Missouri
Welder pay in Missouri
What welders earn in Missouri: BLS OEWS May 2025 pay for the state and 8 metro areas, plus job counts and 39 listed training programs.
- $55,470Average pay (state)
- $38,200Entry-level / bottom 10%
- $51,950Median pay (state)
- $78,150Top 10% earn over
10,600 jobs in Missouri · 39 listed programs. Average pay across all experience levels (BLS OEWS May 2025).
BLS wage data
Welder pay in Missouri
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | $38,200 | $45,930 | $51,950 | $61,660 | $78,150 | $55,470 | 10,600 |
| 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. Joseph, MO-KS | $47,040 | $55,850 | $66,060 | $66,060 | $66,060 | $60,610 | 610 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $42,850 | $48,240 | $57,370 | $71,380 | $78,150 | $59,250 | 2,710 |
| Springfield, MO | $38,190 | $47,520 | $54,080 | $60,390 | $60,780 | $53,080 | 1,060 |
| Columbia, MO | $40,250 | $47,250 | $52,700 | $52,700 | $59,020 | $51,300 | 200 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $38,770 | $46,630 | $51,640 | $60,560 | $72,140 | $54,840 | 2,820 |
| Jefferson City, MO | $38,370 | $47,730 | $51,580 | $59,070 | $59,070 | $52,760 | 360 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $37,970 | $44,160 | $48,580 | $54,580 | $59,280 | $49,500 | 170 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | $37,170 | $40,070 | $45,770 | $54,900 | $60,930 | $48,560 | 570 |
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 Missouri
We matched 39 programs in Missouri: 33 school programs (IPEDS 2023-24) and 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center Welding Technology/Welder | Cape Girardeau, MO | Certificate (1-2 years) | 2 | $8,400 Tuition & fees, largest program (program-year school) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Crowder College Welding Technology/Welder | Neosho, MO | Certificate (1-2 years) | 2 | $6,450–$8,700 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Crowder College Welding Technology/Welder | Neosho, MO | Associate degree | 0 | $6,450–$8,700 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Crowder College Welding Technology/Welder | Neosho, MO | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 26 | $6,450–$8,700 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| East Central College Welding Technology/Welder | Union, MO | Certificate (1-2 years) | 14 | $4,392–$7,896 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| East Central College Welding Technology/Welder | Union, MO | Associate degree | 3 | $4,392–$7,896 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| East Central College Welding Technology/Welder | Union, MO | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 20 | $4,392–$7,896 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Franklin Technology Center Adult Education Welding Technology/Welder | Joplin, MO | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 4 | $14,036 Tuition & fees, largest program (program-year school) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Grand River Technical School Welding Technology/Welder | Chillicothe, MO | Certificate (1-2 years) | 1 | $7,500 Tuition & fees, largest program (program-year school) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Jefferson College Welding Technology/Welder | Hillsboro, MO | Certificate (1-2 years) | 10 | $5,400–$9,120 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.