them against other trades and a 4-year degree path.
Compare Ironworker / Structural Steel Salaries →Registered apprenticeships pay you from day one. The fastest route is straight to the training centers that run them — the Ironworkers local directory list local programs by state, with contact details and how to apply.
Find a local training center → DOL program directoryThe DOL directory lists registered programs to contact — not job openings. Search Ironworker and your state, then call and ask when they accept applications. You can also browse trade schools here.