Ironworker Salary - Midwest
Industrial and manufacturing base with established building trades
Wage figures on this page reflect all ironworkers counted by the BLS, across union and non-union work, residential and commercial, apprentice through master. The BLS does not publish a separate journey-level tier. State figures are medians: half of workers earn more, half earn less.
The Midwest combines a strong industrial middle tier with Illinois's high-paying market. Illinois carries a median of $101,850, driven by Chicago's Iron Workers locals. Minnesota carries $95,320, North Dakota $82,120, and Missouri $77,410. The region's industrial infrastructure, including bridges, refineries, and power plants, creates consistent demand beyond commercial construction.
Iron Workers locals have market presence across the Midwest's major commercial markets. Chicago's ironworker locals cover structural and ornamental work. Minneapolis, Detroit, St. Louis, and Kansas City all have active ironworker locals. The bridge and highway construction market across the region employs significant numbers of reinforcing ironworkers. Outside the major metros union density drops but industrial markets remain active.
The Midwest has a low cost of living for ironworkers. Illinois posts a COL index of 95.1 against a $101,850 median. Minnesota posts a COL index of 93.4 against a $95,320 median. Wisconsin sits at 97.4 and Indiana at 88.3, both below-average cost of living.
- →Commercial high-rise and mixed-use construction in the Chicago metro, creating consistent large-scale structural steel demand
- →Bridge and infrastructure construction and rehabilitation across the region's transportation network
- →Industrial facility construction and maintenance across Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan
- →Wind energy tower erection across Iowa, Kansas, and the Dakotas
- →EV battery and advanced manufacturing facility structural steel across the industrial corridor
Chicago is a destination for traveling ironworkers in the Midwest. Major commercial projects run consistently. Minnesota carries a median of $95,320. The bridge and infrastructure market creates consistent demand for traveling reinforcing ironworkers across the region. Check RoadDog Jobs and Where2Bro for current Chicago and Midwest openings.
Effective wage adjusts the BLS median for cost of living: what a paycheck buys relative to the national median.
| State | Median Annual | COL Index | Effective Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $101,850 +$39,070 vs. national | 95.1 | $107,098 +$44,318 vs. national |
| Minnesota | $95,320 +$32,540 vs. national | 93.4 | $102,056 +$39,276 vs. national |
| Wisconsin | $92,820 +$30,040 vs. national | 97.4 | $95,298 +$32,518 vs. national |
| North Dakota | $82,120 +$19,340 vs. national | 90.7 | $90,540 +$27,760 vs. national |
| Missouri | $77,410 +$14,630 vs. national | 88.6 | $87,370 +$24,590 vs. national |
| Iowa | $77,400 +$14,620 vs. national | 88.6 | $87,359 +$24,579 vs. national |
| Ohio | $74,710 +$11,930 vs. national | 93.7 | $79,733 +$16,953 vs. national |
| Indiana | $70,130 +$7,350 vs. national | 88.3 | $79,422 +$16,642 vs. national |
| Nebraska | $65,470 +$2,690 vs. national | 91.3 | $71,709 +$8,929 vs. national |
| Michigan | $62,830 +$50 vs. national | 93.9 | $66,912 +$4,132 vs. national |
| Kansas | $58,560 -$4,220 vs. national | 87.6 | $66,849 +$4,069 vs. national |
| South Dakota | $57,050 -$5,730 vs. national | 94.1 | $60,627 -$2,153 vs. national |
Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 - Ironworkers - Cross-Industry, All Ownership
Cost of living data provided by the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC). The data has been modified for use from its original source, which is the State of Missouri. THE STATE OF MISSOURI MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTY AS TO THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS, OR CONTENT OF ANY DATA MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THIS SITE. THE STATE OF MISSOURI EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Data is subject to change as modifications and updates are complete. Use at your own risk.