SOC 47-2171.00

    Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers

    Position and secure steel bars or mesh in concrete forms in order to reinforce concrete.

    Median pay
    $58,970
    Growth
    -5.3%
    Decline
    Openings a year
    1,000
    Typical education
    High school diploma

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

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    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $43,310
    Median
    $58,970
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $104,540
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    13,800 people work in this occupation.

    What reinforcing iron and rebar workers do

    Job Zone 2: Some preparation

    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.

    Usually a high school diploma; some on-the-job training or experience.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    100 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    20 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    2 / 100
    Social (S)
    3 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    6 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    42 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code RCI. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
    94
    Performing General Physical Activities
    82
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    75
    Handling and Moving Objects
    73
    Getting Information
    73
    Controlling Machines and Processes
    72
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    71
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    70
    Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
    70
    Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
    70
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Coordination
    • Critical Thinking
    • Judgment and Decision Making
    • Monitoring
    • Operation and Control
    • Complex Problem Solving
    • Operations Monitoring
    • Time Management
    • Active Listening
    • Quality Control Analysis

    Knowledge

    • Building and Construction
    • Mathematics
    • Design
    • Public Safety and Security
    • Engineering and Technology
    • Production and Processing
    • English Language
    • Administration and Management
    • Education and Training
    • Mechanical

    Abilities

    • Static Strength
    • Trunk Strength
    • Multilimb Coordination
    • Manual Dexterity
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
    • Extent Flexibility
    • Near Vision
    • Stamina
    • Control Precision
    • Finger Dexterity

    Work styles

    • Dependability
    • Attention to Detail
    • Cautiousness
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Perseverance
    • Integrity
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Self-Control
    • Self-Confidence
    • Cooperation

    Also called

    Concrete Buster · Concrete Rod Buster · Concrete Worker · Field Ironworker · Iron Installer · Iron Worker · Ironworker · Ironworker Journeyman · Ironworker Laborer · Journeyman Ironworker

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What reinforcing iron and rebar workers may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    4 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

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    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

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    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.