Ironworker Apprenticeship in Texas

Wages, programs & career outlook

Ironworkers erect the structural steel, rebar, and precast concrete that form the skeletons of buildings, bridges, and stadiums. The work is high, physical, and schedule-driven — big crews setting thousands of tons of steel on a tight sequence.

TX Median Salary
$49,150/yr
-17% vs. national
National Median
$59,280/yr
TX Employment
3,530
Ironworkers employed
TX Sponsors
9
Registered programs
Training Term
3.0 yrs
Time-Based
Job Growth
4.6%
2024–2034 projected
Annual Openings
1,500
Nationally, per yr

Ironworker Apprenticeship in Texas: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered ironworker apprenticeship in Texas combines paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Programs typically run 3.0 years and follow a time-based structure. You earn wages from day one — apprentices are employees, not students.

Texas pay vs. national

Median ironworker wages in Texas are $49,150/year, -17% below the national median of $59,280. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

Texas has 9 registered apprenticeship sponsors for ironworker listed in the U.S. Department of Labor's apprenticeship.gov directory. The sponsor list further down includes joint labor-management programs (JATCs), individual employers, and contractor associations.

Job-market outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 4.6% job growth for ironworkers nationally between 2024 and 2034, with approximately 1,500 annual openings each year (replacement plus growth combined). Apprenticeship demand tends to track local construction and infrastructure spending — Texas-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Texas Wage Spread

Annual wages for Ironworkers in Texas across all experience levels.

10th pct
$36,200
Median
$49,150
90th pct
$62,120
Middle 50% of workers earn $38,690$57,430

Current Ironworker Apprenticeship Openings in Texas

No ironworker apprenticeship openings are currently listed on apprenticeship.gov for Texas. The sponsors listed below accept applications on a rolling basis — contact them directly. Consider setting up an alert on apprenticeship.gov to be notified when new listings are posted.

Listings aggregated from apprenticeship.gov (US Dept. of Labor). Data refreshed daily.

Ironworker Apprenticeship Sponsors in Texas

9 ironworker-related registered sponsors identified in the DOL ApprenticeshipUSA directory for Texas. Directory lists sponsor names only — contact each organization directly to confirm current ironworker apprenticeship openings.

Organization City County
Dallas and West Texas Ironworkers Local 263 JATC Arlington Tarrant County
AUSTIN IRON WORKERS LOCAL 482 JATC Austin Travis County
Linden Steel , LP Forney Kaufman County
Reliable Re-Bar, LLC Fort Worth Wise County
GALVESTON IRON WORKERS JATC Houston Harris County
HOUSTON IRON WORKERS LOCAL 84 JATC Houston Harris County
TNT Crane & Rigging Inc., and its affiliated entities Houston Harris County
East Texas Rebar Kountze
San Antonio Iron Worker JATC San Antonio Bexar County
Search apprenticeship.gov for current Ironworker openings

Filter by occupation code 47-2171 and state TX for the most relevant results.

Ironworker Apprenticeship in Texas

Texas has only 9 Ironworker-adjacent registered sponsors in our directory — program slots may be competitive and early applications give the best shot at placement. Direct outreach to union halls in the state's largest cities often matters more than formal application windows.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do Ironworkers earn in Texas?
The BLS reports a median wage of $49,150/yr for Ironworkers in Texas (May 2024 data). Experience, union membership, and specialization all affect where you fall in the range.
What is the length of an Ironworker apprenticeship program?
Most Ironworker apprenticeships run 3 years. Apprentices work under a journeyman while attending classes, typically earning wages from day one with scheduled increases.
Is an apprenticeship better than trade school for Ironworkers?
Apprenticeships offer paid training with no tuition, while trade school requires upfront costs but may be shorter. Many Ironworkers combine both — starting with trade school basics before entering an apprenticeship.
Where can I apply for an Ironworker apprenticeship in Texas?
Contact one of the 9 Ironworker-adjacent registered sponsors in Texas (listed below), or search apprenticeship.gov for current openings. Local union halls, community colleges, and the state apprenticeship agency are good first stops.
How much do Ironworker apprentices earn?
Yes. Apprentices earn wages from day one, typically starting at 40–60% of the journeyman rate (roughly $24,575/yr in Texas). Wages increase at regular intervals — usually every 6 months — as you progress through the program.

Ironworker in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Texas

Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2024, DOL RAPIDS Registered Apprenticeship database, ApprenticeshipUSA Sponsor Directory.