How much do ironworkers make in Massachusetts in 2026?

Ironworkers in Massachusetts earn a median annual salary of $120,840, which works out to roughly $58.10 an hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That's a strong number, and it reflects the physical demands, technical skill, and real safety risk that come with structural and reinforcing ironwork across the state. These figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025.

The 25th percentile sits at $110,910 a year, or about $53.32 an hour. Workers at this level are typically earlier in their careers — apprentices who have recently journeyed out, or those working in smaller shops or less active markets within the state. The gap between the 25th percentile and the median is roughly $9,930 annually, which tells you there's meaningful upward movement available even within the lower half of the wage distribution. If you're currently earning closer to $53/hr, you're not far from the middle of the pack — a few years of steady project history and specialized work can close that gap.

The 75th percentile comes in at $124,040 annually, or approximately $59.63 an hour. The spread between the median and the 75th percentile is tighter than the spread on the lower end — just $3,200 separating median earners from top-quartile earners. That compression near the top of the distribution is common in trades where journeyman-scale agreements or prevailing wage rules set a ceiling on straight-time pay. The bigger earnings differentials at that level tend to come from overtime, shift differentials, per diem on out-of-town jobs, and foreman or general foreman premiums rather than from base hourly rate alone.

Massachusetts is one of the higher-cost, higher-wage states in the country for construction trades generally, and ironworkers here benefit from that environment. The Boston metro area drives a large share of the demand — large commercial towers, hospital expansions, bridge and transit infrastructure, and institutional construction all require structural steel and reinforcing iron. Projects outside the Route 128 corridor, including work in Worcester, Springfield, and along the Cape, add volume but can carry slightly different rate structures depending on project type and owner requirements.

Prevailing wage rates under Massachusetts law apply to publicly funded construction projects, and these can push effective compensation above private-market rates for workers landing those contracts. Workers on state highway, MBTA, or public building jobs often see their total package — base rate plus fringe contributions — exceed what a straight private-sector job pays. Fringe benefits like health insurance, pension contributions, and annuity funds are part of the total compensation picture and are not reflected in the wage figures above, which capture only direct pay.

Experience and specialization both move the needle on ironworker pay in Massachusetts. Certified welders who can pass structural weld tests command more than non-welding ironworkers on the same job site. Connectors — the crew members who physically bolt and pin steel as it comes off the crane — often earn premiums for that higher-risk role. Ironworkers who take on foreman responsibility typically see hourly rates bump by several dollars above journeyman scale.

The trade itself has a defined apprenticeship path, typically running four to five years and combining on-the-job hours with classroom instruction. Workers who complete a registered apprenticeship generally enter the journeyman pay scale at or above the median figures listed here, depending on the contractor and project type. That path also tends to provide access to health and retirement benefits that make total compensation substantially higher than the base wage numbers suggest.

If you're comparing ironworker pay in Massachusetts to neighboring states, the numbers here are above the national median for the trade, consistent with the state's overall construction wage environment. Cost of living in the Greater Boston area is high, so the real purchasing power of that $58/hr median varies depending on where you're based. Workers commuting in from lower-cost areas outside the metro core often come out ahead on a cost-adjusted basis.