Ironworker.
Philadelphia.
$69,000
median salary, 10% above the national average
$52,000 to $89,000. Updated for 2026.
The numbers.
Everything you need to negotiate with confidence.
Here is what Ironworkers actually make in Philadelphia: $52,000 at the 25th percentile, $69,000 at the median, and $89,000 at the 75th. That is 10% above the national average. Philadelphia combines a robust healthcare and life sciences sector with established finance and higher education institutions. The number on your offer letter will depend on what you bring and how you ask.
Salary range
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How Philadelphia compares
Philadelphia, PA
$69,000
Cost of living: 9% above average
National Average
$63,000
Philadelphia is $6,000 above
What you should know
Before you negotiate a Ironworker offer in Philadelphia, understand the terrain. Philadelphia combines a robust healthcare and life sciences sector with established finance and higher education institutions. The city's pharmaceutical corridor is among the strongest in the country. Tech growth has accelerated, particularly in health tech and enterprise software, offering salaries that stretch further than in nearby New York. Structural ironworkers on high-rise projects earn the most due to height premiums and physical risk factors. Welding certifications combined with ironworking skills add 15 to 20% to base rates. Union ironworkers in major cities like New York, Chicago, and San Francisco see the strongest wage floors, with journeyman rates exceeding $45 per hour.
Ironworker apprentices start at $34,000 to $42,000 during their three to four year training period. Journeyman ironworkers earn $48,000 to $70,000, while foremen and superintendents reach $72,000 to $95,000. Project managers with ironworking backgrounds earn $90,000 to $125,000 at large structural contractors. In Philadelphia, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Union benefits add $18,000 to $28,000 annually including health insurance, pension, annuity, and training fund contributions. Hazard pay for bridge, high-rise, or demolition work can add $2 to $8 per hour on top of base journeyman rates. And on the tax side: pennsylvania has a flat 3.07% state income tax, but Philadelphia adds a 3.75% city wage tax for residents. This combined local burden is worth factoring into salary negotiations. When someone quotes you $69,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Account for the Philadelphia wage tax in your ask. Request a 5 to 8% premium over suburban offers to offset the city's local tax on all earned income. The range for Ironworkers in Philadelphia runs from $52,000 to $89,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Top industries in Philadelphia
Negotiating in Philadelphia
Account for the Philadelphia wage tax in your ask. Request a 5 to 8% premium over suburban offers to offset the city's local tax on all earned income.