Tennessee
Welder pay in Tennessee
What welders earn in Tennessee: BLS OEWS May 2025 pay for the state and 10 metro areas, plus job counts and 54 listed training programs.
- $50,450Average pay (state)
- $37,840Entry-level / bottom 10%
- $48,040Median pay (state)
- $64,200Top 10% earn over
12,510 jobs in Tennessee · 54 listed programs. Average pay across all experience levels (BLS OEWS May 2025).
BLS wage data
Welder pay in Tennessee
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | $37,840 | $41,600 | $48,040 | $57,450 | $64,200 | $50,450 | 12,510 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $37,780 | $45,230 | $55,690 | $65,280 | $69,130 | $54,260 | 450 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $40,280 | $47,190 | $52,970 | $58,500 | $62,500 | $53,180 | 490 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $40,220 | $43,730 | $49,460 | $61,100 | $68,490 | $53,020 | 2,590 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $37,500 | $42,500 | $49,220 | $61,130 | $69,320 | $51,920 | 1,850 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $38,620 | $42,240 | $48,600 | $57,480 | $65,280 | $51,050 | 1,590 |
| Knoxville, TN | $38,280 | $41,060 | $48,040 | $56,260 | $63,980 | $49,530 | 1,780 |
| Morristown, TN | $37,390 | $40,160 | $47,070 | $60,230 | $69,940 | $50,580 | 180 |
| Cleveland, TN | $37,940 | $44,840 | $46,670 | $57,460 | $66,670 | $51,000 | 120 |
| Johnson City, TN | $36,460 | $41,100 | $46,070 | $53,160 | $58,700 | $47,450 | 170 |
| Jackson, TN | $37,460 | $38,100 | $45,460 | $48,590 | $60,730 | $45,790 | 600 |
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 Tennessee
We matched 54 programs in Tennessee: 53 school programs (IPEDS 2023-24) and 1 registered apprenticeship sponsor (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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland State Community College Welding Technology/Welder | Cleveland, TN | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 18 | $5,228–$8,588 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Lincoln College of Technology-Nashville Welding Technology/Welder | Nashville, TN | Certificate (1-2 years) | 37 | $37,769 Tuition & fees, largest program (program-year school) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Lincoln College of Technology-Nashville Welding Technology/Welder | Nashville, TN | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 182 | $37,769 Tuition & fees, largest program (program-year school) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Northeast State Community College Welding Technology/Welder | Blountville, TN | Certificate (1-2 years) | 40 | $4,926–$8,286 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| TCAT Athens Welding Technology/Welder | Athens, TN | Certificate (1-2 years) | 9 | $4,761 Tuition & fees, largest program (program-year school) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| TCAT Athens Welding Technology/Welder | Athens, TN | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 10 | $4,761 Tuition & fees, largest program (program-year school) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology Nashville Welding Technology/Welder | Nashville, TN | Certificate (1-2 years) | 51 | $6,348 Tuition & fees, largest program (program-year school) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology Nashville Welding Technology/Welder | Nashville, TN | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 9 | $6,348 Tuition & fees, largest program (program-year school) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology Northwest Welding Technology/Welder | Newbern, TN | Certificate (1-2 years) | 27 | $5,948 Tuition & fees, largest program (program-year school) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology Northwest Welding Technology/Welder | Newbern, TN | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 10 | $5,948 Tuition & fees, largest program (program-year school) | 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.