Structural Iron and Steel Workers

Overview

Structural Iron and Steel Workers has a national median salary of $62,780 per year, with +3.1% projected job growth from 2025–2035. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation.

Description

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.

Work Values

• Support
• Relationships
• Working Conditions

Work Styles

Responsibilities

Tasks

• 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.

Work Activities

• Handling and Moving Objects
• Performing General Physical Activities
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Getting Information
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Processing Information

Detailed Work Activities

• Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
• Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

T-A-S-K

Technology, Abilities, Skills & Knowledge

Education

Education Levels of Current Workers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation. The chart below shows the highest level of education held by people already working in this field, ages 25 and older. It includes workers who earned more education than the job requires and workers who entered the field under earlier requirements, so the largest bar is not the entry requirement. For example, if someone finished an associate's degree and then started working in this field, they are counted under “Associate's degree” here, but the job itself typically asks for a high school diploma or equivalent.

Certificates

Certifications applicable to Structural Iron and Steel Workers:

Video Resources