All About Structural Iron and Steel Workers

Structural Iron or Steel Worker Example 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.

Life As a Structural Iron or Steel Worker

• Read specifications or blueprints to determine the locations, quantities, or sizes of materials required.
• Hold rivets while riveters use air hammers to form heads on rivets.
• Erect metal or precast concrete components for structures, such as buildings, bridges, dams, towers, storage tanks, fences, or highway guard rails.
• Verify vertical and horizontal alignment of structural steel members, using plumb bobs, laser equipment, transits, or levels.
• Assemble hoisting equipment or rigging, such as cables, pulleys, or hooks, to move heavy equipment or materials.
• Fabricate metal parts, such as steel frames, columns, beams, or girders, according to blueprints or instructions from supervisors.

Structural Iron or Steel Worker Needed Skills

When polled, Structural Iron and Steel Workers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.

Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Types of Structural Iron or Steel Worker Jobs

• Steel Rigger
• Bolter
• Welder
• Metal Building Erector
• Guard Rail Installer

Job Demand for Structural Iron and Steel Workers

There were about 70,200 jobs for Structural Iron and Steel Workers in 2016 (in the United States).

New jobs are being produced at a rate of 12.8% which is lower than average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 9,000 new jobs for Structural Iron and Steel Workers by 2026. The BLS estimates 8,700 yearly job openings in this field per year.

The states with the most job growth for Structural Iron and Steel Workers are Texas, Florida, and California.

Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Alaska, or Vermont. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

What is the Average Salary of a Structural Iron or Steel Worker

The average yearly salary of a Structural Iron or Steel Worker ranges between $32,240 and $93,760. The median salary is $53,970.

How much do Structural Iron and Steel Workers make in different U.S. states?

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
New Jersey	$86,340
New York	$85,410
Illinois	$83,580
Massachusetts	$76,810
Washington	$75,020
Rhode Island	$74,540
Hawaii	$74,110
Alaska	$71,080
Oregon	$70,540
Connecticut	$68,550
California	$67,130
Minnesota	$65,800
Pennsylvania	$60,100
Ohio	$59,900
District of Columbia	$58,650
Wisconsin	$58,470
Indiana	$56,830
Wyoming	$56,760
Missouri	$55,770
Michigan	$55,200
Iowa	$54,850
West Virginia	$54,830
Maryland	$53,200
Colorado	$52,620
New Mexico	$51,860
Virginia	$51,220
Louisiana	$50,690
Maine	$50,570
North Dakota	$50,500
Delaware	$50,450
Montana	$49,600
Alabama	$48,590
Arizona	$47,930
Tennessee	$47,860
Vermont	$47,570
Utah	$47,430
Kentucky	$46,640
New Hampshire	$45,880
Texas	$44,370
Florida	$43,880
South Carolina	$43,640
Kansas	$42,810
Oklahoma	$42,760
South Dakota	$42,070
Mississippi	$41,860
Georgia	$41,760
North Carolina	$41,040
Arkansas	$40,760
Nebraska	$40,320
Nevada	$39,840
Idaho	$39,230

Tools & Technologies Used by Structural Iron and Steel Workers

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Structural Iron and Steel Workers may use on a daily basis:

• Computer aided design CAD software

How do I Become a Structural Iron or Steel Worker?

Education needed to be a Structural Iron or Steel Worker:

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where Structural Iron and Steel Workers Are Employed

Related Careers

Those who work as Structural Iron and Steel Workers sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:

• Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons