Kentucky
Welder pay in Kentucky
What welders earn in Kentucky: BLS OEWS May 2025 pay for the state and 9 metro areas, plus job counts and 64 listed training programs.
- $53,710Average pay (state)
- $39,300Entry-level / bottom 10%
- $51,470Median pay (state)
- $69,010Top 10% earn over
6,630 jobs in Kentucky · 64 listed programs. Average pay across all experience levels (BLS OEWS May 2025).
BLS wage data
Welder pay in Kentucky
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $39,300 | $46,380 | $51,470 | $59,900 | $69,010 | $53,710 | 6,630 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabethtown, KY | $48,960 | $51,470 | $59,900 | $65,180 | $71,100 | $58,450 | 660 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $40,170 | $47,390 | $53,680 | $64,740 | $66,300 | $55,020 | 480 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $42,710 | $47,910 | $53,630 | $53,630 | $59,820 | $52,110 | 400 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $40,280 | $47,190 | $52,970 | $58,500 | $62,500 | $53,180 | 490 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $39,460 | $47,050 | $51,990 | $62,240 | $73,970 | $55,730 | 3,160 |
| Owensboro, KY | $40,160 | $44,990 | $51,700 | $51,700 | $60,170 | $50,690 | 410 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $41,070 | $47,440 | $50,870 | $60,330 | $70,360 | $54,800 | 1,790 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $39,300 | $44,550 | $48,560 | $58,800 | $66,580 | $52,270 | 310 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $36,780 | $39,550 | $46,980 | $57,500 | $71,310 | $51,010 | 550 |
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 Kentucky
We matched 64 programs in Kentucky: 61 school programs (IPEDS 2023-24) and 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland Community and Technical College Welding Technology/Welder | Ashland, KY | Certificate (1-2 years) | 7 | $4,872–$6,672 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Ashland Community and Technical College Welding Technology/Welder | Ashland, KY | Certificate (under 12 weeks) | 104 | $4,872–$6,672 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Ashland Community and Technical College Welding Technology/Welder | Ashland, KY | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 70 | $4,872–$6,672 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Big Sandy Community and Technical College Welding Technology/Welder | Prestonsburg, KY | Certificate (1-2 years) | 4 | $4,872–$6,672 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Big Sandy Community and Technical College Welding Technology/Welder | Prestonsburg, KY | Associate degree | 1 | $4,872–$6,672 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Big Sandy Community and Technical College Welding Technology/Welder | Prestonsburg, KY | Certificate (under 12 weeks) | 8 | $4,872–$6,672 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Big Sandy Community and Technical College Welding Technology/Welder | Prestonsburg, KY | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 10 | $4,872–$6,672 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Bluegrass Community and Technical College Welding Technology/Welder | Lexington, KY | Certificate (1-2 years) | 40 | $4,952–$6,752 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Bluegrass Community and Technical College Welding Technology/Welder | Lexington, KY | Associate degree | 18 | $4,952–$6,752 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Bluegrass Community and Technical College Welding Technology/Welder | Lexington, KY | Certificate (under 12 weeks) | 290 | $4,952–$6,752 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.