Trade Career Comparison

Which trade career fits you best?

Ironworker

Install structural and reinforcing iron and steel for buildings, bridges, and roads.

$60,760/yr median

$37,340$96,390

AverageVery HeavyUnion: HighEntry: Moderate

Training Path

3-4 year apprenticeship

Environment

Outdoor

Outlook

Average (+4%)

BLS Code

47-2171

Pros

✓Strong pay with significant overtime potential — ironworkers on major commercial projects regularly earn $70K-$90K+ annually.
✓Powerful union (Ironworkers International) with solid benefits, pension, and mutual support among members.
✓Pride in building iconic structures — bridges, skyscrapers, stadiums, and other landmarks that will stand for decades.
✓Physical fitness is built into the job — ironworkers tend to stay strong and fit throughout their careers.
✓Work variety — structural, reinforcing, ornamental, and rigging are distinct specializations within the trade.

Cons

✗Among the most physically dangerous trades — ironworkers face fall hazards, heavy loads, and working at extreme heights daily.
✗Outdoor work in all weather conditions — you work on open steel in scorching heat, freezing cold, rain, and wind.
✗The work is physically grueling — carrying and placing heavy steel, connecting beams at height, and tying rebar in bent-over positions.
✗Seasonal slowdowns and layoffs are common, especially in regions with harsh winters that limit outdoor structural work.
✗The toll on your body is significant — back injuries, joint problems, and hearing damage are common long-term issues.
✗Height phobia is a non-starter — if you are uncomfortable working multiple stories up on narrow steel beams, this is not your trade.

What the Life Is Like

Ironworkers are the people who put up the steel skeleton of buildings and bridges. Structural ironworkers connect steel beams and columns at height, using cranes, drift pins, bolts, and welding to assemble the framework of structures. Reinforcing ironworkers (rod busters) tie rebar cages for concrete foundations, walls, and decks — work that is lower to the ground but extremely hard on the body. Riggers and machinery movers specialize in lifting and placing heavy equipment.

The day starts early, typically 6 or 7 AM, and runs until mid-afternoon. On major projects, 50-60 hour weeks are common. The work culture among ironworkers is famously tough and proud. The trade attracts people who thrive on physical challenge and are comfortable with risk. There is a deep sense of brotherhood (and increasingly, sisterhood) on the crew — everyone depends on everyone else when you are bolting steel 20 stories up.

Physically, ironwork is among the most demanding trades. Structural ironworkers walk narrow beams at height, swing heavy tools, and work in positions that most people would find terrifying. Reinforcing ironworkers spend their days bent over or on their knees, tying wire ties around rebar intersections hundreds of times a day. Both specializations take a severe toll on the body over time. But ironworkers take enormous pride in their work — there is something powerful about pointing at a bridge or building and knowing your hands put it together.

How to Get Started

Ensure you meet physical requirements

Ironwork requires above-average physical fitness, comfort with heights, and the ability to lift 50+ pounds regularly. If you have a severe fear of heights, this trade is not a good fit. Start building your strength and stamina before applying.

Apply to an Ironworkers apprenticeship program

The International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers runs apprenticeship programs through local unions across the country. Applications typically involve an aptitude test, physical ability test, drug screening, and interview.

Consider pre-apprenticeship or related experience

Construction laborer experience, military service, or a pre-apprenticeship program can strengthen your application. Some programs specifically recruit veterans and underrepresented groups into the ironworking trade.

Complete your 3-4 year apprenticeship

Apprentice ironworkers rotate through different aspects of the trade — structural, reinforcing, rigging, welding, and ornamental work. Classroom training covers blueprint reading, mathematics, welding, rigging, safety, and OSHA regulations. Wages start at roughly 60% of journeyman scale.

Earn welding and rigging certifications

Many ironworker apprenticeship programs include AWS welding certification and rigging/signaling certification as part of the curriculum. These credentials are essential for advancement and open doors to higher-paying specialized work.

Felony Record & Licensing

Generally Accessible

Union apprenticeships are often accessible. No individual licensing required.

Ironworker is one of the more accessible trades for people rebuilding after a conviction.

Training Funding & Support

Pell Grants Are Available Again

As of July 2023, the FAFSA no longer asks about drug convictions. The FAFSA Simplification Act restored Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students. If a past drug conviction kept you from financial aid before, you can apply again.

WIOA Workforce Funding

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funds free job training, career counseling, and supportive services (transportation, work clothes, childcare) for people reentering the workforce. Contact your local American Job Center (careeronestop.org) to see what's available in your area.

Ban-the-Box & Fair Chance Hiring

Over 37 states and 150+ cities have "ban-the-box" or fair chance hiring laws that prevent employers from asking about criminal history on job applications. Many require waiting until after an interview or conditional job offer. These laws are expanding rapidly — check your state's specific rules.

Licensing laws vary by state and change frequently. This is general guidance, not legal advice. Always verify with your state's licensing board before enrolling in a training program.

Data last verified March 2026 · View sources

We verify our data against official sources. Verification dates show when we last checked — they do not guarantee the information is still current. Laws, rates, and thresholds can change at any time. Always confirm critical information at the official source or with a qualified professional.

National Employment Law Project (NELP) — Fair Chance Hiring

General trade accessibility levels for people with felony convictions — categorized as generally-accessible, varies-by-state, often-restricted, or highly-restricted

https://www.nelp.org/policy-issue/criminal-records-and-employment/

Verified March 2026

trade-schools.net — Jobs for Felons

Trade accessibility and reentry employment guidance for specific trades

https://www.trade-schools.net/articles/jobs-for-felons

Verified March 2026

Hire Felons — Reentry Employment Guide

Employer reentry hiring policies and trade accessibility for people with felony convictions

https://www.hirefelons.org/

Verified March 2026

ASE — About ASE Testing

ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) certification — no criminal history screening

https://www.ase.com/certification-series/

Verified March 2026

OSHA — Powered Industrial Trucks

OSHA forklift certification — employer-provided, no criminal history screening

https://www.osha.gov/powered-industrial-trucks

Verified March 2026

EPA — Section 608 Technician Certification

EPA Section 608 refrigerant certification — no criminal history screening

https://www.epa.gov/section608

Verified March 2026

Federal Student Aid — FAFSA Simplification Act

Pell Grant eligibility restored for people with drug convictions and incarcerated individuals, effective July 1, 2023; PELL_GRANT_RESTORED_DATE: "July 2023"

FAFSA Simplification Act, Pub. L. 117-103 (2021); 20 U.S.C. § 1070a

https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/fafsa-simplification

Verified March 2026

National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) — Ban the Box Legislation

Ban-the-box and fair chance hiring laws — 37+ states + DC + 150+ localities as of 2026; BAN_THE_BOX_STATE_COUNT: 37; BAN_THE_BOX_CITY_COUNT: 150

https://www.ncsl.org/labor-and-employment/ban-the-box-legislation

Verified March 2026

NELP — Ban the Box: U.S. Cities, Counties, and States

Fair chance hiring law coverage — 37+ states + DC + 150+ localities; BAN_THE_BOX_PRIVATE_EMPLOYER_STATES: ["California", "Illinois", "New Jersey", "Washington"]

https://www.nelp.org/publication/ban-the-box-fair-chance-hiring-state-and-local-guide/

Verified March 2026

U.S. Department of Labor — Reentry Employment Opportunities (REO)

WIOA Section 169 workforce funding for reentry — job training, career counseling, and supportive services

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, 29 U.S.C. § 3224; WIOA Sec. 169

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/reentry

Verified March 2026

Legal Information Institute — 18 U.S.C. § 922

18 U.S.C. § 922(g) — federal prohibition on felons possessing firearms, effectively barring law enforcement careers

18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1)

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/922

Verified March 2026