How much does a welder make?
A welder makes $53,750 a year at the national median, and the middle half of welders earn between $46,790 and $63,010.[onet_weld][oews] BLS groups welders with cutters, solderers and brazers in one occupation (SOC 51-4121), so the figure covers production-line welders in factories as well as structural and pipe welders. BLS estimated 416,210 jobs in this group in May 2025.[oews_api]
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly | Take-home* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $39,240 | $18.87 | $33,709 |
| 25th | $46,790 | $22.50 | $39,776 |
| Median (50th) | $53,750 | $25.84 | $45,368 |
| 75th | $63,010 | $30.29 | $52,809 |
| 90th | $77,530 | $37.27 | $63,372 |
*Single filer, 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare; before state tax.
The spread between the 10th and 90th percentile is $38,290. Welders with pipe or pressure-vessel certifications, those who travel to shutdowns and those who work long overtime weeks earn at the top of that range; BLS wage figures are straight-time and leave the overtime premium out.[oews_faq]
Welder hourly pay and overtime
Welder hourly pay is $25.84 at the median, $18.87 at the 10th percentile and $37.27 at the 90th.[onet_weld] Hours over 40 in a week are paid at one and a half times the regular rate under federal law, so a 50- or 60-hour week changes yearly pay far more than a small raise.[flsa]
| Percentile | Hourly | 40 h/week | 50 h/week | 60 h/week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $18.87 | $39,240 | $53,955 | $68,670 |
| 25th | $22.50 | $46,790 | $64,336 | $81,883 |
| Median | $25.84 | $53,750 | $73,906 | $94,063 |
| 75th | $30.29 | $63,010 | $86,639 | $110,268 |
| 90th | $37.27 | $77,530 | $106,604 | $135,678 |
Welder salary by state
Alaska pays welders the most at a median of $80,840, followed by Hawaii ($79,000) and Connecticut ($64,880); Arkansas pays the least at $47,970.[onet_weld][oews_api] Texas, with 52,000 welding jobs, has a median of $53,340, and Louisiana, home to many refinery and shipyard jobs, $62,250.
| State | Median | Hourly | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Alaska | $80,840 | $38.87 | $49,660 | $109,940 | 790 |
| 2. Hawaii | $79,000 | $37.98 | $50,000 | $100,220 | 520 |
| 3. Connecticut | $64,880 | $31.19 | $43,590 | $87,980 | 1,790 |
| 4. Wyoming | $63,820 | $30.68 | $47,220 | $89,610 | 1,850 |
| 5. Washington | $63,020 | $30.30 | $47,980 | $86,250 | 7,720 |
| 6. Massachusetts | $62,570 | $30.08 | $47,720 | $83,430 | 2,830 |
| 7. New Hampshire | $62,360 | $29.98 | $47,540 | $80,290 | 1,110 |
| 8. Louisiana | $62,250 | $29.93 | $42,810 | $81,750 | 13,690 |
| 9. Maine | $62,220 | $29.91 | $47,230 | $76,220 | 1,690 |
| 10. North Dakota | $62,000 | $29.81 | $46,660 | $83,290 | 2,590 |
| 11. Nevada | $61,520 | $29.58 | $44,530 | $95,050 | 1,600 |
| 12. Vermont | $60,890 | $29.27 | $45,650 | $74,870 | 340 |
| 13. Maryland | $60,310 | $29.00 | $40,590 | $95,280 | 2,850 |
| 14. Minnesota | $60,280 | $28.98 | $45,690 | $75,710 | 9,270 |
| 15. District of Columbia | $60,180 | $28.93 | $48,400 | $75,580 | 280 |
| 16. New Mexico | $59,840 | $28.77 | $36,860 | $92,760 | 2,390 |
| 17. Oregon | $59,450 | $28.58 | $46,070 | $79,230 | 5,240 |
| 18. New Jersey | $59,440 | $28.58 | $43,290 | $81,760 | 3,730 |
| 19. Virginia | $59,180 | $28.45 | $42,520 | $79,630 | 10,100 |
| 20. New York | $59,140 | $28.43 | $43,840 | $87,110 | 8,310 |
| 21. Colorado | $58,590 | $28.17 | $44,100 | $79,700 | 4,970 |
| 22. Wisconsin | $58,410 | $28.08 | $47,060 | $70,720 | 15,320 |
| 23. Utah | $58,380 | $28.07 | $43,850 | $79,520 | 4,440 |
| 24. California | $58,060 | $27.91 | $44,520 | $81,940 | 26,060 |
| 25. Delaware | $57,270 | $27.53 | $45,550 | $75,560 | 600 |
| 26. Montana | $55,610 | $26.74 | $43,720 | $81,470 | 1,530 |
| 27. Arizona | $55,600 | $26.73 | $39,970 | $81,280 | 7,270 |
| 28. Iowa | $55,090 | $26.49 | $45,590 | $65,250 | 9,270 |
| 29. Texas | $53,340 | $25.64 | $38,380 | $80,240 | 52,000 |
| 30. Pennsylvania | $52,900 | $25.43 | $40,510 | $74,870 | 17,850 |
| 31. Nebraska | $52,220 | $25.11 | $43,850 | $66,900 | 4,200 |
| 32. Missouri | $51,950 | $24.98 | $38,200 | $78,150 | 10,600 |
| 33. Kentucky | $51,470 | $24.75 | $39,300 | $69,010 | 6,630 |
| 34. Illinois | $51,320 | $24.67 | $38,890 | $76,730 | 16,260 |
| 35. Mississippi | $51,100 | $24.57 | $36,800 | $64,440 | 6,460 |
| 36. Florida | $50,640 | $24.35 | $39,200 | $70,390 | 16,420 |
| 37. North Carolina | $50,590 | $24.32 | $38,540 | $71,240 | 11,750 |
| 38. Rhode Island | $50,580 | $24.32 | $35,560 | $81,000 | 2,300 |
| 39. Idaho | $50,530 | $24.29 | $40,370 | $70,790 | 3,300 |
| 40. Ohio | $50,340 | $24.20 | $38,990 | $70,510 | 20,330 |
| 41. Michigan | $49,990 | $24.03 | $39,090 | $70,200 | 13,330 |
| 42. South Carolina | $49,980 | $24.03 | $38,720 | $64,510 | 7,380 |
| 43. Indiana | $49,730 | $23.91 | $38,410 | $74,880 | 13,280 |
| 44. Oklahoma | $49,720 | $23.90 | $37,860 | $70,640 | 9,960 |
| 45. South Dakota | $49,440 | $23.77 | $38,100 | $63,380 | 3,250 |
| 46. Kansas | $49,410 | $23.75 | $37,790 | $66,680 | 6,370 |
| 47. West Virginia | $48,810 | $23.47 | $36,700 | $73,780 | 2,100 |
| 48. Alabama | $48,490 | $23.31 | $36,710 | $66,820 | 12,450 |
| 49. Georgia | $48,430 | $23.28 | $38,030 | $65,160 | 13,130 |
| 50. Tennessee | $48,040 | $23.10 | $37,840 | $64,200 | 12,510 |
| 51. Arkansas | $47,970 | $23.06 | $37,380 | $62,830 | 6,150 |
Jobs: BLS OEWS employment estimate, May 2025.
Highest-paying cities for welders
The best-paying metro or nonmetro area for welders is Lima, OH, at a median of $85,790.[onet_weld] Inside Texas, the median runs from $39,710 in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX to $63,470 in Odessa, TX.
| Area | Median | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lima, OH | $85,790 | $41.25 |
| 2. Urban Honolulu, HI | $81,120 | $39.00 |
| 3. Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $81,000 | $38.94 |
| 4. Fairbanks-College, AK | $80,210 | $38.56 |
| 5. Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area | $79,810 | $38.37 |
| 6. Baton Rouge, LA | $78,170 | $37.58 |
| 7. Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $75,040 | $36.08 |
| 8. Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $74,930 | $36.02 |
| 9. Anchorage, AK | $74,000 | $35.58 |
| 10. Lake Charles, LA | $72,920 | $35.06 |
Welder vs pipefitter pay
A pipefitter (counted with plumbers and steamfitters) earns about $10,050 more than a welder at the national medians, $63,800 against $53,750.[onet_plumb][onet_weld] BLS projects welding jobs to grow 2% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3% average, yet still with about 40,300 openings a year as workers retire or move on.[ooh_weld] Pipefitting usually requires a longer apprenticeship and, in many places, a license; see plumber salary and plumbing apprenticeship. For the cost of getting started, see welding school cost, or compare welding with other trades on the electrician salary page. Diving welders are covered on underwater welder salary, and the full trade ranking on highest paying trades. To earn while you learn, see welding apprenticeship.
Frequently asked questions
What is the welder salary in Texas?
$53,340 a year at the median ($25.64 an hour), BLS May 2025, against $53,750 nationally. Texas has no state income tax on wages.
How much does a welder make an hour?
$25.84 at the national median (BLS, May 2025); $18.87 at the 10th percentile and $37.27 at the 90th, before overtime.
How much does a welder make a year?
$53,750 at the median for a full-time year of 2,080 hours. With 10 hours of overtime every week the same rate comes to $73,906.
What state pays welders the most?
Alaska ($80,840 median), then Hawaii and Connecticut. Arkansas pays the least at $47,970.
How much does a welder take home?
A single filer at the national median keeps about $45,368 a year, or $3,781 a month, after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, before any state tax.
Sources
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
- Local Wages: 51-4121.00 Welders, cutters, solderers and brazers (state and metro percentiles)
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates
- OEWS May 2025 employment and median wage series (OEUN/OEUS), Public Data API v2
- OEWS Frequently Asked Questions (wage definition; 2,080-hour year)
- Overtime Pay (Fair Labor Standards Act: time and one-half after 40 hours in a workweek)
- Local Wages: 47-2152.00 Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (state and metro percentiles)
- IRS releases tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 (Rev. Proc. 2025-32)