SOC 47-2221 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Structural Iron and Steel Workers — Des Moines
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA · 3 metro areas compared
In Des Moines, IA the median wage for Structural Iron and Steel Workers reaches $80,080 a year.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow about as fast as average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +4.4%
- Openings per year
- 5,500
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Apprenticeship
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
In Des Moines, IA the median wage for Structural Iron and Steel Workers reaches $80,080 a year. That is 27.6% more than the national median of $62,780. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $65,160 and $80,090. The lowest tenth earn under $63,280, while the highest tenth earn more than $82,410.
Davenport leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $79,090. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 126th of 508 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $63,280 | +0.8% |
| 25th | $65,160 | +3.8% |
| Median (50th) | $80,080 | +27.6% |
| 75th | $80,090 | +27.6% |
| 90th | $82,410 | +31.3% |
| Mean | $75,420 | +20.1% |
Other metro areas in Iowa
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Davenport | $79,090 | 90 | |
| 2 | Iowa City | $78,800 | — | |
| 3 | Cedar Rapids | $75,380 | 80 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Des Moines run 8.3% below the national average, so the median of $80,080 goes as far as $87,328 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 39.1% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$80,080as reported by BLSLocal price level
91.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$87,328US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $80,080 a year, 27.6% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $63,280 to $82,410 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Davenport, at $79,090.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Structural Iron and Steel Workers in Des Moines, IA?
The median annual wage is $80,080, or $38.50 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $62,780, so pay in Des Moines, IA is 27.6% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Des Moines, IA earns more than $82,410 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $63,280 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Davenport, at $79,090 per year.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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