Ironworker
B-05B Other Construction electrical jobs · Start level · O*NET 47-2221.00
- Texas median
whole occupation, 2025 - $52,240
- work over
40 h a week - 34%
- load index
from O*NET data - 3.4/5
- Texas jobs
2024 to 2034 - +3.6%
Pay
This level's pay
No published pay record names this level: no public record found in sources S1-S7 that names this rung. The occupation-wide figure below is for all experience levels.
Whole occupation: all Structural Iron and Steel Workers, Texas BLS OEWS May 2025
- Series OEUS480000000000047222113 (median), Texas, May 2025, read 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Base pay (straight-time, excludes overtime).
- Based on an estimated 9,700 jobs in Texas (series OEUS480000000000047222101).
BLS OEWS May 2025
- Series OEUS480000000000047222113 (median), Texas, May 2025, read 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Base pay (straight-time, excludes overtime).
- Based on an estimated 9,700 jobs in Texas (series OEUS480000000000047222101).
Outlook 2024 to 2034, all Structural Iron and Steel Workers, not level-specific TWC, BLS
- Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections (via Projections Central) 2024-2034, Texas, read 2026-10-03
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034, United States, read 2026-10-03
TWC, BLS
- Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections (via Projections Central) 2024-2034, Texas, read 2026-10-03
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034, United States, read 2026-10-03
- Texas
- +3.6% jobs · about 850 openings a year (10,260 jobs in 2024)
- United States
- +4.4% jobs · about 5,500 openings a year (65,700 jobs in 2024)
Openings include people retiring or changing jobs, not only growth.
Hours O*NET 31.0
- Duration of Typical Work Week (4.C.3.d.8), O*NET Work Context, data 08/2026, n = 13 respondents, O*NET OnLine
O*NET 31.0
- Duration of Typical Work Week (4.C.3.d.8), O*NET Work Context, data 08/2026, n = 13 respondents, O*NET OnLine
Schedule: regular 78% · irregular 22% · seasonal 0%
Striped: O*NET marks the estimate "Recommend suppress" (low precision).
Physical load 3.4 of 5, our index from O*NET Method
- Engineer Tsai index (et_physical_v1): mean of a body index (3.47, 6 measures) and an exposure index (3.33, 7 measures), built from O*NET Work Context means, 1 to 5: Spend Time Standing; Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles; Spend Time Walking or Running; Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling; Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance; Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body; Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions; Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures; Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions; Exposed to High Places; Exposed to Hazardous Conditions; Exposed to Hazardous Equipment; Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection.
- O*NET OnLine
Method
- Engineer Tsai index (et_physical_v1): mean of a body index (3.47, 6 measures) and an exposure index (3.33, 7 measures), built from O*NET Work Context means, 1 to 5: Spend Time Standing; Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles; Spend Time Walking or Running; Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling; Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance; Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body; Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions; Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures; Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions; Exposed to High Places; Exposed to Hazardous Conditions; Exposed to Hazardous Equipment; Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection.
- O*NET OnLine
Body
- Standing4.37
- Bending or twisting4.13
- Walking or running3.65
- Kneeling or crawling3.38
- Climbing ladders3.07
- Keeping balance2.2
Exposure
- Very hot or cold3.75
- High places3.74
- Hazardous equipment3.63
- Protective gear3.47
- Cramped space2.95
- Hazardous conditions2.93
- Outdoors, all weather2.87
Getting in
- License
- No license for this job title at the 8 Texas and federal licensing agencies read on 2026-10-03 (TDLR, TSBPE, TCEQ, TCFP, TEA, TBPELS, NRC and EPA).
- Degree
- 7% hold a bachelor's or higher; most common: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Experience
- None of related experience is the most common answer (57% of workers).
O*NET
- O*NET Related Work Experience, Structural Iron and Steel Workers, O*NET OnLine
- Preparation
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Why this level
- Start: O*NET Job Zone 2 (1-2 start, 3-4 skilled, 5 senior).
Moves to the side 6
- B Sheet Metal Worker O*NET lists Sheet Metal Workers as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.85. License: depends on the work.
- R Millwright O*NET lists Millwrights as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.78.
- B Construction Laborer O*NET lists Construction Laborers as a related occupation (Primary-Long); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.81.
- B Boilermaker O*NET lists Boilermakers as a related occupation (Primary-Long); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.71. License gate: not checked yet.
What the work is 6 core tasks
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.
- Read specifications or blueprints to determine the locations, quantities, or sizes of materials required.
- Verify vertical and horizontal alignment of structural steel members, using plumb bobs, laser equipment, transits, or levels.
- Erect metal or precast concrete components for structures, such as buildings, bridges, dams, towers, storage tanks, fences, or highway guard rails.
- Bolt aligned structural steel members in position for permanent riveting, bolting, or welding into place.
- Assemble or inspect 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.
Core tasks ranked by O*NET task Importance (IM, 1-5), top 6.
Top skills
- Operation and Control
- Operations Monitoring
- Coordination
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Monitoring
- Time Management
Sources (4)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, Texas, series OEUS480000000000047222113, read 2026-10-03
- Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections (via Projections Central) 2024-2034, Texas, read 2026-10-03
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034, United States, read 2026-10-03
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), 47-2221.00 Structural Iron and Steel Workers, read 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Engineer Tsai has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 · O*NET license
Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Base pay; excludes overtime. Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034 (United States) and Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections 2024-2034, read through Projections Central.
