Structural Iron and Steel Workers Salary
The median pay for a structural iron and steel workers in Rapid City, SD is $49,100/year ($23.6/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $72K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.16), which stretches that salary to about $55,070 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,336/month, about 37.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $49K actually covers in Rapid City, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Rapid City’s Regional Price Parity (89.16). 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 Rapid City
Pay for structural iron and steel workers in Rapid City runs about 22% below the U.S. median of $63K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,336/month, which is 38.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.16 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for structural iron and steel workers.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for structural iron and steel workers in metros near Rapid City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls | $59K | $65K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $98K | $93K |
| Omaha | $74K | $81K |
| Fargo | $83K | $92K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rapid City, SD
Entry-level structural iron and steel workers (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $72K or more, a $26K 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 with published data
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 annually. We'll email you when Rapid City numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a structural iron and steel worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Rapid City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 38.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,336/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Rapid City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new structural iron and steel workers typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,208/month. At HUD’s $1,336/month FMR, rent would take 42% 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 Rapid City?
Local pay runs 22% below the national median — $49K here vs. $63K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Rapid City compare to the national average for structural iron and steel workers?
Rapid City pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $63K — that’s -22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — below the national median.
How much do structural iron and steel workers make in Rapid City, SD?
The median is $49,100 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,380, and experienced structural iron and steel workers can clear $71,510. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Rapid City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,458/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,336/month, which eats 38.6% 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 Rapid City?
Rapid City has a Regional Price Parity of 89.16 (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 $55,070 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.