Welder Salary in 2026
Welders join metal parts using heat and pressure, working in construction, manufacturing, and shipbuilding. They read blueprints, select materials, and inspect finished welds.
Median Salary
$53,750
$4,479/mo
Entry Level
$35,800
starting pay
Senior Level
$73,800
experienced
Job Growth
+2%
10-yr outlook
BLS OEWS May 2025 · official national figures
BLS reports Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers (SOC 51-4121) at a national median of $53,750 per year (mean $56,760), or $25.84 per hour, with 416,210 people employed nationwide. The median above is this BLS figure; the entry, senior and top tiers are Salario estimates calibrated to it. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.
Welder Overview
Welders join metal parts using heat and pressure, working in construction, manufacturing, and shipbuilding. They read blueprints, select materials, and inspect finished welds.
Education
Trade School Certificate
Experience
1-3 years
Industry
Manufacturing
Total Jobs (US)
416K
5-Year Growth
+12%
Category
Trades
Hourly Rate
$25.84/hr
Monthly Pay
$4,479
Reviewed June 10, 2026
2026 Welder Salary Market Notes
Market context
Welder pay is split across manufacturing, specialty trade contractors, repair and maintenance, shipyards, energy, infrastructure, and traveling field work. A factory production welder, pipe welder, structural welder, underwater welder, and shutdown/outage welder can sit in very different pay bands even when the job title looks similar.
What drives higher pay
The strongest salary drivers are process depth across MIG, TIG, stick, flux-core, pipe, structural, and stainless work; blueprint reading; weld inspection readiness; AWS or ASME credentials; overtime availability; travel; and the ability to pass code-specific tests.
Location note
Houston, Baton Rouge, Los Angeles, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh can price welding work differently because energy, petrochemical, shipbuilding, manufacturing, and infrastructure employers each pay for different skills and overtime patterns.
Career move
A practical salary move is to document processes, positions, materials, code tests, and industries worked. Moving from general production welding into pipe, pressure vessel, structural, aerospace, nuclear, or inspection-adjacent work usually improves pay leverage.
BLS OOH lists welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers at $51,000 median annual pay, $24.52/hour, 457,300 jobs, 2% projected 2024-2034 growth, and about 45,600 annual openings. Use Salario for planning estimates, then compare local postings by process, certification, shift, overtime, and travel requirements.
Sources reviewed June 10, 2026
Welder Pay, Certification and Overtime Checkpoint
The national welder salary model is anchored to the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers, then framed with process, certification, shift, overtime, and travel caveats. A production MIG welder, pipe welder, structural welder, shipyard welder, and shutdown/outage welder can have very different offers even when the public job title is simply "welder."
BLS OOH median pay
$51,000/year
$24.52/hour in May 2024
BLS job base
457,300 jobs
U.S. employment in 2024
Projected growth
2%
2024-2034, slower than average
Annual openings
45,600
Projected average openings per year
Top BLS industry
$57,310
Specialty trade contractors median wage
Upper official band
$75,850+
BLS highest 10% threshold
| Pay driver | Why it changes pay | What to verify in an offer |
|---|---|---|
| Process and code test | MIG, TIG, stick, flux-core, pipe, structural, stainless, and pressure work price differently. | Ask which welding process, position, material, and code test the job requires. |
| AWS or ASME credential | AWS says its Certified Welder program provides transferable credentials for demonstrated industry skill. | Confirm whether the employer pays testing fees, maintenance, requalification, or job-specific procedure tests. |
| Overtime and shift schedule | BLS notes many welders work full time and some work more than 40 hours, evenings, or weekends. | Separate base hourly rate from expected overtime, per diem, shift differential, travel, and shutdown premiums. |
| Industry setting | BLS lists higher median pay in specialty trade contractors than broad manufacturing. | Compare production, contractor, repair, shipyard, energy, and infrastructure postings separately. |
Welder Salary Calculator
Adjust your state and experience level to see the estimated Welder salary in your area.
Mid Career (5-9 yrs)
Estimated Welder Salary
$61,000
$5,083/month · $2,346/biweekly · $29.33/hr
Welder Salary Range
Salary distribution from entry-level to top earners in the Welder field.
Entry-level Welders earn around $35,800, while the top 10% earn $81,700 or more.
Top Paying States for Welders
| State | Est. Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| California | $63,000 | +$9,250 |
| Pennsylvania | $54,000 | +$250 |
| Texas | $53,000 | $-750 |
| Ohio | $51,000 | $-2,750 |
| Louisiana | $49,000 | $-4,750 |
Top Paying Cities for Welders
| City | Est. Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Baton RougeBLS metro | $78,170 | +$24,420 |
| HoustonBLS metro | $57,940 | +$4,190 |
| Los AngelesBLS metro | $56,160 | +$2,410 |
| PittsburghBLS metro | $53,610 | $-140 |
| ClevelandBLS metro | $49,040 | $-4,710 |
Rows marked BLS metro are the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers in that city's metropolitan statistical area (5 of 5); the remaining rows are Salario estimates that scale the national median by a city cost-of-labor multiplier.
Required Skills & Certifications
Key Skills
Certifications
Welder Career Progression
Typical salary growth path for a Welder from entry level to expert.
$35,800
0-2 years
$55,000
3-7 years
$73,800
8-14 years
$89,600
15+ years
Related Trades Jobs
Welder Salary FAQ
How much does a Welder make in 2026?
The median salary for a Welder in the United States is $53,750 per year, the BLS OEWS May 2025 national median for Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers (SOC 51-4121); the mean is $56,760. Salario's calibrated tiers put entry-level positions around $35,800, senior professionals around $73,800, and top earners at $89,600 or more annually.
What education is needed to become a Welder?
A Welder typically requires a Trade School Certificate with 1-3 years of experience. Key skills include MIG Welding, TIG Welding, Blueprint Reading. Relevant certifications such as AWS Certification or ASME Certification can boost earning potential and career advancement.
What is the job outlook for Welders?
The job market for Welders is projected to grow by 2% over the next decade. There are currently approximately 416K Welder positions in the US. Salary growth over the past 5 years has been approximately 12%, reflecting moderate demand for this role.
Which states pay Welders the most?
The highest-paying states for Welders include Texas, Louisiana, California. In Texas, the median salary is approximately $53,000. However, cost of living varies significantly, so adjusted purchasing power should be considered when comparing salaries across states.
How can I increase my Welder salary?
To increase your Welder salary, focus on gaining expertise in high-demand skills like MIG Welding and TIG Welding. Pursue certifications such as AWS Certification. Consider relocating to higher-paying markets like Houston. With 1-3 years of experience, you can progress from $35,800 to $73,800 or more.
What does BLS report for welder pay and job outlook?
BLS OOH reports welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers at $51,000 median annual pay, $24.52 per hour, 457,300 jobs in 2024, 2% projected 2024-2034 employment growth, and about 45,600 projected openings per year.
Which welding jobs tend to pay more?
Higher welder pay usually comes from pipe, structural, pressure vessel, shipyard, aerospace, nuclear, shutdown/outage, travel, and inspection-adjacent work. Offers should be compared by welding process, code test, material, shift, overtime, per diem, travel, and certification requirements.
Does AWS certification increase welder pay?
AWS certification can improve offer credibility because the AWS Certified Welder program provides transferable credentials for demonstrated welding skill. The pay impact depends on the exact procedure, code test, employer requirement, industry, requalification rules, and whether the employer pays testing or maintenance costs.
Methodology & Data Sources: Welder Salary
How we calculate Welder salary data: The national median is the official BLS OEWS May 2025 annual median wage for Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers (SOC 51-4121), retrieved from the BLS Public Data API. The entry, senior and top tiers are a Salario model: the shape of the distribution is Salario's, rescaled so that its median equals the BLS median. State and most city figures are Salario estimates that apply cost-of-labor multipliers to that median.
- National median salary: $53,750, BLS OEWS May 2025 annual median for Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers; BLS mean $56,760; BLS hourly median $25.84.
- Entry-level ($35,800) and senior-level ($73,800) are Salario tiers calibrated to the BLS median; they are not BLS percentiles. BLS publishes P10/P25/P75/P90 wages for this occupation in its OEWS tables.
- Job outlook: +2% projected growth is Salario's outlook figure; compare with the BLS Employment Projections program. BLS OEWS May 2025 counts 416,210 Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers jobs nationwide.
- 5-year salary growth: 12% is a Salario estimate of past 5-year wage growth for the Manufacturing sector, informed by the BLS Employment Cost Index.
- Education requirement: Trade School Certificate, per BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook entry for this occupation.
- State and city estimates apply Salario cost-of-labor multipliers to the national median of $53,750; city rows marked "BLS metro" are real OEWS metropolitan-area medians instead.
Authoritative US data sources for Welder compensation:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), national and metro-area salary data
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Welder job projections, education, and career outlook
- BLS Employment Projections, 10-year occupation growth and decline data
- BLS Employment Cost Index, quarterly compensation trend data for Manufacturing
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation for cost-of-living wage adjustments
- IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 summary, 2026 federal tax brackets and standard deductions
Disclaimer: Welder salary figures are statistical estimates for general guidance. Actual compensation depends on employer, location, negotiation, specific skills (MIG Welding, TIG Welding, Blueprint Reading), certifications, and industry conditions. Always verify with multiple sources including current job listings, recruiter data, and direct employer offers before making career decisions.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Last updated June 10, 2026 · BLS figures: OEWS May 2025 release (published May 2026), retrieved from the BLS API on September 17, 2026
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