SOC 47-2221 · Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro

Structural Iron and Steel Workers Salary in Des Moines, IA

The average salary for structural iron and steel workers in Des Moines, Iowa is $75,420 a year ($36.26 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $80,080: half of the people in this job in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 5% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($72,153).

$75,420average per year

$36.26 / hourMedian $80,080Take-home ≈ $59,634

  • $63K10th
  • $65K25th
  • $80KMedian
  • $80K75th
  • $82K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

n/apeople in this job
+5%vs U.S. metro average
#2 of 4Iowa metros
92cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Structural Iron and Steel Workers pay range in Des Moines

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $63,280 a year or less, while the top 10% make $82,410 or more. The middle half of structural iron and steel workers in Des Moines earn between $65,160 and $80,090.

  • $63K10th
  • $65K25th
  • $80KMedian
  • $80K75th
  • $82K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$75,420$6,285$36.26
Median$80,080$6,673$38.50
Entry level (25th percentile)$65,160$5,430$31.33
Experienced (75th percentile)$80,090$6,674$38.50

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.

Structural Iron and Steel Workers salary after taxes in Des Moines

On the average salary of $75,420, a single filer in Des Moines takes home about $59,634 a year, or $4,969 a month and $2,294 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.

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Is Des Moines a good place for structural iron and steel workers? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Des Moines area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 91.7), so the average $75,420 buys what about $82,246 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Des Moines ($51,820). A typical home costs $296,070, or 3.9 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $75,420 is worth in another city

Structural Iron and Steel Workers salary in other Iowa cities

Des Moines ranks 2nd of 4 Iowa metro areas for this job; Davenport pays the most ($79,680).

All Structural Iron and Steel Workers salaries in Iowa

Highest-paying cities for structural iron and steel workers

Boston, MA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($113,210).

Structural Iron and Steel Workers salary by city

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Structural Iron and Steel Workers salary in Des Moines: questions

How much do structural iron and steel workers make an hour in Des Moines?

$36.26 an hour on average, and $38.50 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level structural iron and steel workers salary in Des Moines?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $63,280 a year and the 25th percentile is $65,160, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the structural iron and steel workers take-home pay in Des Moines?

About $59,634 a year ($4,969 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $75,420. Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.

Do structural iron and steel workers earn more in Des Moines than elsewhere?

The average here is 5% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($72,153).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 47-2221; area Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA (19780). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.2%.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.

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