Structural iron and steel workers
SOC Code: 47-2221
Structural iron and steel workers carries a 25% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk), with a median annual wage of $62,700 and +4.4% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 65,700 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 25% AI exposure, Structural iron and steel workers sits 12 points below the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 15% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
70/100
Structural iron and steel workers, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage C $62,700
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth B +4.4%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) A 25% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Structural iron and steel workers in the Medium band.
Credential × growth standing
Open entry with non-declining BLS pace
Structural iron and steel workers keeps an HS / some college bar (333 of 832) and sits in Average (378 of 832). Lower formal gates with a non-shrinking employment line - skill and AI desks matter more than credentials here.
Where Structural iron and steel workers sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Structural iron and steel workers sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
25% Among the lowest lower than 85% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Structural iron and steel workers vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Structural iron and steel workers is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Structural iron and steel workers's Medium automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 47-2221) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Structural iron and steel workers be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Structural iron and steel workers. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Registered Apprenticeship Pathway Available
Structural iron and steel workers is a recognized registered apprenticeship occupation under the DOL RAPIDS system. Earn while you train, apprentices typically start at ~$16/hr and reach $28–$46/hr upon completion, depending on the specific trade and region.
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Read specifications or blueprints to determine the locations, quantities, or sizes of materials required.
- 2. Connect columns, beams, and girders with bolts, following blueprints and instructions from supervisors.
- 3. Bolt aligned structural steel members in position for permanent riveting, bolting, or welding into place.
- 4. Fasten structural steel members to hoist cables, using chains, cables, or rope.
- 5. Hoist steel beams, girders, or columns into place, using cranes or signaling hoisting equipment operators to lift and position structural steel members.
- 6. Verify vertical and horizontal alignment of structural steel members, using plumb bobs, laser equipment, transits, or levels.
- 7. Cut, bend, or weld steel pieces, using metal shears, torches, or welding equipment.
- 8. Erect metal or precast concrete components for structures, such as buildings, bridges, dams, towers, storage tanks, fences, or highway guard rails.
- 9. Force structural steel members into final positions, using turnbuckles, crowbars, jacks, or hand tools.
- 10. Pull, push, or pry structural steel members into approximate positions for bolting into place.
Key Skills Required
- Coordination
- Operations Monitoring
- Operation and Control
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Complex Problem Solving
- Quality Control Analysis
Knowledge Areas
- Building and Construction
- Mechanical
- Mathematics
- Public Safety and Security
- Administration and Management
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Design
- Education and Training
- Transportation
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Structural iron and steel workers?
Structural iron and steel workers has an AI exposure score of 25%, indicating a medium level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.
What is the job outlook for Structural iron and steel workers?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Structural iron and steel workers is projected to grow by 4.4% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 65,700 workers.
What skills are needed for Structural iron and steel workers?
Key skills for Structural iron and steel workers include Coordination, Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, and others. Typical entry-level education is High school diploma or equivalent.
How much do Structural iron and steel workers earn?
The median annual wage for Structural iron and steel workers is $62,700, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Structural iron and steel workers?
The typical entry-level education for Structural iron and steel workers is High school diploma or equivalent. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Apprenticeship. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Structural iron and steel workers?
Structural iron and steel workers roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
Medium automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Structural iron and steel workers: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (25% here).
- Dermatologists · AI exposure 25%
- Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors · AI exposure 25%
- Firefighters · AI exposure 25%
- Funeral attendants · AI exposure 25%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (+4.4% here).
- Environmental scientists and specialists, including health · growth +4.4%
- General and operations managers · growth +4.4%
- Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors · growth +4.4%
- Helpers, construction trades, all other · growth +4.4%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 43 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Structural iron and steel workers' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Structural iron and steel workers side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).