Iowa
Welder pay in Iowa
What welders earn in Iowa: BLS OEWS May 2025 pay for the state and 9 metro areas, plus job counts and 37 listed training programs.
- $55,580Average pay (state)
- $45,590Entry-level / bottom 10%
- $55,090Median pay (state)
- $65,250Top 10% earn over
9,270 jobs in Iowa · 37 listed programs. Average pay across all experience levels (BLS OEWS May 2025).
BLS wage data
Welder pay in Iowa
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | $45,590 | $48,250 | $55,090 | $60,200 | $65,250 | $55,580 | 9,270 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $47,220 | $49,520 | $59,980 | $61,650 | $74,850 | $58,610 | 1,170 |
| Ames, IA | $40,620 | $49,250 | $58,560 | $60,310 | $67,110 | $55,970 | 170 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $39,270 | $47,490 | $58,230 | $61,880 | $72,800 | $56,940 | 440 |
| Iowa City, IA | $46,480 | $48,680 | $57,780 | $65,030 | $75,420 | $58,500 | 130 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $45,550 | $47,710 | $56,750 | $59,730 | $66,190 | $55,720 | 560 |
| Dubuque, IA | $47,220 | $48,560 | $56,100 | $59,610 | $64,960 | $55,190 | 330 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $44,770 | $48,750 | $53,110 | $60,750 | $70,150 | $55,840 | 1,060 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $46,300 | $47,430 | $51,080 | $59,060 | $63,950 | $54,530 | 540 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $39,280 | $47,270 | $48,630 | $60,000 | $71,950 | $53,840 | 1,240 |
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 Iowa
We matched 37 programs in Iowa: 37 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines Area Community College Welding Technology/Welder | Ankeny, IA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 81 | $6,030–$6,930 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Des Moines Area Community College Welding Technology/Welder | Ankeny, IA | Certificate (under 12 weeks) | 184 | $6,030–$6,930 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Des Moines Area Community College Welding Technology/Welder | Ankeny, IA | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 68 | $6,030–$6,930 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Eastern Iowa Community College District Welding Technology/Welder | Davenport, IA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 5 | $5,016–$6,624 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Eastern Iowa Community College District Welding Technology/Welder | Davenport, IA | Associate degree | 2 | $5,016–$6,624 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Eastern Iowa Community College District Welding Technology/Welder | Davenport, IA | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 146 | $5,016–$6,624 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Ellsworth Community College Welding Technology/Welder | Iowa Falls, IA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 0 | $5,664–$6,672 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Ellsworth Community College Welding Technology/Welder | Iowa Falls, IA | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 3 | $5,664–$6,672 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Hawkeye Community College Welding Technology/Welder | Waterloo, IA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 19 | $6,786–$6,815 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Hawkeye Community College Welding Technology/Welder | Waterloo, IA | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 20 | $6,786–$6,815 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.