Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers
Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers (SOC 47-2171) earn a median $58,970 a year ($28.35 an hour) in the United States, with 13,800 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Wisconsin.
What reinforcing iron and rebar workers do
Reinforcing iron and rebar workers place and secure steel bars, rods, cables or mesh inside concrete forms to reinforce the concrete; the SOC definition includes rod busters. They determine the quantities, sizes, shapes and locations of the reinforcing rods from blueprints, sketches or oral instructions, then cut rods to length with metal shears, hacksaws, bar cutters or acetylene torches and bend them with hand tools or rod-bending machines. Rods are spaced and fastened together in the forms with wire and pliers, and may be welded with arc-welding equipment. Blocks are placed under the rebar to hold it off the deck when reinforcing floors, and wire mesh or fabric is cut, fitted and positioned in the concrete. Rebar work comes before the concrete is poured, and the cement masons (47-2051) who finish the surface come after. Structural iron and steel workers (47-2221), who raise girders and columns, are classified separately.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most common education level reported is less than a high school diploma, with skills learned on the job.
Also called: Concrete Buster, Concrete Rod Buster, Concrete Worker, Field Ironworker, Iron Installer.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $20.82 | $23.07 | $28.35 | $37.17 | $50.26 | $31.76 | 13,800 |
| Annual | $43,310 | $47,990 | $58,970 | $77,320 | $104,540 | $66,060 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where reinforcing iron and rebar workers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Wisconsin | Hourly | $28.74 | $39.95 | $58.47 | $59.45 | $60.36 | $49.07 | 50 | 0.02 | 0.20 |
| Annual | $59,770 | $83,100 | $121,620 | $123,650 | $125,550 | $102,070 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $33.32 | $53.13 | $55.82 | $62.63 | $62.63 | $54.16 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $69,310 | $110,510 | $116,110 | $130,270 | $130,270 | $112,650 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $22.57 | $39.42 | $52.39 | $57.20 | $58.38 | $47.32 | 130 | 0.04 | 0.41 |
| Annual | $46,950 | $81,980 | $108,970 | $118,970 | $121,420 | $98,420 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $44.78 | $46.17 | $50.76 | $50.76 | $56.76 | $49.61 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $93,150 | $96,040 | $105,580 | $105,580 | $118,070 | $103,190 | ||||
| Nevada | Hourly | $23.84 | $39.89 | $49.10 | $49.89 | $50.94 | $43.21 | 460 | 0.30 | 3.37 |
| Annual | $49,590 | $82,970 | $102,130 | $103,760 | $105,950 | $89,870 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $19.21 | $22.04 | $24.35 | $28.35 | $29.74 | $25.21 | 3,640 | 0.26 | 2.92 |
| Annual | $39,960 | $45,830 | $50,650 | $58,970 | $61,860 | $52,450 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $21.27 | $23.51 | $30.34 | $48.57 | $51.94 | $34.72 | 2,390 | 0.13 | 1.48 |
| Annual | $44,240 | $48,900 | $63,110 | $101,020 | $108,040 | $72,220 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $21.54 | $21.90 | $24.28 | $27.55 | $30.96 | $25.34 | 1,150 | 0.12 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $44,790 | $45,550 | $50,500 | $57,300 | $64,400 | $52,720 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $31.69 | $39.51 | $47.13 | $58.49 | $64.57 | $48.23 | 1,110 | 0.11 | 1.29 |
| Annual | $65,910 | $82,180 | $98,040 | $121,660 | $134,310 | $100,310 | ||||
| Tennessee | Hourly | $21.20 | $24.05 | $27.84 | $29.42 | $39.34 | $28.28 | 500 | 0.15 | 1.73 |
| Annual | $44,100 | $50,030 | $57,920 | $61,190 | $81,820 | $58,820 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $22.57 | $36.75 | $57.20 | $57.58 | $58.38 | $48.14 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $46,950 | $76,440 | $118,970 | $119,760 | $121,420 | $100,130 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $49.05 | $50.76 | $50.76 | $50.76 | $60.10 | $52.59 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $102,020 | $105,580 | $105,580 | $105,580 | $125,010 | $109,380 | ||||
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | Hourly | $21.25 | $39.00 | $49.08 | $49.16 | $49.62 | $42.12 | 270 | 0.24 | 2.64 |
| Annual | $44,200 | $81,130 | $102,080 | $102,240 | $103,210 | $87,620 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $31.71 | $44.12 | $48.99 | $62.63 | $64.71 | $50.90 | 960 | 0.10 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $65,950 | $91,770 | $101,890 | $130,270 | $134,590 | $105,860 | ||||
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | Hourly | $42.04 | $44.95 | $45.99 | $47.56 | $52.39 | $47.17 | 220 | 0.18 | 2.04 |
| Annual | $87,450 | $93,490 | $95,670 | $98,930 | $108,970 | $98,120 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $21.46 | $23.06 | $24.93 | $28.35 | $30.78 | $25.90 | 1,500 | 0.46 | 5.13 |
| Annual | $44,630 | $47,970 | $51,860 | $58,970 | $64,010 | $53,880 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $31.71 | $44.12 | $48.99 | $62.63 | $64.71 | $50.90 | 960 | 0.10 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $65,950 | $91,770 | $101,890 | $130,270 | $134,590 | $105,860 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $20.74 | $22.74 | $24.48 | $29.02 | $29.29 | $25.45 | 760 | 0.19 | 2.11 |
| Annual | $43,150 | $47,300 | $50,910 | $60,360 | $60,930 | $52,930 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $19.19 | $24.45 | $30.28 | $38.18 | $52.10 | $32.82 | 640 | 0.10 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $39,910 | $50,860 | $62,990 | $79,410 | $108,370 | $68,270 | ||||
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | Hourly | $18.50 | $21.82 | $28.76 | $44.22 | $50.47 | $31.83 | 520 | 0.30 | 3.40 |
| Annual | $38,480 | $45,380 | $59,820 | $91,980 | $104,980 | $66,200 | ||||
Top industries employing reinforcing iron and rebar workers
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors employ 66.9% of reinforcing iron and rebar workers nationally (9,230 jobs) at a median $57,880 a year ($27.83 an hour), followed by Nonresidential Building Construction (9.6%) and Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction (6.4%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors NAICS 238100 | 9,230 | 66.9% | $57,880 | $27.83 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction NAICS 236200 | 1,320 | 9.6% | $64,010 | $30.77 |
| Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction NAICS 237300 | 880 | 6.4% | $60,390 | $29.03 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) NAICS 3320A2 | 530 | 3.8% | $100,560 | $48.35 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors NAICS 238900 | 410 | 3.0% | $55,120 | $26.50 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (13,800). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $48,830 for reinforcing iron and rebar workers in May 2021 and $58,970 in May 2025, with employment of 16,420 and 13,800.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $48,830 | $23.48 | 16,420 |
| May 2022 | $51,070 | $24.55 | 17,270 |
| May 2023 | $54,850 | $26.37 | 17,400 |
| May 2024 | $59,280 | $28.50 | 14,140 |
| May 2025 | $58,970 | $28.35 | 13,800 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
32 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin profile | $58.47 | $121,620 | $59,770 | $125,550 | 50 | 0.02 | 0.20 |
| 2 | New Jersey profile | $55.82 | $116,110 | $69,310 | $130,270 | ** | ** | ** |
| 3 | Washington profile | $52.39 | $108,970 | $46,950 | $121,420 | 130 | 0.04 | 0.41 |
| 4 | Illinois profile | $50.76 | $105,580 | $93,150 | $118,070 | ** | ** | ** |
| 5 | Nevada profile | $49.10 | $102,130 | $49,590 | $105,950 | 460 | 0.30 | 3.37 |
| 6 | New York profile | $47.13 | $98,040 | $65,910 | $134,310 | 1,110 | 0.11 | 1.29 |
| 7 | Oregon profile | $44.95 | $93,490 | $77,630 | $112,630 | 240 | 0.12 | 1.40 |
| 8 | Michigan profile | $43.86 | $91,220 | $62,490 | $97,930 | ** | ** | ** |
| 9 | Pennsylvania profile | $35.90 | $74,670 | $59,630 | $96,070 | ** | ** | ** |
| 10 | Louisiana profile | $33.99 | $70,700 | $52,370 | $108,010 | 130 | 0.07 | 0.77 |
| 11 | Kentucky profile | $32.13 | $66,830 | $51,290 | $71,350 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.24 |
| 12 | Indiana profile | $31.08 | $64,650 | $62,250 | $93,310 | 70 | 0.02 | 0.25 |
| 13 | California profile | $30.34 | $63,110 | $44,240 | $108,040 | 2,390 | 0.13 | 1.48 |
| 14 | Nebraska profile | $30.25 | $62,920 | $54,540 | $77,420 | 230 | 0.22 | 2.52 |
| 15 | Maryland profile | $29.64 | $61,640 | $57,360 | $73,140 | ** | ** | ** |
| 16 | Alaska profile | $29.56 | $61,480 | $51,190 | $74,410 | ** | ** | ** |
| 17 | Missouri profile | $28.56 | $59,410 | $47,320 | $90,270 | 320 | 0.11 | 1.21 |
| 18 | Arizona profile | $27.99 | $58,230 | $43,970 | $66,140 | 60 | 0.02 | 0.20 |
| 19 | Tennessee profile | $27.84 | $57,920 | $44,100 | $81,820 | 500 | 0.15 | 1.73 |
| 20 | Colorado profile | $27.00 | $56,160 | $48,800 | $75,440 | 260 | 0.09 | 1.00 |
| 21 | Virginia profile | $26.50 | $55,120 | $46,970 | $72,800 | ** | ** | ** |
| 22 | New Mexico profile | $26.00 | $54,080 | $46,540 | $92,090 | 260 | 0.29 | 3.31 |
| 23 | North Carolina profile | $24.85 | $51,690 | $48,780 | $61,340 | 90 | 0.02 | 0.20 |
| 24 | Texas profile | $24.35 | $50,650 | $39,960 | $61,860 | 3,640 | 0.26 | 2.92 |
| 25 | Florida profile | $24.28 | $50,500 | $44,790 | $64,400 | 1,150 | 0.12 | 1.31 |
| 26 | Oklahoma profile | $24.22 | $50,370 | $42,320 | $56,030 | 130 | 0.07 | 0.83 |
| 27 | Utah profile | $23.58 | $49,040 | $44,260 | $58,910 | 100 | 0.06 | 0.62 |
| 28 | Georgia profile | $22.83 | $47,480 | $32,900 | $97,080 | 80 | 0.02 | 0.18 |
| 29 | Arkansas profile | $21.97 | $45,700 | $38,010 | $61,400 | ** | ** | ** |
| 30 | Alabama profile | $20.98 | $43,640 | $38,510 | $57,540 | 390 | 0.18 | 2.07 |
| 31 | South Carolina profile | $19.72 | $41,020 | $36,610 | $72,430 | 80 | 0.03 | 0.39 |
| 32 | Mississippi profile | $19.16 | $39,860 | $35,360 | $67,030 | 40 | 0.03 | 0.37 |
Part of Construction and Extraction Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 47-2171 Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 47-2171, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 47-2171.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.