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Ironworking

Types of Degrees Ironworking Majors Are Earning

Those studying Ironworking can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	123
Associate’s Degree	37
Master’s Degree	1

What Ironworking Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Ironworking develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Ironworking graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Ironworking emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 2.9 / 7.
• Mechanical — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Production and Processing — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.0 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Ironworking program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Operations Monitoring — Importance 3 / 5; level 2.4 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3 / 5; level 2.6 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 2.9 / 5; level 2.2 / 7.
• Time Management — Importance 2.9 / 5; level 2.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 2.9 / 5; level 2.5 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Ironworking careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Trunk Strength — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Manual Dexterity — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Static Strength — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Finger Dexterity — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Ironworking graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Handling and Moving Objects	4.4 / 7
Performing General Physical Activities	4.3 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.8 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	3.8 / 7
Getting Information	3.7 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.7 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	3.6 / 7
Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People	3.5 / 7
Controlling Machines and Processes	3.5 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	3.3 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Ironworking professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
PTC Creo Parametric	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Inventory tracking software	Inventory management software	—
Machine control software	Industrial control software	—
Computer aided manufacturing CAM software	Computer aided manufacturing CAM software	—
CNC Software Mastercam	Computer aided manufacturing CAM software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Ironworking graduates include:

• Bond Runner
• Wax Pattern Coater
• Sand Molder
• Core Maker
• Foundry Tender
• Core Stripper
• Green Sand Molder
• Core Oven Tender
• Airset Caster
• Sweep Molder
• Foundry Worker
• Dry Molder
• Core Microarchitect
• No Bake Molder
• Core Machine Operator

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Ironworking graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	64.4%
Less than a high school diploma	35.6%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Ironworking?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 98.8% of Ironworking degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	2	1.2%
Men	159	98.8%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Ironworking graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	107	66.5%
Hispanic or Latino	10	6.2%
Black or African American	8	5.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.6%
Race Unknown	35	21.7%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Ironworking Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Ironworking graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$33,800
4 years	$39,416
5 years	$44,203

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $44,203 — roughly 31% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Ironworking Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Ironworking graduates earn a median of $39,416 four years after completion — roughly 4% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Precision Metal Working	67,063
Welding Technology/Welder	57,768
Machine Tool Technology/Machinist	3,539
Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) Machinist Technology/CNC Machinist	2,174
Machine Shop Technology/Assistant	1,634
Metal Fabricator	552
Tool and Die Technology/Technician	509
Sheet Metal Technology/Sheetworking	386
Precision Metal Working, Other	340

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.