Structural Iron and Steel Workers Salary
The median pay for a structural iron and steel workers in Fort Smith, AR-OK is $45,220/year ($21.74/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $55K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.89), which stretches that salary to about $52,649 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $937/month, about 30.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $45K get you in Fort Smith?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fort Smith’s Regional Price Parity (85.89). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About structural iron and steel workers
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What this looks like in Fort Smith
Pay for structural iron and steel workers in Fort Smith runs about 28% below the U.S. median of $63K. Rent runs $937/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for structural iron and steel workers in metros near Fort Smith, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $47K | $52K |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | $47K | $52K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $58K | $59K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $54K | $52K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fort Smith, AR-OK
Entry-level structural iron and steel workers (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $55K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Structural Iron and Steel Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Structural Iron and Steel Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $121K | +92% | 2,050 |
| New Jersey | $113K | +80% | 1,060 |
| Washington | $108K | +71% | 850 |
| Illinois | $102K | +62% | 2,740 |
| Hawaii | $100K | +59% | 290 |
| Rhode Island | $98K | +57% | 360 |
| Oregon | $96K | +53% | 570 |
| Minnesota | $95K | +52% | 910 |
| Wisconsin | $93K | +48% | 710 |
| New York | $93K | +48% | 2,700 |
| Pennsylvania | $83K | +32% | 1,610 |
| North Dakota | $82K | +31% | 270 |
| Missouri | $77K | +23% | 1,320 |
| Iowa | $77K | +23% | N/A |
| Alaska | $77K | +23% | 120 |
| California | $76K | +22% | 7,110 |
| Ohio | $75K | +19% | 2,290 |
| Idaho | $73K | +16% | 500 |
| West Virginia | $72K | +14% | 150 |
| Maryland | $72K | +14% | 710 |
| Indiana | $70K | +12% | 2,750 |
| Louisiana | $69K | +10% | 1,180 |
| Montana | $67K | +7% | 130 |
| Nebraska | $65K | +4% | 610 |
| Kentucky | $64K | +2% | 990 |
| Michigan | $63K | +0% | 1,750 |
| Nevada | $63K | -0% | 1,400 |
| Connecticut | $62K | -1% | 330 |
| Maine | $62K | -2% | 200 |
| District of Columbia | $61K | -2% | 210 |
| Virginia | $60K | -4% | 2,300 |
| New Hampshire | $60K | -5% | 220 |
| Delaware | $60K | -5% | 90 |
| Arizona | $59K | -5% | 3,980 |
| Colorado | $59K | -6% | 860 |
| Kansas | $59K | -7% | 260 |
| Utah | $58K | -7% | 1,630 |
| South Dakota | $57K | -9% | 440 |
| Tennessee | $57K | -10% | 1,240 |
| Alabama | $57K | -10% | 1,740 |
| Florida | $56K | -11% | 2,730 |
| Vermont | $56K | -11% | 50 |
| Texas | $52K | -17% | 9,700 |
| South Carolina | $51K | -19% | 660 |
| Mississippi | $51K | -19% | 480 |
| North Carolina | $49K | -22% | 2,000 |
| Georgia | $48K | -23% | 980 |
| Oklahoma | $48K | -24% | 1,140 |
| Wyoming | $47K | -24% | 80 |
| Arkansas | $46K | -28% | 1,080 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track structural iron and steel workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Fort Smith numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a structural iron and steel worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fort Smith?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 30.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $937/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for structural iron and steel workers in Fort Smith?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new structural iron and steel workers typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,872/month. At HUD’s $937/month FMR, rent would take 50% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is structural iron and steel worker a high-paying job in Fort Smith?
Local pay runs 28% below the national median — $45K here vs. $63K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Fort Smith compare to the national average for structural iron and steel workers?
Fort Smith pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $63K — that’s -28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — below the national median.
How much do structural iron and steel workers make in Fort Smith, AR-OK?
The median is $45,220 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,200, and experienced structural iron and steel workers can clear $55,470. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Fort Smith?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,065/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $937/month, which eats 30.6% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a structural iron and steel workers salary go in Fort Smith?
Fort Smith has a Regional Price Parity of 85.89 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median structural iron and steel workers salary is worth about $52,649 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do structural iron and steel workers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.