Ironworker pay in Kentucky
What ironworkers earn in Kentucky: pay for the state and 3 metro areas, plus job counts and 4 listed training programs.
- $66,980Average across all experience levels (state)
- $48,240Entry-level / bottom 10%
- $64,060Median pay (state)
- $98,360Top 10% earn over
990 jobs in Kentucky.
Pay by percentile
Ironworker pay in Kentucky
Annual wages.
| Area | 10th pct | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | 90th pct | Mean | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $48,240 | $56,480 | $64,060 | $76,570 | $98,360 | $66,980 | 990 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $48,390 | $59,210 | $75,700 | $77,390 | $88,350 | $72,820 | 480 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $51,400 | $60,280 | $69,280 | $78,590 | $88,050 | $71,220 | 310 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $45,030 | $52,010 | $64,000 | $66,420 | $79,270 | $61,890 | 40 |
At a glance
How Kentucky compares
| Rank by average pay | 25 of 52 states and territories with a BLS estimate |
|---|---|
| Average vs U.S. average | -4.7% ($66,980 vs $70,280) |
| Median vs U.S. median | +2.0% ($64,060 vs $62,780) |
| Median hourly wage | $30.80 |
| Bottom 10% to top 10% | $48,240 to $98,360 |
| Jobs per 1,000 jobs in the state | 0.50 |
| Location quotient | 1.13 (more concentrated than the U.S. average of 1.00) |
| Metro areas with a BLS estimate | 3; highest median Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $75,700, lowest Lexington-Fayette, KY $64,000 |
Training
Schools and apprenticeships in Kentucky
We matched 4 ironworker training options in Kentucky: 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.