California
Welder pay in California
What welders earn in California: BLS OEWS May 2025 pay for the state and 25 metro areas, plus job counts and 156 listed training programs.
- $61,120Average pay (state)
- $44,520Entry-level / bottom 10%
- $58,060Median pay (state)
- $81,940Top 10% earn over
26,060 jobs in California · 156 listed programs. Average pay across all experience levels (BLS OEWS May 2025).
BLS wage data
Welder pay in California
Annual wages from the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15.
| Area | 10th pct | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | 90th pct | Mean | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $44,520 | $48,480 | $58,060 | $70,400 | $81,940 | $61,120 | 26,060 |
| United States | $39,240 | $46,790 | $53,750 | $63,010 | $77,530 | $56,760 | 416,210 |
Metro areas
| Area | 10th pct | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | 90th pct | Mean | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $48,010 | $56,680 | $64,320 | $78,920 | $99,930 | $70,680 | 1,990 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $49,130 | $57,420 | $64,140 | $76,730 | $92,310 | $69,120 | 1,050 |
| Vallejo, CA | $46,550 | $52,110 | $63,860 | $79,520 | $87,730 | $68,110 | 280 |
| Napa, CA | $44,580 | $50,020 | $62,890 | $78,930 | $87,480 | $67,150 | 70 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $46,700 | $50,400 | $62,560 | $76,630 | $82,470 | $65,350 | 2,940 |
| El Centro, CA | $38,280 | $45,370 | $58,350 | $74,200 | $90,930 | $60,400 | 70 |
| Salinas, CA | $39,920 | $48,530 | $58,240 | $72,470 | $89,330 | $61,120 | 200 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $38,020 | $46,280 | $57,360 | $70,220 | $78,710 | $58,650 | 800 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $47,220 | $49,210 | $57,290 | $63,980 | $79,950 | $60,940 | 1,530 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $46,260 | $49,360 | $56,720 | $70,280 | $85,900 | $61,320 | 260 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $44,530 | $47,910 | $56,160 | $64,800 | $79,870 | $60,120 | 7,850 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $40,690 | $47,860 | $54,560 | $64,250 | $80,120 | $58,550 | 580 |
Find training
Looking for a school or apprenticeship?
This page covers pay and job outlook. Our sister site RegisteredTradeSchools.com keeps the training directory for welders: registered apprenticeship sponsors, how to apply, and school routes.
Programs
Top training programs in California
We matched 156 programs in California: 156 school programs (IPEDS 2023-24) and 0 registered apprenticeship sponsors (DOL). The 10 below are schools with published tuition first; the full directory is on RegisteredTradeSchools.com (links above).
| Program / provider | Location | Type | Graduates 2023-24 | Tuition | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced Career Institute Welding Technology/Welder | Visalia, CA | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 190 | $5,970 Tuition & fees, largest program (program-year school) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Allan Hancock College Welding Technology/Welder | Santa Maria, CA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 19 | $1,158–$10,038 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Allan Hancock College Welding Technology/Welder | Santa Maria, CA | Associate degree | 11 | $1,158–$10,038 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Allan Hancock College Welding Technology/Welder | Santa Maria, CA | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 40 | $1,158–$10,038 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| American River College Welding Technology/Welder | Sacramento, CA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 7 | $1,288–$12,472 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| American River College Welding Technology/Welder | Sacramento, CA | Associate degree | 11 | $1,288–$12,472 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| American River College Welding Technology/Welder | Sacramento, CA | Certificate (under 12 weeks) | 0 | $1,288–$12,472 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| American River College Welding Technology/Welder | Sacramento, CA | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 11 | $1,288–$12,472 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Antelope Valley Community College District Welding Technology/Welder | Lancaster, CA | Associate degree | 11 | $1,124–$9,548 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Antelope Valley Community College District Welding Technology/Welder | Lancaster, CA | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 16 | $1,124–$9,548 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
Sources
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15 (news release USDL-26-0725; data tables). Cross-checked against the BLS Public Data API on 2026-11-03.
- Occupation: O*NET OnLine, 51-4121.00 Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers, retrieved 2026-11-03 (CC BY 4.0).
- Apprenticeship sponsors: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship: partner sponsors file, retrieved 2026-10-29 (Partner Finder).
- Schools & graduates: U.S. Department of Education, NCES IPEDS Completions 2023-24 (C2024_A) and Institutional Characteristics (HD2024), award year 2023-24, matched by 6-digit CIP code (completions file; CIP-SOC crosswalk).
- Tuition: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (Most Recent Cohorts: Institution + Field of Study), data updated 2026-10-15, matched by IPEDS unit ID (source).
Program listings are matched from public files by occupation code or organization name; they are not endorsements and we have not visited or tested any program. Confirm schedules, entry requirements and costs with the program. Compiled by the HighPayingTrades team; last refreshed 2026-11-03.