---
title: "Welder Salary & Job Outlook (May 2025)"
canonical: https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/
description: "Welder pay: BLS average $56,760 (all experience levels), median $53,750, bottom 10% $39,240, top 10% $77,530+. Compare 1966 listed programs and…"
updated: 2026-11-03
wage_source: "BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15"
---

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2. [Trades](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/)
3. Welder

# How much welders *make*

Average pay $56,760, median $53,750, entry-level / bottom 10% $39,240 (BLS OEWS May 2025). Welders, cutters, solderers and brazers join and cut metal parts in fabrication shops, shipyards, pipelines, plants and construction sites. Most learn through a vocational or community-college program or on the job, then test for the certifications their jobs require.

- **$56,760** Average pay (U.S.)
- **$39,240** Entry-level / bottom 10%
- **$53,750** Median pay (U.S.)
- **$77,530** Top 10% earn over

416,210 jobs nationwide · 1,966 listed programs in 50 states. [Average pay across all experience levels (BLS OEWS May 2025)](https://highpayingtrades.com/methodology/).

**Job outlook:** +2.4% projected employment change 2025–35 (all occupations: +3.5%), about 40,300 openings a year ([BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, released 2026-08-27](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm)). [See the outlook ↓](#job-outlook)

Source: [BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ocwage_05152026.htm). O\*NET 51-4121.00.

Highest-paying states (BLS median)

- [Alaska $81k](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/alaska/)
- [Hawaii $79k](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/hawaii/)
- [Connecticut $65k](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/connecticut/)
- [Wyoming $64k](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/wyoming/)
- [Washington $63k](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/washington/)

BLS wage data

## What welders earn

As of the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15, welders in the United States earned an average of $56,760 a year, with a median of $53,750; the entry-level / bottom 10% figure (10th percentile) was $39,240 and the top 10% earned more than $77,530.

Annual wages for Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers (SOC 51-4121) from the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15. The national average is $56,760; the median is $53,750 and the entry-level / bottom 10% figure is $39,240 (BLS OEWS May 2025).

10th: $39k 25th: $47k Median: $54k 75th: $63k 90th: $78k

| Area | 10th pct | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | 90th pct | Mean | Employed |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| United States | $39,240 | $46,790 | $53,750 | $63,010 | $77,530 | $56,760 | 416,210 |
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15. Hourly median $25.84.

Job outlook

## Welder job outlook, 2025–35

National employment projections from the BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, released 2026-08-27. Openings include jobs from growth plus workers who retire or change occupations. Across all occupations, employment is projected to change +3.5%.

| Occupation | Jobs 2025 | Projected 2035 | Change | Openings per year | Typical entry education |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers (51-4121) | 437,700 | 448,100 | +2.4% | 40,300 | High school diploma or equivalent |
Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, released 2026-08-27](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm), Table 1.2. Figures are national; BLS does not publish these projections by state in this table.

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.

[**Welding apprenticeships and training** Apprenticeship sponsors and school routes by state · RegisteredTradeSchools.com](https://registeredtradeschools.com/trades/welding/)

Training & tuition

## What training costs

Tuition comes only from published College Scorecard figures. Apprenticeship sponsors do not publish tuition in federal files, so they show “Contact program.”

| Program group | Lowest | Middle | Highest | What the figure is |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Schools with published tuition (1875) | $544 | $4,761 | $58,300 | College Scorecard annual tuition & fees (in-state low end; out-of-state high end where they differ) |
| Registered apprenticeship sponsors (67) | Contact program | | | Not published in the DOL file. Registered apprenticeships are usually paid jobs with related classroom instruction. |
Ranges are computed only from rows with a sourced figure. We never estimate tuition.

### Occupation profile

|  |  |
| --- | --- |
| O\*NET-SOC code | [51-4121.00](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/51-4121.00) |
| O\*NET title | Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers |
| BLS SOC | 51-4121 |
| Job zone | Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed |
| Sample job titles | Assembly Line Brazer, Brazer, Fabrication Welder, Maintenance Welder, MIG Welder (Metal Inert Gas Welder), Solderer |

### Typical tasks (O\*NET)

- Operate safety equipment and use safe work habits.
- Examine workpieces for defects and measure workpieces with straightedges or templates to ensure conformance with specifications.
- Weld components in flat, vertical, or overhead positions.
- Detect faulty operation of equipment or defective materials and notify supervisors.
- Recognize, set up, and operate hand and power tools common to the welding trade, such as shielded metal arc and gas metal arc welding equipment.

Programs

## Featured welder programs

8 of 1966 listed programs, schools with published tuition first. For the full training directory, see the Find training links above.

| Program / provider | Location | Type | Graduates 2023-24 | Tuition | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Aaniiih Nakoda College](https://www.ancollege.edu/) Welding Technology/Welder | Harlem, MT | Certificate (1-2 years) | 7 | $3,080 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| [Academy of Careers and Technology](https://www.wvact.net/) Welding Technology/Welder | Beckley, WV | Certificate (1-2 years) | 1 | $12,500 Tuition & fees, largest program (program-year school) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| [Academy of Careers and Technology](https://www.wvact.net/) Welding Technology/Welder | Beckley, WV | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 5 | $12,500 Tuition & fees, largest program (program-year school) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| [Advanced Career Institute](https://advanced.edu/) 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 |
| [Advanced Technology Institute](https://www.auto.edu/) Welding Technology/Welder | Virginia Beach, VA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 45 | $14,960 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| [Advanced Technology Institute](https://www.auto.edu/) Welding Technology/Welder | Virginia Beach, VA | Associate degree | 14 | $14,960 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| [Advanced Welding Institute](https://www.awi.edu/) Welding Technology/Welder | South Burlington, VT | Certificate (1-2 years) | 89 | $22,500 Tuition & fees, largest program (program-year school) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| [Advanced Welding Institute](https://www.awi.edu/) Welding Technology/Welder | South Burlington, VT | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 2 | $22,500 Tuition & fees, largest program (program-year school) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
Schools: NCES IPEDS Completions 2023-24, matched by 6-digit CIP code; “Graduates 2023-24” is the number of first-major certificates or associate degrees the school awarded in that program from July 2023 to June 2024 (IPEDS). Tuition: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (updated 2026-10-15), matched by IPEDS unit ID; it is the published figure, not a quote. Apprenticeship sponsors: DOL Office of Apprenticeship partner file (retrieved 2026-10-29); apprenticeships are typically paid, so no tuition is listed — contact the program.

By state

## Welder pay and programs by state

Highest state medians:

- [Alaska $81k](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/alaska/)
- [Hawaii $79k](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/hawaii/)
- [Connecticut $65k](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/connecticut/)
- [Wyoming $64k](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/wyoming/)
- [Washington $63k](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/washington/)

| State | Listed programs | Median pay | 90th pct | Employed |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Alabama](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/alabama/) | 42 | $48,490 | $66,820 | 12,450 |
| [Alaska](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/alaska/) | 7 | $80,840 | $109,940 | 790 |
| [Arizona](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/arizona/) | 33 | $55,600 | $81,280 | 7,270 |
| [Arkansas](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/arkansas/) | 57 | $47,970 | $62,830 | 6,150 |
| [California](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/california/) | 156 | $58,060 | $81,940 | 26,060 |
| [Colorado](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/colorado/) | 47 | $58,590 | $79,700 | 4,970 |
| [Connecticut](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/connecticut/) | 5 | $64,880 | $87,980 | 1,790 |
| [Delaware](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/delaware/) | 1 | $57,270 | $75,560 | 600 |
| District of Columbia | 0 | $60,180 | $75,580 | 280 |
| [Florida](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/florida/) | 85 | $50,640 | $70,390 | 16,420 |
| [Georgia](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/georgia/) | 49 | $48,430 | $65,160 | 13,130 |
| Guam | 0 | $40,600 | $55,990 | 360 |
| [Hawaii](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/hawaii/) | 5 | $79,000 | $100,220 | 520 |
| [Idaho](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/idaho/) | 17 | $50,530 | $70,790 | 3,300 |
| [Illinois](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/illinois/) | 102 | $51,320 | $76,730 | 16,260 |
| [Indiana](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/indiana/) | 6 | $49,730 | $74,880 | 13,280 |
| [Iowa](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/iowa/) | 37 | $55,090 | $65,250 | 9,270 |
| [Kansas](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/kansas/) | 58 | $49,410 | $66,680 | 6,370 |
| [Kentucky](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/kentucky/) | 64 | $51,470 | $69,010 | 6,630 |
| [Louisiana](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/louisiana/) | 32 | $62,250 | $81,750 | 13,690 |
| [Maine](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/maine/) | 7 | $62,220 | $76,220 | 1,690 |
| [Maryland](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/maryland/) | 4 | $60,310 | $95,280 | 2,850 |
| [Massachusetts](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/massachusetts/) | 2 | $62,570 | $83,430 | 2,830 |
| [Michigan](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/michigan/) | 64 | $49,990 | $70,200 | 13,330 |
| [Minnesota](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/minnesota/) | 45 | $60,280 | $75,710 | 9,270 |
| [Mississippi](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/mississippi/) | 25 | $51,100 | $64,440 | 6,460 |
| [Missouri](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/missouri/) | 39 | $51,950 | $78,150 | 10,600 |
| [Montana](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/montana/) | 21 | $55,610 | $81,470 | 1,530 |
| [Nebraska](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/nebraska/) | 15 | $52,220 | $66,900 | 4,200 |
| [Nevada](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/nevada/) | 12 | $61,520 | $95,050 | 1,600 |
| [New Hampshire](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/new-hampshire/) | 6 | $62,360 | $80,290 | 1,110 |
| [New Jersey](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/new-jersey/) | 12 | $59,440 | $81,760 | 3,730 |
| [New Mexico](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/new-mexico/) | 31 | $59,840 | $92,760 | 2,390 |
| [New York](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/new-york/) | 19 | $59,140 | $87,110 | 8,310 |
| [North Carolina](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/north-carolina/) | 150 | $50,590 | $71,240 | 11,750 |
| [North Dakota](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/north-dakota/) | 15 | $62,000 | $83,290 | 2,590 |
| [Ohio](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/ohio/) | 82 | $50,340 | $70,510 | 20,330 |
| [Oklahoma](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/oklahoma/) | 39 | $49,720 | $70,640 | 9,960 |
| [Oregon](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/oregon/) | 41 | $59,450 | $79,230 | 5,240 |
| [Pennsylvania](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/pennsylvania/) | 64 | $52,900 | $74,870 | 17,850 |
| [Puerto Rico](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/puerto-rico/) | 3 | $30,220 | $36,530 | 1,680 |
| Rhode Island | 0 | $50,580 | $81,000 | 2,300 |
| [South Carolina](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/south-carolina/) | 27 | $49,980 | $64,510 | 7,380 |
| [South Dakota](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/south-dakota/) | 10 | $49,440 | $63,380 | 3,250 |
| [Tennessee](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/tennessee/) | 54 | $48,040 | $64,200 | 12,510 |
| [Texas](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/texas/) | 156 | $53,340 | $80,240 | 52,000 |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | 0 | $46,270 | $81,630 | 60 |
| [Utah](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/utah/) | 23 | $58,380 | $79,520 | 4,440 |
| [Vermont](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/vermont/) | 2 | $60,890 | $74,870 | 340 |
| [Virginia](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/virginia/) | 40 | $59,180 | $79,630 | 10,100 |
| [Washington](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/washington/) | 72 | $63,020 | $86,250 | 7,720 |
| [West Virginia](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/west-virginia/) | 23 | $48,810 | $73,780 | 2,100 |
| [Wisconsin](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/wisconsin/) | 42 | $58,410 | $70,720 | 15,320 |
| [Wyoming](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/wyoming/) | 18 | $63,820 | $89,610 | 1,850 |
State wages: BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15. “—” means BLS did not publish an estimate for that state. States without a link have no listed programs yet.

Related resources

## Keep researching

Hand-picked pages on our sister sites.

[**Welding career path for veterans** Military experience and certification routes. · MilitaryToTrades.com](https://militarytotrades.com/careers/welder/) [**GI Bill-approved welding programs** Schools that accept VA education benefits. · VeteranTradeSchools.com](https://veterantradeschools.com/welding/)

FAQ

## Welder pay and training: quick answers

### How much do welders make?

As of the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15, welders in the United States earned an average of $56,760 a year, with a median of $53,750; the entry-level / bottom 10% figure (10th percentile) was $39,240 and the top 10% earned more than $77,530.

### What is entry-level pay for welders?

BLS does not publish a starting wage. The closest federal figure is the 10th percentile, which we label entry-level / bottom 10%: $39,240 a year nationally in the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15. The median is $53,750.

### Which states pay welders the most?

By BLS average annual wage, the top states are Alaska ($80,100), Hawaii ($77,430), Wyoming ($67,990), in the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15.

### How many welder training programs are listed?

We list 1,966 in 50 states: 1,899 school programs from the NCES IPEDS 2023-24 completions file (57,758 graduates that year) and 67 registered apprenticeship sponsors from the DOL Office of Apprenticeship partner file. Listings are matched from public files and are not endorsements.

### How much does welder training cost?

For the 1875 listed schools with published College Scorecard tuition and fees, the annual figure ranges from $544 to $58,300 (middle $4,761). Registered apprenticeships are usually paid jobs, and the DOL file does not list tuition.

### Is welder a growing field?

BLS projects employment of welders to change +2.4% from 2025 to 2035, versus +3.5% for all occupations, with about 40,300 openings a year from growth and replacement. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, released 2026-08-27.

## 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](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ocwage_05152026.htm); [data tables](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm)). Cross-checked against the BLS Public Data API on 2026-11-03.
- **Occupation:** O\*NET OnLine, [51-4121.00 Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/51-4121.00), 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](https://www.apprenticeship.gov/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](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/datacenter/data/C2024_A.zip); [CIP-SOC crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/Files/CIP2020_SOC2018_Crosswalk.xlsx)).
- **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](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/)).

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.

---
Canonical HTML: https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/welder/
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15 (https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ocwage_05152026.htm). Programs: NCES IPEDS 2023-24 completions; DOL Office of Apprenticeship. Tuition: College Scorecard.