---

Structural Iron and Steel Workers in Pennsylvania

Want to work as a Structural Iron and Steel Workers in Pennsylvania? Here’s what you need to know. Raise, place, and unite iron or steel girders, columns, and other structural members to form completed structures or structural frameworks. May erect metal storage tanks and assemble prefabricated metal buildings. Excludes “Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers” (47-2171).

What do Structural Iron and Steel Workers Make in Pennsylvania?

For structural iron and steel workers working in Pennsylvania, the typical annual salary is $81,420 per year (or roughly $39.14/hour).Earnings range from $59,840 at the 10th percentile to $111,700 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$59,840	$28.77
25th percentile	$73,380	$35.28
Median (50th)	$81,420	$39.14
75th percentile	$100,770	$48.45
90th percentile	$111,700	$53.70

The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in Pennsylvania relative to the national average — is 0.51, suggesting fewer structural iron and steel workers per worker than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, structural iron and steel workers earn a median of $59,092 per year ($28.41/hour), higher than the Pennsylvania median.

Employment Outlook

Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 389,038 structural iron and steel workers in the U.S.. In Pennsylvania alone, approximately 1,290 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 810 structural iron and steel workers.

Top Pennsylvania Metros for Structural Iron and Steel Workers

The largest metro-area employers of structural iron and steel workers in Pennsylvania.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	630	$96,720
Pittsburgh, PA	340	$80,870
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	130	$81,420
Lancaster, PA	100	$75,870
Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA	60	$78,600
Reading, PA	40	$77,390

Top States for Structural Iron and Steel Workers Employment

These states have the highest employment of structural iron and steel workers work.

State	Number Employed
Texas	10,090
California	6,970
Illinois	3,250
New York	3,190
Arizona	3,110
Indiana	2,530
Massachusetts	2,160
Florida	2,040
Michigan	2,010
Ohio	1,920
Louisiana	1,560
North Carolina	1,540
Tennessee	1,320
Pennsylvania	1,290
New Jersey	1,250
Utah	1,200
Virginia	1,190
Alabama	1,160
Washington	1,140
Nevada	1,050

Highest-Paying States for Structural Iron and Steel Workers

Where structural iron and steel workers earn the most: structural iron and steel workers.

State	Annual Median Salary
Massachusetts	$116,630
New Jersey	$111,800
Washington	$105,970
Illinois	$101,030
Hawaii	$99,370
Rhode Island	$95,800
New York	$95,370
Minnesota	$93,240
Wisconsin	$91,920
Oregon	$90,060

Skills

Top structural iron and steel workers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

Key abilities for structural iron and steel workers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Day-to-day, structural iron and steel workers typically:

• Read specifications or blueprints to determine the locations, quantities, or sizes of materials required.
• Connect columns, beams, and girders with bolts, following blueprints and instructions from supervisors.
• Bolt aligned structural steel members in position for permanent riveting, bolting, or welding into place.
• Fasten structural steel members to hoist cables, using chains, cables, or rope.
• Hoist steel beams, girders, or columns into place, using cranes or signaling hoisting equipment operators to lift and position structural steel members.
• Verify vertical and horizontal alignment of structural steel members, using plumb bobs, laser equipment, transits, or levels.
• Cut, bend, or weld steel pieces, using metal shears, torches, or welding equipment.
• Erect metal or precast concrete components for structures, such as buildings, bridges, dams, towers, storage tanks, fences, or highway guard rails.
• Force structural steel members into final positions, using turnbuckles, crowbars, jacks, or hand tools.
• Pull, push, or pry structural steel members into approximate positions for bolting into place.
• Unload and position prefabricated steel units for hoisting, as needed.
• Drive drift pins through rivet holes to align rivet holes in structural steel members with corresponding holes in previously placed members.

Work Activities

• Handling and Moving Objects
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Performing General Physical Activities
• Getting Information
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
• Controlling Machines and Processes
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings

Tools & Technology

Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Microsoft Outlook

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Programs that train for this career include:

• Building Management & Inspection

Related Careers

Other careers like structural iron and steel workers include:

• Boilermakers
• Brickmasons and Blockmasons
• Carpenters
• Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
• Construction Laborers
• Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers

Also Known As

Assembler, Awnings Mechanic, Billboard Erector, Billboard Installer, Billboard Mechanic, Bolter, Bridge Ironworker, Bridge Maintainer, Bridgeman, Building Construction Ironworker, Combination Worker, Construction Ironworker, Erector, Fitter, Guard Rail Installer.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 47-2221.00