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
- -0.5%
- 2024→2025
- $104,540
- Top 10% earn
- +4.6%
- Growth '24–'34
- 13,800
- Estimated US jobs
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 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Wisconsin ($121,620).
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 2034.
- $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.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers moved from $49,100 in May 2019 to $58,970 in May 2025 (+20.1%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers sits -4.3 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers (SOC 47-2171) has a national median of $58,970 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $43,310 to $104,540, and the published mean is $66,060. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 13,800 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 35 state or territory areas and 33 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $59,280 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $58,970 in May 2025, a fall of $310 (-0.5%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +4.6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as about as fast as average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 1,500 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as apprenticeship. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Construction and Extraction Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
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 highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at $118,970. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
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
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.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 (this entry) | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$58,970 · 46th percentile of 825 US occupations
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).
Read the chart as text
- Construction Laborers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.3%, Median annual wage $47120
- First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.3%, Median annual wage $79920
- Electricians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 9.5%, Median annual wage $63190
- Carpenters: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $60580
- Operating Engineers …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.6%, Median annual wage $59850
- Plumbers, Pipefitter…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $63800
- Painters, Constructi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.8%, Median annual wage $49400
- Cement Masons and Co…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.8%, Median annual wage $57020
- Highway Maintenance …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3%, Median annual wage $50260
- Construction and Bui…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.8%, Median annual wage $74690
- Roofers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.9%, Median annual wage $55440
- Sheet Metal Workers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.4%, Median annual wage $61800
- Drywall and Ceiling …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.2%, Median annual wage $58930
- Structural Iron and …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.4%, Median annual wage $62780
- Helpers--Electricians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.2%, Median annual wage $42670
- Glaziers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.3%, Median annual wage $57080
- Brickmasons and Bloc…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.2%, Median annual wage $62120
- Hazardous Materials …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1%, Median annual wage $49450
- Roustabouts, Oil and…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.5%, Median annual wage $46960
- Insulation Workers, …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.8%, Median annual wage $49120
- Helpers--Pipelayers,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.9%, Median annual wage $42360
- Service Unit Operato…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.4%, Median annual wage $58160
- Paving, Surfacing, a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.2%, Median annual wage $53340
- Tile and Stone Setters: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 10.1%, Median annual wage $55690
- Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $58970
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 as fast as average
Annual Openings
1,500
per year (projected)
Employment Change
+900
19,400 (2024) → 20,300 (2034)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Apprenticeship
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Construction and Extraction Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
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
Knowledge Areas
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
Hourly Rate Distribution
Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers pay history, 2015–2025
Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $48,010 |
| 2016 | $47,600 |
| 2017 | $46,850 |
| 2018 | $48,320 |
| 2019 | $49,100 |
| 2020 | $49,390 |
| 2021 | $48,830 |
| 2022 | $51,070 |
| 2023 | $54,850 |
| 2024 | $59,280 |
| 2025 | $58,970 |
2015 median
$48,010
2025 median
$58,970
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$9,870 (+20.1%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+3.1%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2015 | $48,010 | First banked release | 20,060 |
| May 2016 | $47,600 | -0.9% | 20,020 |
| May 2017 | $46,850 | -1.6% | 18,480 |
| May 2018 | $48,320 | +3.1% | 18,360 |
| May 2019 | $49,100 | Classification break | 18,870 |
| May 2020 | $49,390 | +0.6% | 18,680 |
| May 2021 | $48,830 | -1.1% | 16,420 |
| May 2022 | $51,070 | +4.6% | 17,270 |
| May 2023 | $54,850 | +7.4% | 17,400 |
| May 2024 | $59,280 | +8.1% | 14,140 |
| May 2025 | $58,970 | -0.5% | 13,800 |
Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $48,010 in May 2015 to $58,970 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +3.1% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 18,870 in May 2019 to 13,800 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
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
View all 31 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 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $27,120 | 54% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 47 (Construction and Extraction Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Boilermakers
SOC 47-2011
Brickmasons and Blockmasons
SOC 47-2021
Carpenters
SOC 47-2031
Carpet Installers
SOC 47-2041
Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
SOC 47-2051
Showing 5 of 59 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Construction and Extraction Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($58,970 here) and reported employment (13,800 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers make? ▼
Where does Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers pay rank nationally? ▼
What state pays Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers the most? ▼
What education do Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers need? ▼
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers? ▼
Is Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers a good career? ▼
How does Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $77,320/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. 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.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
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.