← Back to all jobs
Ironworker
Skilled TradesYou're the person who assembles the steel skeleton of every building, bridge, and skyscraper before anyone else shows up. You'll walk on beams 40 stories up, connect steel with bolts and welds, and develop a relationship with heights that therapists would find concerning. It's dangerous, physical, and pays well because not many people are willing to do it.
Salary Range
Low
$40k
Median
$60k
High
$95k
10-Year Growth
average
US Workers
93K
Education
Apprenticeship (3-4 years) through the Ironworkers union
Environment
outdoor
Tools & Technical Skills
- ▸Structural steel erection and bolting
- ▸Welding (SMAW, GMAW, FCAW) and cutting (oxy-fuel, plasma)
- ▸Crane signaling and rigging
- ▸Blueprint reading for structural plans
- ▸Rebar tying and placement
- ▸OSHA fall protection and steel erection standards
People & Mindset Skills
- ▸Courage working at heights
- ▸Physical strength and balance
- ▸Teamwork and trust
- ▸Safety awareness
- ▸Reliability
What you'll actually do
- 01Walk on steel beams hundreds of feet in the air like it's a sidewalk
- 02Connect structural steel with bolts, rivets, and welds while wind tries to push you off
- 03Read structural drawings and figure out which piece goes where in a 3D puzzle made of steel
- 04Rig and signal crane operators to lift steel beams that weigh more than your truck
- 05Tie rebar for concrete foundations while bent over in positions chiropractors warn about
- 06Check safety equipment daily because gravity doesn't give second chances
Related Shifts
Think this could be you?
Take the Career DNA Quiz to see if this role fits your personality.
Take the Quiz