Ironworking/Ironworker Degrees (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Ironworking/Ironworker — headline outcomes are in the stats below. Median in-state published tuition is about $4,267.
Key Statistics
Ironworking/Ironworker: what the data shows
Common questions about ironworking/ironworker degrees, answered from IPEDS, College Scorecard, BLS OEWS, and O*NET in this repository—not program marketing copy.
What is a ironworking/ironworker degree?
A Ironworking/Ironworker program is classified under NCES CIP 48.0509 in the Precision Metal Working field family (48.05).
A program that prepares individuals to make and install structural, ornamental, and reinforcing metal structures and supports. Includes instruction in drafting, technical mathematics, blueprint interpretation, welding, riveting, beam placement, ornamental design, structural reinforcement, crane operation, safety, and applicable codes and standards
Types of ironworking/ironworker degrees and related programs
Other NCES program codes in the 48.05 family with pages on EDsmart Data:
- Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) Machinist Technology/CNC Machinist (CIP 48.0510)
- Machine Shop Technology/Assistant (CIP 48.0503)
- Machine Tool Technology/Machinist (CIP 48.0501)
- Metal Fabricator (CIP 48.0511)
- Sheet Metal Technology/Sheetworking (CIP 48.0506)
- Tool and Die Technology/Technician (CIP 48.0507)
- Welding (CIP 48.0508)
How long does it take to get a ironworking/ironworker degree?
Award levels reported to IPEDS for CIP 48.0509 in our file:
- 37 Associate (100.0% of IPEDS total)—about two years of full-time study
Time to completion depends on enrollment intensity and transfer credits; figures above describe credential type, not calendar time for every student.
Is a ironworking/ironworker degree worth it?
Among schools reporting in our Scorecard extract, median published in-state tuition is $4,267 and median net price is $8,384.
We do not score "worth" on opinion—compare debt, earnings, wages for mapped occupations, and completion data above against your cost and career target.
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Ironworking/Ironworker and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$4,267 Median In-State Public
$16,657 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Ironworking/Ironworker majors are, on average, $4,267 for in-state public colleges, and $16,657 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Ironworking/Ironworker programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
100,000 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Ironworking/Ironworker from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Ironworking/Ironworker.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ivy Tech Community College | IN | 58,267 |
| 2 | Ivy Tech Community College | IN | 58,267 |
| 3 | Lone Star College System | TX | 45,188 |
| 4 | Lone Star College System | TX | 45,188 |
| 5 | Brigham Young University-Idaho | ID | 44,397 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Ironworking/Ironworker programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barstow Community College | CA | $1,104 |
| 2 | Barstow Community College | CA | $1,104 |
| 3 | Taft College | CA | $1,108 |
| 4 | Taft College | CA | $1,108 |
| 5 | Antelope Valley Community College District | CA | $1,124 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Ironworking/Ironworker programs.
Top 5 Lowest Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico State University-Grants | NM | $68 |
| 2 | New Mexico State University-Grants | NM | $68 |
| 3 | Fort Peck Community College | MT | $400 |
| 4 | College of the Sequoias | CA | $480 |
| 5 | College of the Sequoias | CA | $480 |
Schools with the lowest average net price for Ironworking/Ironworker programs.
Graduation Rates
Graduation rate data is not available for this degree program.
Graduation/completion rates for Ironworking/Ironworker programs across institutions.
Related specializations
Other NCES program codes in the 48.05 CIP family with dedicated pages on EDsmart Data.
- Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) Machinist Technology/CNC Machinist CIP 48.0510
- Machine Shop Technology/Assistant CIP 48.0503
- Machine Tool Technology/Machinist CIP 48.0501
- Metal Fabricator CIP 48.0511
- Sheet Metal Technology/Sheetworking CIP 48.0506
- Tool and Die Technology/Technician CIP 48.0507
- Welding CIP 48.0508
Degree Levels (IPEDS)
Completions reported to IPEDS for CIP 48.0509 in the survey year used in our extract (37 total across levels below).
- 37 Associate (100.0% of IPEDS total)
Source: IPEDS Completions (c2024_a), summed by award level for this CIP.
Employment
Wages and industry mix below use BLS OEWS data for occupations linked to this major in our mapping—not a graduate earnings survey.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$N/A Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Ironworking/Ironworker majors is $N/A.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Ironworking/Ironworker majors.
Occupations by Share
N/A 2023 Workforce
The number of Ironworking/Ironworker graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Ironworking/Ironworker by share of the total number of graduates.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Ironworking/Ironworker in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Ironworking/Ironworker.
Age distribution for Ironworking/Ironworker degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
161 Total Degrees Awarded
159 Male (98.76%)
2 Female (1.24%)
Gender distribution of Ironworking/Ironworker degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
107 White (66.46%)
10 Hispanic or Latino (6.21%)
8 Black or African American (4.97%)
1 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (0.62%)
Racial and ethnic distribution of Ironworking/Ironworker degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Ironworking/Ironworker are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Ironworking/Ironworker.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Ironworking/Ironworker field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Ironworking/Ironworker majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Ironworking/Ironworker majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Ironworking/Ironworker majors.
About
A program that prepares individuals to make and install structural, ornamental, and reinforcing metal structures and supports. Includes instruction in drafting, technical mathematics, blueprint interpretation, welding, riveting, beam placement, ornamental design, structural reinforcement, crane operation, safety, and applicable codes and standards
In 2023, 100,000 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Ironworking/Ironworker.
CIP Code
48.0509 - Ironworking/Ironworker
What the data shows
Men earned 1.2% of 161 Ironworking/Ironworker completions in the IPEDS file used here.
Published tuition medians in College Scorecard land at $4,267 in-state at public colleges and $16,657 at private institutions for programs in this field.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.