The median annual wage of reinforcing iron and rebar workers was $38,430 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $24,280, and the top 10 percent earned more than $74,210.
The starting pay for apprentices is usually between 50 percent and 60 percent of what fully trained reinforcing iron and rebar workers make. They get pay increases as they become more skilled.
Nearly all reinforcing iron and rebar workers work full time. Because they are reinforcing concrete, weather conditions that affect the curing time of concrete can impact work schedules.
In contrast to other construction trades, few reinforcing iron and rebar workers are self-employed.
Reinforcing iron and rebar workers have a rate of union membership that is higher than the national average. Although there is no single union that covers all reinforcing iron and rebar workers, the largest organizer of these workers is the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental, and Reinforcing Iron Workers.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition