Headline risk
2%
Very Low RiskReinforcing iron and rebar workers
United States AI Work Index tracks this occupation on the shared structural baseline and then layers on local demand resilience, wages, and confidence.
Why This Score
Share of job tasks that overlap with current AI capabilities
Median annual wage
Projected employment change over 10 years
Typical preparation needed for this occupation
Occupation profile
Position and secure steel bars or mesh in concrete forms in order to reinforce concrete. Use a variety of fasteners, rod-bending machines, blowtorches, and hand tools. Includes rod busters.
Task evidence
100% weighted task match · 0% effective coverage
Scores combine AI task overlap, human advantages, and local demand. How it works
United States Now
Median Wage
USD 59,280
Employment 2024
19.4K
Projected Change (2024–34)
4.6%
Openings (2024–34)
1.5K
Wage distribution
Demand outlook
Overall employment of ironworkers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Role Profile
Tasks
- 1. Determine quantities, sizes, shapes, and locations of reinforcing rods from blueprints, sketches, or oral instructions. AI use: 0%
- 2. Space and fasten together rods in forms according to blueprints, using wire and pliers. AI use: 0%
- 3. Position and secure steel bars, rods, cables, or mesh in concrete forms, using fasteners, rod-bending machines, blowtorches, or hand tools. AI use: 0%
- 4. Cut rods to required lengths, using metal shears, hacksaws, bar cutters, or acetylene torches. AI use: 0%
- 5. Place blocks under rebar to hold the bars off the deck when reinforcing floors. AI use: 0%
- 6. Cut and fit wire mesh or fabric, using hooked rods, and position fabric or mesh in concrete to reinforce concrete. AI use: 0%
Technologies
Requirements
Work context
Worker profile
Median age 41.7 · 1.1M employed
Under 25: 16% · 25–54: 60% · 55+: 24%
Related
Source coverage
11/11 source families · O*NET 30.2 / OEWS 2024 / ORS 2025 / OOH 2025-08-28 / Projections 2024-34 / CPS 2025 / Anthropic task penetration
Mapping quality
title_match · employment series present
Narrative & sources
Ironworkers install structural and reinforcing iron and steel to form and support buildings, bridges, and roads.
Ironworkers perform physically demanding and dangerous work, often at great heights. Workers must wear safety equipment to reduce the risk of falls or other injuries.
Most ironworkers learn through an apprenticeship or on-the-job training.
The median annual wage for reinforcing iron and rebar workers was $59,280 in May 2024.
Overall employment of ironworkers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Published limitations
This page shows the local country layer, not realised individual job outcomes. The global structural baseline is shared across countries; only the local demand and wage layer changes here.
Built from O*NET occupation descriptions, task statements, technology skills, work context, Job Zones, Anthropic task penetration, BLS OEWS wages, BLS projection tables, BLS ORS requirements, BLS OOH narrative content, BLS skills data, and BLS CPS occupation age tables.