How much do ironworkers make in Virginia in 2026?

The median ironworker in Virginia earns $60,260 a year, which works out to roughly $28.97 an hour. That's the midpoint — half of all ironworkers in the state earn more, half earn less. If you're just starting out or haven't yet built a specialized skill set, you're more likely sitting near the 25th percentile at $51,280 a year ($24.65/hr). Experienced hands with solid tenure and in-demand skills push toward the 75th percentile at $64,980 a year ($31.24/hr). These figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025.

That $13,700 spread between the bottom and top quartile tells you something real: experience and specialization move the needle in this trade. An ironworker fresh out of an apprenticeship program landing their first journeyman job should expect pay somewhere in the $51,000–$60,000 range in most Virginia markets. Workers who have spent years on structural steel, ornamental iron, or reinforcing work — especially on large commercial or infrastructure projects — are the ones showing up at $65,000 and above.

Virginia's ironworker geography matters. The Northern Virginia corridor, from the D.C. suburbs out through Loudoun and Prince William counties, runs some of the densest construction activity in the Mid-Atlantic. Infrastructure projects tied to data center expansion, transit work, and federal construction all generate steady ironworker demand. Workers in those markets tend to command wages at or above the state median. Move into more rural parts of southwest or southside Virginia and both the volume of work and the wages reflect that reality — you may find yourself closer to the 25th percentile if you're not willing to travel.

Overtime is a significant factor that the annual salary figures don't fully capture. Ironworkers on large structural projects frequently log 50- to 60-hour weeks during the peak season, particularly spring through early fall. A worker earning the median $28.97/hr base rate who clocks 200 hours of overtime in a year — at time-and-a-half ($43.46/hr) — adds roughly $8,700 to their gross annual earnings. That's real money on top of the BLS figure, which is based on straight-time equivalent wages.

The BLS data also doesn't break out pay by specific type of ironwork. Structural ironworkers, reinforcing ironworkers (rodbusters), and ornamental/architectural ironworkers all fall under the same occupational code. In practice, structural steel work on high-rise and bridge projects often pays at the high end of the range, while entry-level reinforcing work may land closer to the bottom quartile.

Apprenticeship is the clearest path into this trade in Virginia. Registered apprenticeship programs typically run three to four years and combine on-the-job hours with related technical instruction. Apprentice wages usually start somewhere between 50% and 60% of the journeyman rate and step up at regular intervals. Completing a formal program doesn't just get you to journeyman pay — it gives you the documented hours and credentials that contractors look for when filling the higher-paying positions.

Some ironworkers in Virginia work under collective bargaining agreements. If you're covered by one, your pay rate and benefits are set by your specific agreement — look at that document directly rather than using statewide averages as a benchmark.

To push your pay toward the 75th percentile and beyond, the levers are consistent: accumulate verified field hours in multiple ironworking disciplines, develop rigging and crane-signaling certifications, and target larger commercial and infrastructure contractors where project scale and budgets support higher wages. OSHA 30 certification and fall protection training credentials are table stakes on most major sites — having them doesn't guarantee top pay, but lacking them will keep you off the crews that do pay top dollar.

All figures on this page are sourced from the BLS OEWS May 2025 release and reflect Virginia-specific wage data for the Ironworkers occupational group.