Pennsylvania
Welder pay in Pennsylvania
What welders earn in Pennsylvania: BLS OEWS May 2025 pay for the state and 16 metro areas, plus job counts and 64 listed training programs.
- $56,300Average pay (state)
- $40,510Entry-level / bottom 10%
- $52,900Median pay (state)
- $74,870Top 10% earn over
17,850 jobs in Pennsylvania · 64 listed programs. Average pay across all experience levels (BLS OEWS May 2025).
BLS wage data
Welder pay in Pennsylvania
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $40,510 | $47,240 | $52,900 | $61,920 | $74,870 | $56,300 | 17,850 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $44,430 | $49,700 | $58,380 | $68,890 | $79,960 | $60,650 | 4,630 |
| York-Hanover, PA | $41,600 | $47,640 | $55,070 | $61,040 | $73,860 | $56,170 | 730 |
| Reading, PA | $42,320 | $48,790 | $54,840 | $58,000 | $70,720 | $54,910 | 870 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $43,720 | $48,530 | $54,790 | $61,630 | $74,820 | $56,650 | 860 |
| Lancaster, PA | $41,480 | $47,860 | $54,370 | $63,000 | $73,900 | $56,020 | 1,270 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $43,280 | $47,480 | $53,610 | $63,120 | $75,780 | $57,520 | 3,600 |
| Chambersburg, PA | $43,100 | $48,060 | $53,340 | $70,490 | $71,650 | $56,580 | 510 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $39,780 | $46,840 | $52,330 | $64,270 | $74,430 | $56,470 | 420 |
| Altoona, PA | $38,790 | $46,590 | $51,540 | $58,220 | $63,460 | $52,880 | 170 |
| State College, PA | $36,560 | $43,850 | $51,030 | $56,580 | $64,950 | $50,810 | 140 |
| Lebanon, PA | $38,900 | $46,570 | $50,920 | $58,140 | $65,600 | $53,300 | 250 |
| Erie, PA | $38,580 | $45,950 | $49,180 | $58,390 | $83,450 | $54,860 | 740 |
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 Pennsylvania
We matched 64 programs in Pennsylvania: 60 school programs (IPEDS 2023-24) and 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All-State Career School Welding Technology/Welder | Essington, PA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 8 | $12,414 Tuition & fees, largest program (program-year school) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| All-State Career School-Pittsburgh Welding Technology/Welder | West Mifflin, PA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 26 | $12,414 Tuition & fees, largest program (program-year school) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Berks Career & Technology Center Welding Technology/Welder | Leesport, PA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 9 | $10,320 Tuition & fees, largest program (program-year school) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology Welding Technology/Welder | Pleasant Gap, PA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 6 | $17,618 Tuition & fees, largest program (program-year school) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Clearfield County Career and Technology Center Welding Technology/Welder | Clearfield, PA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 0 | $20,410 Tuition & fees, largest program (program-year school) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Commonwealth Technical Institute Welding Technology/Welder | Johnstown, PA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 11 | $21,636 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Community College of Allegheny County Welding Technology/Welder | Pittsburgh, PA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 0 | $4,962–$12,943 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Community College of Allegheny County Welding Technology/Welder | Pittsburgh, PA | Associate degree | 2 | $4,962–$12,943 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Community College of Allegheny County Welding Technology/Welder | Pittsburgh, PA | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 44 | $4,962–$12,943 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Delaware County Community College Welding Technology/Welder | Media, PA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 1 | $7,020–$15,780 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.