Minnesota
Welder pay in Minnesota
What welders earn in Minnesota: BLS OEWS May 2025 pay for the state and 9 metro areas, plus job counts and 45 listed training programs.
- $60,360Average pay (state)
- $45,690Entry-level / bottom 10%
- $60,280Median pay (state)
- $75,710Top 10% earn over
9,270 jobs in Minnesota · 45 listed programs. Average pay across all experience levels (BLS OEWS May 2025).
BLS wage data
Welder pay in Minnesota
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $45,690 | $50,960 | $60,280 | $65,410 | $75,710 | $60,360 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Cloud, MN | $48,510 | $56,830 | $62,820 | $68,160 | $80,540 | $62,930 | 620 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $48,350 | $55,020 | $61,880 | $72,140 | $76,650 | $63,300 | 4,600 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | $46,660 | $52,260 | $61,140 | $64,130 | $74,230 | $60,270 | 690 |
| Rochester, MN | $48,550 | $54,930 | $60,380 | $60,710 | $72,350 | $59,070 | 510 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $48,780 | $54,090 | $58,800 | $78,320 | $78,320 | $63,220 | 300 |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | $43,660 | $51,240 | $58,200 | $65,270 | $81,150 | $60,100 | 190 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $46,390 | $50,340 | $57,410 | $64,420 | $81,190 | $60,280 | 370 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $40,140 | $47,520 | $55,200 | $62,400 | $80,120 | $57,080 | 850 |
| Mankato, MN | $42,740 | $48,810 | $52,940 | $60,640 | $65,410 | $55,100 | 280 |
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 Minnesota
We matched 45 programs in Minnesota: 45 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria Technical & Community College Welding Technology/Welder | Alexandria, MN | Certificate (1-2 years) | 39 | $6,530 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Alexandria Technical & Community College Welding Technology/Welder | Alexandria, MN | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 0 | $6,530 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Anoka Technical College Welding Technology/Welder | Anoka, MN | Certificate (1-2 years) | 36 | $6,354 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Anoka Technical College Welding Technology/Welder | Anoka, MN | Associate degree | 8 | $6,354 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Anoka Technical College Welding Technology/Welder | Anoka, MN | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 57 | $6,354 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Central Lakes College-Brainerd Welding Technology/Welder | Brainerd, MN | Certificate (1-2 years) | 35 | $6,476 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Central Lakes College-Brainerd Welding Technology/Welder | Brainerd, MN | Associate degree | 10 | $6,476 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Central Lakes College-Brainerd Welding Technology/Welder | Brainerd, MN | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 0 | $6,476 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Century College Welding Technology/Welder | White Bear Lake, MN | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 6 | $6,535 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Dakota County Technical College Welding Technology/Welder | Rosemount, MN | Certificate (1-2 years) | 51 | $6,909 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.