Ironworkers
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Ironworkers in the United States earn a median salary of $61,940 per year — about $30 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 85K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +4%.
AI & Automation Risk
Ironworking is a highly physical occupation performed in unpredictable, outdoor environments and at great heights, which provides a significant natural barrier to AI and robotics. While AI might assist with peripheral tasks like blueprint analysis or site scheduling, the core duties of manual welding, bolting, and balancing on structural beams require real-time human dexterity and physical presence that cannot be automated with current or near-future technology.