Structural iron and steel workers: pay, training and the programs that lead there

Construction trades · SOC 47-2221

How you get in

Usually learned through a paid apprenticeship: you earn a wage while you train.

1. High school diploma or equivalent
2. Apprenticeship
3. Work in: structural iron and steel workers

Programs that lead to this job

These are the federal program codes (CIP) that the Department of Education maps to this occupation, and how many US colleges, community colleges or trade schools report awarding credentials in each.

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Common questions

How long does the training take?

Typically no schooling after high school, then a paid apprenticeship, usually three to five years. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.

How much do structural iron and steel workers make?

The US median is $62,780 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.

Do you need a degree for this work?

No. Most people train through a paid apprenticeship and earn while they learn.

Pay and growth are national figures. What you earn depends on where you work, your employer and your experience, and these are projections rather than promises. Education requirements describe how most people enter the job, not a rule — plenty of people take another route.

Pay, growth, openings and entry requirements: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Program-to-occupation mapping: NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk (2020/2018). School counts: IPEDS completions, 2022–23.

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