How much does a reinforcing iron and rebar worker make?

The median pay is $28.35 per hour — roughly $59,000 a year, with the real range running from about $20.82/hr (10th percentile) to $50.26/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a reinforcing iron and rebar worker?

The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

What does a reinforcing iron and rebar worker actually do all day?

Determine quantities, sizes, shapes, and locations of reinforcing rods from blueprints, sketches, or oral instructions. Space and fasten together rods in forms according to blueprints, using wire and pliers. Position and secure steel bars, rods, cables, or mesh in concrete forms, using fasteners, rod-bending machines, blowtorches, or hand tools.

Construction & Trades

Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers

Position and secure steel bars or mesh in concrete forms in order to reinforce concrete. Use a variety of fasteners, rod-bending machines, blowtorches, and hand tools. Includes rod busters.

What it pays
Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers earn a median of $28.35/hr — about $59,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $20.82/hr; the top 10% earn $50.26/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)

What you'd actually do

Determine quantities, sizes, shapes, and locations of reinforcing rods from blueprints, sketches, or oral instructions.
Space and fasten together rods in forms according to blueprints, using wire and pliers.
Position and secure steel bars, rods, cables, or mesh in concrete forms, using fasteners, rod-bending machines, blowtorches, or hand tools.
Cut rods to required lengths, using metal shears, hacksaws, bar cutters, or acetylene torches.
Place blocks under rebar to hold the bars off the deck when reinforcing floors.
Cut and fit wire mesh or fabric, using hooked rods, and position fabric or mesh in concrete to reinforce concrete.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: High school diploma. Overall preparation: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

The feel of the work

Much of the work happens outdoors; time pressure is a real part of the job. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 27.7% of reinforcing iron and rebar workers are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are hands-on and organized and detail-focused.

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Quick questions

How much does a reinforcing iron and rebar worker make?: The median pay is $28.35 per hour — roughly $59,000 a year, with the real range running from about $20.82/hr (10th percentile) to $50.26/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Do you need a degree to be a reinforcing iron and rebar worker?: The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).
What does a reinforcing iron and rebar worker actually do all day?: Determine quantities, sizes, shapes, and locations of reinforcing rods from blueprints, sketches, or oral instructions. Space and fasten together rods in forms according to blueprints, using wire and pliers. Position and secure steel bars, rods, cables, or mesh in concrete forms, using fasteners, rod-bending machines, blowtorches, or hand tools.

Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.

Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.