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Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers: Career Overview
Position and secure steel bars or mesh in concrete forms in order to reinforce concrete. Use a variety of fasteners, rod-bending machines, blowtorches, and hand tools. Includes rod busters.
The Daily Work of Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of reinforcing iron and rebar workers cover:
- Determine quantities, sizes, shapes, and locations of reinforcing rods from blueprints, sketches, or oral instructions.
- Space and fasten together rods in forms according to blueprints, using wire and pliers.
- Position and secure steel bars, rods, cables, or mesh in concrete forms, using fasteners, rod-bending machines, blowtorches, or hand tools.
- Cut rods to required lengths, using metal shears, hacksaws, bar cutters, or acetylene torches.
- Place blocks under rebar to hold the bars off the deck when reinforcing floors.
- Cut and fit wire mesh or fabric, using hooked rods, and position fabric or mesh in concrete to reinforce concrete.
- Bend steel rods with hand tools or rod-bending machines and weld them with arc-welding equipment.
What Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers Need to Know
Successful reinforcing iron and rebar workers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
These are the skills most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Concrete Buster
- Concrete Rod Buster
- Concrete Worker
- Field Ironworker
- Iron Installer
- Iron Worker
- Ironworker
- Ironworker Welder
Employment and Demand
There are about 481,124 reinforcing iron and rebar workers working in the United States today. Employment is projected to decline by -3.6% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $57,598 |
| Hourly median | $27.69 |
| 10th percentile | $33,740 |
| 25th percentile | $45,669 |
| 75th percentile | $69,527 |
| 90th percentile | $81,456 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $106,340 |
| Illinois | $102,260 |
| Nevada | $100,100 |
| Oregon | $91,150 |
| Minnesota | $91,090 |
| New York | $81,630 |
| Wisconsin | $81,020 |
| Missouri | $80,330 |
| West Virginia | $79,230 |
| New Jersey | $77,770 |
| Tennessee | $76,920 |
| Ohio | $73,560 |
| Nebraska | $71,340 |
| Louisiana | $68,220 |
| Arizona | $67,010 |
| Kentucky | $65,210 |
| Indiana | $62,980 |
| California | $61,440 |
| Colorado | $61,220 |
| Maryland | $60,550 |
| Arkansas | $59,830 |
| Georgia | $59,390 |
| Virginia | $58,750 |
| Alabama | $56,540 |
| Kansas | $54,750 |
| North Carolina | $51,510 |
| Oklahoma | $50,910 |
| New Mexico | $50,750 |
| Utah | $49,990 |
| Texas | $49,150 |
| South Carolina | $47,050 |
| Wyoming | $46,000 |
| Virgin Islands | $45,080 |
| Florida | $44,780 |
| Mississippi | $36,940 |
| Guam | $36,370 |
| Puerto Rico | $19,760 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for reinforcing iron and rebar workers differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plains States | $79,430 | 2.4% | 0.55 |
| Far Western US | $76,876 | 22.2% | 1.53 |
| Great Lakes | $76,478 | 5.6% | 0.53 |
| Middle Atlantic | $68,531 | 10.6% | 0.94 |
| Southeast | $56,249 | 20.7% | 1.18 |
| Rocky Mountains | $56,007 | 5.7% | 1.63 |
| Southwest | $49,221 | 28.9% | 2.71 |
| Other U.S. Territories | $37,223 | 4.0% | 73.94 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $117,110 | 160 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | NV | $99,570 | 310 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | WI | $95,160 | 60 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $93,280 | 390 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $93,190 | 80 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $92,980 | 880 |
| Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN | TN | $85,340 | |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | NY | $81,630 | 40 |
Which Industries Hire Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers
The largest employers of reinforcing iron and rebar workers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 12,160 | $59,190 |
| Manufacturing | 1,100 | $78,410 |
| Wholesale Trade | 340 | $104,970 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 220 | $49,990 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 120 | $40,410 |
Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers work in the following industries:
Tools and Technology
- Project management software: Application Software SHEAR
- Project management software: Applied Systems Associates aSa Rebar
- Computer aided design CAD software: OTP ArmaCAD
- Data base user interface and query software: RebarWin
- Spreadsheet software: Spreadsheet software
- Word processing software: Word processing software
Work Environment
The work environment for reinforcing iron and rebar workers is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Health and Safety of Other Workers
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Contact With Others
Education and Training
Entry-level reinforcing iron and rebar workers positions require less than a high school diploma as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Boilermakers (Supplemental)
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons (Primary-Short)
- Carpenters (Primary-Long)
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers (Primary-Short)
- Terrazzo Workers and Finishers (Supplemental)
- Construction Laborers (Primary-Long)
- Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers (Primary-Short)
- Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall (Supplemental)
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 47-2171.00 (Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers).
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