How much do ironworkers make in South Carolina in 2026?

The median ironworker in South Carolina earns $50,750 a year, which works out to roughly $24.40 an hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That's the midpoint — half of ironworkers in the state earn more, half earn less. If you're just starting out or still building your hours, the 25th percentile sits at $46,030 a year ($22.13/hr). Workers with more experience, specialized skills, or steady commercial and industrial work tend to land at the 75th percentile: $60,560 a year, or about $29.12 an hour. All figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025.

The spread between the bottom and top quartiles — roughly $14,500 a year — tells you that experience and specialization move the needle in a meaningful way. An ironworker just finishing an apprenticeship program and breaking into the trade can realistically expect to start in the low-to-mid $40,000s. After several years of consistent work on structural steel, reinforcing, or ornamental projects, crossing the $60,000 threshold is achievable.

Overtime is a real part of this picture. Ironwork is physically demanding and project-driven, and contractors often push for longer hours to hit steel erection milestones or meet pour schedules on rebar jobs. If you average just 5 hours of overtime per week at 1.5x your base rate, that adds up fast. A worker at the median rate of $24.40/hr could add roughly $9,500 to their gross pay over a full year of regular OT. The BLS wage figures reflect straight-time hourly rates and do not account for that premium pay.

South Carolina's construction pipeline is an important backdrop. The state has seen significant investment in industrial facilities, auto manufacturing plants, port-related infrastructure along the coast, and data centers in the Upstate region. These project types are ironworker-heavy — structural steel, pre-engineered metal buildings, and heavy rebar work are all in the mix. Workers positioned near Greenville-Spartanburg, Charleston, or Columbia tend to have the most consistent access to large commercial and industrial projects, which generally pay at or above the median.

Geography within the state matters. The Upstate corridor — particularly Greenville and Spartanburg counties — has a dense base of manufacturing and industrial construction that keeps structural ironworkers busy year-round. The Lowcountry around Charleston adds port expansion, infrastructure, and commercial work. More rural parts of the state may offer fewer large-scale projects, which can mean more travel or more downtime between jobs, both of which affect annual take-home pay even when hourly rates are comparable.

Specialty work pushes pay higher. Structural ironworkers erecting high-rise steel frames, ironworkers certified for welding and rigging, and those with experience on bridge or highway projects typically earn above the median. Certification in structural welding (AWS D1.1) is one of the fastest ways to separate yourself from the pack and justify higher pay on bid jobs.

Some workers in South Carolina may be covered by a collective bargaining agreement — check with your local for current rates.

The BLS data captures base wages reported by employers and does not include per diems, tool allowances, or employer contributions to health and retirement benefits. On jobs where a contractor provides travel pay or a daily per diem, total compensation can be meaningfully higher than the reported wage alone. When comparing offers, always look at the full package, not just the hourly rate on the stub.