IRONWORKER
Erects the skeleton of buildings, bridges, stadiums. Walks the iron. Highest-paid construction trade in many metros. New York is not a right-to-work state — union density is higher than average and prevailing wage rules cover most public projects.
The License.
Check with New York directly — licensing for ironworkervaries by municipality in this state. There is no single state board that we can point to with confidence for this trade. Contact your local city or county building department, or check the state labor department's website.
The Money.
Pay data for this trade in New York. BLS metro-level data was not available for this combination. National medians shown below.
| Stage | Hourly range | Approx. annual |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 apprentice | $22–$32/hr | $44,000 – $64,000 |
| Journeyman scale | $42–$68/hr | $84,000 – $136,000 |
| BLS national median | — | $58,550 |
| BLS top 10% | — | $99,880 |
New York is NOT a right-to-work state. Union scale in New York's major metros typically runs 20–40% above the national median. Prevailing wage laws apply to most public-sector projects.
The Path.
New York runs its own State Apprenticeship Agency. Programs are registered with the New York State Department of Labor — not the federal RAPIDS system. NYC also layers additional local licensing requirements on top. Find programs at labor.ny.gov.
- · Iron Workers (IW)
The Exam.
Most construction trade licenses at the contractor level require a business and law exam in addition to the trade exam. New York may have this structure. Pass rates are not published uniformly — ask the licensing board directly for current data. Prevailing wage requirements in New York apply to most public-sector projects, which ties exam and licensure to wage scale compliance for contractors.
Be honest about pass rates. Many licensing boards do not publish them. When they do, first-time pass rates for journeyman exams in the trades typically run 50–75%. Preparation time varies — most serious candidates spend 60–120 hours on exam prep. Use code books from the correct edition, not what's currently in print.
What recruiters won't tell you.
- 01Fatality rate among the highest in construction. Heights aren't for everyone — be honest with yourself.
- 02Heavy travel for major projects. 'Boomer' work means weeks away from home.
- 03Layoffs between projects are normal. Plan finances for feast-or-famine cycles.
- 04Almost entirely union — non-union ironwork is rare and usually pays badly.
- 05New York City layers its own licensing on top of state licensing. If you plan to work in NYC, check NYC DOB requirements separately — state journeyman status is not enough on its own.