47 Series · SOC 47-2171

Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$58,970
Median / year
$104,540
Top 10% earn
+4.6%
Growth '23–'33
13,800
US workers

Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers earn a median of $58,970 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $58,970, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $43,310 (10th percentile) to $104,540 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 13,800 US workers. Wisconsin pays the most ($121,620), since pay varies by state and metro area.

47 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers earn a median of $58,970, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 46% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Construction and Extraction, it ranks #23 of 60 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 4.6% by 2033.

$58,970
Median annual wage
Top 54%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#23 of 60
in Construction and Extraction
2.4×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Wisconsin at $121,620. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers (SOC 47-2171) pays a national median of $58,970 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $43,310 at the 10th percentile to $104,540 at the 90th, with a mean of $66,060 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 13,800 Americans work in this occupation across 35 reporting states and 33 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +4.6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as about average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 1,500 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and apprenticeship of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 12.4 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.5 per 100.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Wisconsin pays the highest state median at $121,620, which is +106% above the national figure. The top metro is Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at $118,970 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

BLS OEWS May 2025 13,800 jobs Median $58,970/yr

Median Salary

$58,970

per year

Median Hourly

$28.35/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$66,060

average

Employment

13,800

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$58,970 Bottom 46% higher than 46% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $200,000 every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 47-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 25 47-series occupations with growth data, Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers sits on the slower-growing side at +4.6% growth and $58,970 median pay.

Among 25 47-series occupations with growth data, Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers sits on the slower-growing side at +4.6% growth and $58,970 median pay. Scatter plot of 25 data points. $40000$50000$60000$70000$80000$90000 -5%0%5%10%15% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 25 47-series occupations with growth data, Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers sits on the slower-growing side at +4.6% growth and $58,970 median pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+4.6%

About average

Annual Openings

1,500

per year (projected)

Typical Education

High school diploma or equivalent

On-the-Job Training

Apprenticeship

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
B

Safe

Safety Grade (BLS 2023)

Fatality Rate

12.4/100K

Injury Rate

3.5/100

Danger Index

20.2/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Coordination 3.1
Critical Thinking 3.0
Monitoring 2.9
Operation and Control 2.9
Judgment and Decision Making 2.9
Complex Problem Solving 2.8
Operations Monitoring 2.8
Time Management 2.8
Reading Comprehension 2.6
Active Listening 2.6

Knowledge Areas

Building and Construction 4.6
Mathematics 3.4
Administration and Management 3.4
Design 3.3
English Language 3.3
Engineering and Technology 3.0
Mechanical 2.7
Education and Training 2.6
Public Safety and Security 2.6
Customer and Personal Service 2.5

Key Tasks

  • ▸ Determine quantities, sizes, shapes, and locations of reinforcing rods from blueprints, sketches, or oral instructions.
  • ▸ Space and fasten together rods in forms according to blueprints, using wire and pliers.
  • ▸ Position and secure steel bars, rods, cables, or mesh in concrete forms, using fasteners, rod-bending machines, blowtorches, or hand tools.
  • ▸ Cut rods to required lengths, using metal shears, hacksaws, bar cutters, or acetylene torches.
  • ▸ Place blocks under rebar to hold the bars off the deck when reinforcing floors.
  • ▸ Cut and fit wire mesh or fabric, using hooked rods, and position fabric or mesh in concrete to reinforce concrete.
  • ▸ Bend steel rods with hand tools or rod-bending machines and weld them with arc-welding equipment.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$43,310$47,990$58,970$77,320$104,540
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

$20.82$23.07$28.35$37.17$50.26
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$43,310

25th Percentile

$47,990

Median

$58,970

75th Percentile

$77,320

90th Percentile

$104,540

Salary by State

Highest Paying States

1. Wisconsin $121,620 2. New Jersey $116,110 3. Washington $108,970 4. Illinois $105,580 5. Nevada $102,130

Lowest Paying States

31. Puerto Rico $27,120 32. Guam $36,830 33. Mississippi $39,860 34. South Carolina $41,020 35. Alabama $43,640
View all 35 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Wisconsin $121,620 +106% above national
2 New Jersey $116,110 +97% above national
3 Washington $108,970 +85% above national
4 Illinois $105,580 +79% above national
5 Nevada $102,130 +73% above national
6 New York $98,040 +66% above national
7 Oregon $93,490 +59% above national
8 Michigan $91,220 +55% above national
9 Pennsylvania $74,670 +27% above national
10 Louisiana $70,700 +20% above national
11 Kentucky $66,830 +13% above national
12 Indiana $64,650 +10% above national
13 California $63,110 +7% above national
14 Nebraska $62,920 +7% above national
15 Maryland $61,640 +5% above national
16 Alaska $61,480 +4% above national
17 Missouri $59,410 +1% above national
18 Arizona $58,230 1% below national
19 Tennessee $57,920 2% below national
20 Colorado $56,160 5% below national
21 Virginia $55,120 7% below national
22 New Mexico $54,080 8% below national
23 North Carolina $51,690 12% below national
24 Texas $50,650 14% below national
25 Florida $50,500 14% below national
26 Oklahoma $50,370 15% below national
27 Utah $49,040 17% below national
28 Georgia $47,480 19% below national
29 Arkansas $45,700 23% below national
30 Virgin Islands $45,510 23% below national
31 Alabama $43,640 26% below national
32 South Carolina $41,020 30% below national
33 Mississippi $39,860 32% below national
34 Guam $36,830 38% below national
35 Puerto Rico $27,120 54% below national

Salary by Metro Area

Highest Paying Metros

1. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $118,970 2. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $105,580 3. Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $102,080 4. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $101,890 5. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $95,670

Lowest Paying Metros

29. San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $27,120 30. Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $42,260 31. North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $44,370 32. El Paso, TX $46,470 33. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $46,690
View all 33 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $118,970 +102% above national
2 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $105,580 +79% above national
3 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $102,080 +73% above national
4 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $101,890 +73% above national
5 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $95,670 +62% above national
6 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $84,300 +43% above national
7 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $73,110 +24% above national
8 Baton Rouge, LA $70,700 +20% above national
9 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $64,630 +10% above national
10 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $62,990 +7% above national
11 Omaha, NE-IA $62,250 +6% above national
12 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $61,760 +5% above national
13 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $61,130 +4% above national
14 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $60,450 +3% above national
15 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $60,320 +2% above national
16 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $59,820 +1% above national
17 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $58,240 1% below national
18 Fresno, CA $56,530 4% below national
19 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $55,430 6% below national
20 Albuquerque, NM $54,960 7% below national
21 Oklahoma City, OK $53,770 9% below national
22 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $51,860 12% below national
23 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $50,910 14% below national
24 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $50,810 14% below national
25 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $50,270 15% below national
26 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $48,800 17% below national
27 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $48,570 18% below national
28 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $47,480 19% below national
29 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $46,690 21% below national
30 El Paso, TX $46,470 21% below national
31 North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $44,370 25% below national
32 Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $42,260 28% below national
33 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $27,120 54% below national

Similar Occupations in the Same Category

Other roles in SOC major group 47 (construction and extraction) with comparable pay and career paths.

Boilermakers

SOC 47-2011

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SOC 47-2021

Carpenters

SOC 47-2031

Carpet Installers

SOC 47-2041

Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers

SOC 47-2051
Compare Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers side-by-side with another occupation →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers make? ▼
The median annual salary for Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers is $58,970 ($28.35/hour). The salary range spans from $43,310 at the 10th percentile to $104,540 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers the most? ▼
Wisconsin pays the highest median salary for Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers at $121,620/year, which is +106% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers is High school diploma or equivalent. On-the-job training: Apprenticeship.
How dangerous is being a Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers? ▼
Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers has a safety grade of B (Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 12.4 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 3.5 per 100 workers.
Is Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers a good career? ▼
Employment for Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers is projected to grow 4.6% from 2024 to 2034, which is about average. About 1,500 openings are projected each year.
How does Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers pay vary by state? ▼
Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Wisconsin at $121,620/year, while Alabama pays the least at $43,640/year. BLS data covers 35 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers is Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at $118,970/year. BLS reports wage data for 33 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

How to use Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $77,320/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Wisconsin leads at $121,620/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.