Welder earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level welder earnings begin at:

$30.98 per hour

$64,440 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level welder earnings begin at:

$30.50 per hour

$63,440 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level welder earnings begin at:

$24.57 per hour

$51,100 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level welder earnings begin at:

$19.71 per hour

$41,000 per year

10th percentile

Starting level welder earnings begin at:

$17.69 per hour

$36,800 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Welder salary by state

State Name Average Salary
Alaska $80,840
Hawaii $79,000
Connecticut $64,880
Wyoming $63,820
Washington $63,020
Massachusetts $62,570
New Hampshire $62,360
Louisiana $62,250
Maine $62,220
North Dakota $62,000
Nevada $61,520
Vermont $60,890
Virgin Islands, U.S. $60,410
Maryland $60,310
Minnesota $60,280
District of Columbia $60,180
New Mexico $59,840
Oregon $59,450
New Jersey $59,440
Virginia $59,180
New York $59,140
Colorado $58,590
Wisconsin $58,410
Utah $58,380
California $58,060
Delaware $57,270
Montana $55,610
Arizona $55,600
Iowa $55,090
Texas $53,340
Pennsylvania $52,900
Nebraska $52,220
Missouri $51,950
Kentucky $51,470
Illinois $51,320
Mississippi $51,100
Florida $50,640
North Carolina $50,590
Rhode Island $50,580
Idaho $50,530
Ohio $50,340
Michigan $49,990
South Carolina $49,980
Indiana $49,730
Oklahoma $49,720
South Dakota $49,440
Kansas $49,410
West Virginia $48,810
Alabama $48,490
Georgia $48,430
Tennessee $48,040
Arkansas $47,970
Guam $38,050
Puerto Rico $23,710

How do welder salaries compare to similar careers?

Welders earn about the same as related careers in Mississippi. On average, they make less than pipefitters but more than sheet metal workers.

Career Median Salary
Pipefitter salary $55K
Crane operator salary $61K
Millwright salary $58K
Machinist salary $56K
HVAC technician salary $49K
Welder salary $51K
Jeweler salary $55K
Precious metal worker salary $55K
Gem worker salary $55K
Sheet metal worker salary $50K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)