SalariesWhat the occupation covers
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.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 47-2171.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $43,310 | $3,609 | $833 | $20.82 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $47,990 | $3,999 | $923 | $23.07 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $58,970 | $4,914 | $1,134 | $28.35 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $77,320 | $6,443 | $1,487 | $37.17 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $104,540 | $8,712 | $2,010 | $50.26 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers is $58,970, which is 16% higher. Among the 60 occupations of the field Construction and Extraction, it ranks number 23 by median pay. With 13,800 jobs, it makes up about 0.9 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($66,060) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers pay by state
The highest median pay was in Wisconsin ($121,620), New Jersey ($116,110) and Washington ($108,970). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($27,120), Guam ($36,830) and Mississippi ($39,860). The most jobs were in Texas (3,640), California (2,390) and Florida (1,150). The occupation is most concentrated in Guam, where its share of all jobs is 67.8 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | 50 | $121,620 | $102,070 | $58.47 |
| New Jersey | not published | $116,110 | $112,650 | $55.82 |
| Washington | 130 | $108,970 | $98,420 | $52.39 |
| Illinois | not published | $105,580 | $103,190 | $50.76 |
| Nevada | 460 | $102,130 | $89,870 | $49.10 |
| New York | 1,110 | $98,040 | $100,310 | $47.13 |
| Oregon | 240 | $93,490 | $95,050 | $44.95 |
| Michigan | not published | $91,220 | $85,040 | $43.86 |
| Pennsylvania | not published | $74,670 | $75,420 | $35.90 |
| Louisiana | 130 | $70,700 | $76,060 | $33.99 |
| Kentucky | 40 | $66,830 | $62,670 | $32.13 |
| Indiana | 70 | $64,650 | $73,620 | $31.08 |
| California | 2,390 | $63,110 | $72,220 | $30.34 |
| Nebraska | 230 | $62,920 | $66,290 | $30.25 |
| Maryland | not published | $61,640 | $63,680 | $29.64 |
| Alaska | not published | $61,480 | $61,860 | $29.56 |
| Missouri | 320 | $59,410 | $64,440 | $28.56 |
| Arizona | 60 | $58,230 | $56,500 | $27.99 |
| Tennessee | 500 | $57,920 | $58,820 | $27.84 |
| Colorado | 260 | $56,160 | $60,010 | $27.00 |
| Virginia | not published | $55,120 | $56,050 | $26.50 |
| New Mexico | 260 | $54,080 | $59,100 | $26.00 |
| North Carolina | 90 | $51,690 | $54,020 | $24.85 |
| Texas | 3,640 | $50,650 | $52,450 | $24.35 |
| Florida | 1,150 | $50,500 | $52,720 | $24.28 |
| Oklahoma | 130 | $50,370 | $49,930 | $24.22 |
| Utah | 100 | $49,040 | $51,720 | $23.58 |
| Georgia | 80 | $47,480 | $57,810 | $22.83 |
| Arkansas | not published | $45,700 | $46,320 | $21.97 |
| Virgin Islands | 40 | $45,510 | $44,110 | $21.88 |
| Alabama | 390 | $43,640 | $46,210 | $20.98 |
| South Carolina | 80 | $41,020 | $51,220 | $19.72 |
| Mississippi | 40 | $39,860 | $46,280 | $19.16 |
| Guam | 400 | $36,830 | $37,170 | $17.71 |
| Puerto Rico | 80 | $27,120 | $28,480 | $13.04 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Carpenters$60,580 a year
- Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas$60,190 a year
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$59,850 a year
- Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers$58,930 a year
- Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas$58,620 a year
- Insulation Workers, Mechanical$58,340 a year
Common questions
How much do Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $58,970 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $43,310 and the highest-paid 10% more than $104,540.
How many people work as Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers?
About 13,800 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.