GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Structural Iron and Steel Workers
Best States to Be a Structural Iron and Steel Workers
After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a structural iron and steel workers salary goes furthest in Massachusetts — a $120,840 BLS median worth $108,757 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 156.1).
Which US states are best for a structural iron and steel workers after cost of living and tax?
For a structural iron and steel workers, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Massachusetts #1: a $120,840 BLS median becomes $108,757 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 156.1). Georgia ranks last ($47,921, index 68.8). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 50 states; re-dated annually.
Gera US Real Pay Index
Massachusetts ranks #1 of 50 states for a structural iron and steel workers. Index 100 = the average state; 156.1 means pay goes 56.1% further after tax and cost of living.
How this is calculatedStructural Iron and Steel Workers — real pay by state (best first)
| # | State | BLS median | State tax | Cost (RPP) | Real pay | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $120,840 | $5,822 | 105.8 | $108,757 | 156.1 |
| 2 | Washington | $107,660 | — | 107.0 | $100,605 | 144.4 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $113,220 | $5,022 | 108.8 | $99,442 | 142.7 |
| 4 | Illinois | $101,850 | $4,901 | 100.0 | $96,990 | 139.2 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $92,820 | $3,767 | 94.1 | $94,641 | 135.8 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $98,320 | $3,111 | 102.3 | $93,086 | 133.6 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $82,120 | $364 | 89.0 | $91,903 | 131.9 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $95,320 | $4,993 | 98.6 | $91,590 | 131.4 |
| 9 | Oregon | $96,050 | $7,600 | 103.4 | $85,573 | 122.8 |
| 10 | Hawaii | $99,860 | $6,059 | 110.0 | $85,311 | 122.4 |
| 11 | Iowa | $77,400 | $2,901 | 87.8 | $84,887 | 121.8 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $82,970 | $2,547 | 97.6 | $82,424 | 118.3 |
| 13 | Missouri | $77,410 | $2,757 | 90.8 | $82,201 | 118.0 |
| 14 | New York | $92,610 | $4,508 | 107.9 | $81,635 | 117.2 |
| 15 | Ohio | $74,710 | $1,272 | 92.8 | $79,158 | 113.6 |
| 16 | West Virginia | $71,850 | $2,528 | 89.5 | $77,457 | 111.2 |
| 17 | Louisiana | $68,830 | $1,690 | 88.2 | $76,117 | 109.2 |
| 18 | Alaska | $76,970 | — | 102.4 | $75,196 | 107.9 |
| 19 | Idaho | $72,750 | $3,023 | 95.5 | $73,017 | 104.8 |
| 20 | Indiana | $70,130 | $2,074 | 93.3 | $72,921 | 104.6 |
| 21 | Nebraska | $65,470 | $2,308 | 90.1 | $70,099 | 100.6 |
| 22 | Kentucky | $64,060 | $2,432 | 90.2 | $68,355 | 98.1 |
| 23 | Montana | $67,390 | $2,838 | 94.6 | $68,205 | 97.9 |
| 24 | California | $76,370 | $2,981 | 110.7 | $66,284 | 95.1 |
| 25 | Maryland | $71,730 | $3,074 | 105.0 | $65,412 | 93.9 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $57,050 | — | 88.6 | $64,401 | 92.4 |
| 27 | Michigan | $62,830 | $2,424 | 96.2 | $62,781 | 90.1 |
| 28 | Nevada | $62,510 | — | 100.0 | $62,523 | 89.7 |
| 29 | Kansas | $58,560 | $2,468 | 90.1 | $62,277 | 89.4 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $56,750 | — | 91.9 | $61,772 | 88.6 |
| 31 | Maine | $61,750 | $2,553 | 97.0 | $60,996 | 87.5 |
| 32 | Alabama | $56,640 | $2,567 | 88.8 | $60,877 | 87.4 |
| 33 | Connecticut | $62,400 | $1,883 | 103.6 | $58,408 | 83.8 |
| 34 | Arizona | $59,390 | $1,010 | 100.7 | $57,988 | 83.2 |
| 35 | New Hampshire | $59,920 | — | 104.2 | $57,524 | 82.6 |
| 36 | Delaware | $59,820 | $2,643 | 99.8 | $57,287 | 82.2 |
| 37 | Virginia | $60,260 | $2,665 | 101.1 | $56,966 | 81.8 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $50,690 | $1,425 | 87.0 | $56,657 | 81.3 |
| 39 | Utah | $58,250 | $2,650 | 98.9 | $56,238 | 80.7 |
| 40 | Vermont | $55,640 | $1,445 | 98.0 | $55,325 | 79.4 |
| 41 | Colorado | $58,830 | $1,929 | 103.1 | $55,216 | 79.2 |
| 42 | Florida | $55,700 | — | 103.4 | $53,861 | 77.3 |
| 43 | Texas | $52,240 | — | 97.1 | $53,824 | 77.2 |
| 44 | District of Columbia | $61,240 | $2,606 | 109.9 | $53,352 | 76.6 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $50,750 | $1,539 | 93.7 | $52,492 | 75.3 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $47,660 | $1,726 | 87.8 | $52,291 | 75.0 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $47,480 | — | 92.7 | $51,224 | 73.5 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $45,510 | $1,566 | 86.9 | $50,546 | 72.5 |
| 49 | North Carolina | $48,740 | $1,530 | 94.3 | $50,050 | 71.8 |
| 50 | Georgia | $48,090 | $1,945 | 96.3 | $47,921 | 68.8 |
"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 50 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.
Where does your salary go furthest?
Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.
In Massachusetts, a $120,840 salary is worth about $103,978 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $10,876 (≈ top marginal 9.00% (upper bound)) · take-home $109,964 · BEA cost of living 105.8 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $136,410, a $32,431 gain over Massachusetts.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $136,410 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $133,576 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $132,886 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $132,857 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $132,458 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $132,442 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $131,534 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $131,029 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $130,369 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $129,244 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $128,669 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $128,513 | 89.5 |
Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).
Structural Iron and Steel Workers — real pay FAQ
- What is the best state to be a structural iron and steel workers?
- By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Massachusetts is the best state for a structural iron and steel workers: a BLS median of $120,840 is worth $108,757 after the 2025 state income tax ($5,822) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 105.8), an index of 156.1 where the average state is 100.
- Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
- Not necessarily. Massachusetts has the highest headline BLS median for a structural iron and steel workers at $120,840, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 50 on real pay (index 156.1). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
- Where does a structural iron and steel workers salary go least far?
- Georgia ranks last of 50 states for a structural iron and steel workers: a $48,090 BLS median is worth only $47,921 after tax and cost of living (index 68.8). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.
Compare other occupations
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Related on GeraJobs
- Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
- Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
- Browse US jobs with salary ranges — roles hiring now.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for a structural iron and steel workers is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.