Virginia
Welder pay in Virginia
What welders earn in Virginia: BLS OEWS May 2025 pay for the state and 11 metro areas, plus job counts and 40 listed training programs.
- $60,410Average pay (state)
- $42,520Entry-level / bottom 10%
- $59,180Median pay (state)
- $79,630Top 10% earn over
10,100 jobs in Virginia · 40 listed programs. Average pay across all experience levels (BLS OEWS May 2025).
BLS wage data
Welder pay in Virginia
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | $42,520 | $49,020 | $59,180 | $65,400 | $79,630 | $60,410 | 10,100 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $44,860 | $55,660 | $64,470 | $65,220 | $85,360 | $63,600 | 390 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $46,510 | $49,950 | $62,670 | $71,090 | $78,180 | $62,000 | 3,740 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $45,150 | $50,120 | $60,670 | $77,560 | $114,440 | $67,950 | 2,000 |
| Richmond, VA | $42,950 | $48,600 | $57,710 | $66,490 | $83,920 | $59,720 | 1,260 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $40,510 | $46,800 | $57,650 | $62,820 | $62,820 | $54,550 | 250 |
| Charlottesville, VA | $41,440 | $46,040 | $57,420 | $66,250 | $78,720 | $59,160 | 90 |
| Roanoke, VA | $43,100 | $47,670 | $56,040 | $61,320 | $63,800 | $55,660 | 940 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $37,780 | $45,230 | $55,690 | $65,280 | $69,130 | $54,260 | 450 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | $39,910 | $48,480 | $54,690 | $61,100 | $64,290 | $55,210 | 120 |
| Lynchburg, VA | $38,640 | $47,030 | $51,970 | $63,200 | $77,780 | $56,090 | 610 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | $35,140 | $46,120 | $51,870 | $60,830 | $74,220 | $54,870 | 110 |
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 Virginia
We matched 40 programs in Virginia: 37 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced Technology Institute Welding Technology/Welder | Virginia Beach, VA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 45 | $14,960 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Advanced Technology Institute Welding Technology/Welder | Virginia Beach, VA | Associate degree | 14 | $14,960 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Brightpoint Community College Welding Technology/Welder | Chester, VA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 4 | $5,230–$11,742 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Brightpoint Community College Welding Technology/Welder | Chester, VA | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 33 | $5,230–$11,742 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Central Virginia Community College Welding Technology/Welder | Lynchburg, VA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 28 | $5,319–$11,832 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Central Virginia Community College Welding Technology/Welder | Lynchburg, VA | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 90 | $5,319–$11,832 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Danville Community College Welding Technology/Welder | Danville, VA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 1 | $5,140–$11,652 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Danville Community College Welding Technology/Welder | Danville, VA | Certificate (2-4 years) | 7 | $5,140–$11,652 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Danville Community College Welding Technology/Welder | Danville, VA | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 9 | $5,140–$11,652 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Eastern Shore Community College Welding Technology/Welder | Melfa, VA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 3 | $5,229–$11,742 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.