Ironworker pay in Iowa
What ironworkers earn in Iowa: pay for the state and 5 metro areas, plus job counts and 4 listed training programs.
- $73,110Average across all experience levels (state)
- $59,120Entry-level / bottom 10%
- $77,400Median pay (state)
- $81,240Top 10% earn over
— jobs in Iowa.
Pay by percentile
Ironworker pay in Iowa
Annual wages.
| Area | 10th pct | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | 90th pct | Mean | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | $59,120 | $65,160 | $77,400 | $80,080 | $81,240 | $73,110 | — |
| United States | $44,580 | $49,880 | $62,780 | $82,660 | $108,260 | $70,280 | 68,380 |
Metro areas
| Area | 10th pct | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | 90th pct | Mean | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $63,280 | $65,160 | $80,080 | $80,090 | $82,410 | $75,420 | — |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $58,810 | $66,410 | $79,090 | $89,560 | $105,170 | $79,680 | 90 |
| Iowa City, IA | $50,060 | $53,460 | $78,800 | $78,800 | $80,150 | $67,860 | — |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $53,730 | $65,730 | $75,380 | $77,400 | $77,410 | $69,640 | 80 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $52,620 | $56,670 | $74,430 | $77,550 | $79,230 | $68,420 | 380 |
At a glance
How Iowa compares
| Rank by average pay | 16 of 52 states and territories with a BLS estimate |
|---|---|
| Average vs U.S. average | +4.0% ($73,110 vs $70,280) |
| Median vs U.S. median | +23.3% ($77,400 vs $62,780) |
| Median hourly wage | $37.21 |
| Bottom 10% to top 10% | $59,120 to $81,240 |
| Metro areas with a BLS estimate | 5; highest median Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $80,080, lowest Omaha, NE-IA $74,430 |
Training
Schools and apprenticeships in Iowa
We matched 4 ironworker training options in Iowa: 0 school programs in the NCES IPEDS 2023-24 completions file and 4 registered apprenticeship sponsors in the DOL Office of Apprenticeship partner file. This site covers pay and careers; the school and apprenticeship directory lives on our sister site.
Veterans can compare gI Bill-approved welding programs on VeteranTradeSchools.com.
Sources
Figures as of BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates (released 2026-05-15) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 (released 2026-08-27).
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15 (news release USDL-26-0725; data tables). Cross-checked against the BLS Public Data API on 2026-11-04.
- Occupation: O*NET OnLine, 47-2221.00 Structural Iron and Steel Workers, retrieved 2026-11-04 (CC BY 4.0).
- Apprenticeship sponsors: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship: partner sponsors file, retrieved 2026-10-29 (Partner Finder).
- Schools & graduates: U.S. Department of Education, NCES IPEDS Completions 2023-24 (C2024_A) and Institutional Characteristics (HD2024), award year 2023-24, matched by 6-digit CIP code (completions file; CIP-SOC crosswalk).
- Tuition: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (Most Recent Cohorts: Institution + Field of Study), data updated 2026-10-15, matched by IPEDS unit ID (source).
Program listings are matched from public files by occupation code or organization name; they are not endorsements and we have not visited or tested any program. Confirm schedules, entry requirements and costs with the program. Compiled by the HighPayingTrades Data Team; last refreshed 2026-11-04.