The answer ranges from $38,000 to well over $300,000, and both numbers are real. What separates the bottom from the top is state, industry, experience, certification, and willingness to specialize in the trades with the highest-demand roles.
Welder Salary Calculator by state
Use the welder salary calculator to estimate the earnings in your state.
Welder Salary Calculator
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State median, range and US weighted median are sourced from BLS OEWS, May 2025 (welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers, SOC 51-4121). Experience, certification, and union adjustments are estimates, not separate BLS breakdowns. This calculator estimates general welding pay — highly specialized roles like pipeline, underwater, or aerospace welding can pay well above these ranges and are not separately modeled here. Actual pay varies by employer and local market. Last updated: June 2026.
The median annual wage for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers was $51,000 in May 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, with the lowest 10% earning less than $38,130 and the highest 10% earning more than $75,850.
The mean (average) annual salary is $53,200, higher than the median of $51,000, which tells you something important: high-earning welders in specialized fields pull the average up.
That gap between median and mean is the story of welding pay in one sentence. The median reflects what most welders earn. The mean reflects what welders who specialize, are certified, and choose their location deliberately can reach.
This guide breaks down the full picture, national benchmarks, state-by-state data, industry pay tiers, experience progression, specialization premiums, and the practical factors that determine where you land in the range.
Table of Contents
National salary overview: Median vs. Mean
Before reading any salary table, understanding the difference between median and mean matters for welding more than most trades.
The median annual wage for welders was $51,000 in May 2024, meaning half of all welders earned more and half earned less. The mean is $53,200. The $2,200 gap tells you that a meaningful number of welders earn significantly above the median, pulling the average upward.
Those welders are typically in high-paying specializations, pipeline, underwater, aerospace, or inspection roles, which represent a small share of total employment but command dramatically higher pay.
Here is where welding sits against the national picture and other skilled trades, using BLS May 2024 data:
| Occupation | BLS median annual wage (May 2024) | vs. All-occupations median |
| All occupations (national median) | $49,500 | — |
| Welder (general) | $51,000 | +3% |
| HVAC technician | $59,810 | +21% |
| Electrician | $61,590 | +24% |
| Plumber | $61,550 | +24% |
| Pipeline welder (specialized) | $65,000 – $120,000+ | +31–+143% |
| Certified Welding Inspector | $80,000 – $105,000 | +62–+112% |
Welding sits just above the national median at the general level, but with a significantly shorter training timeline than HVAC or electrical. A welder can reach entry-level employment in 7–12 months compared to 2–5 years for electricians or HVAC technicians who go through apprenticeships. The ROI on training time is competitive when measured that way.
Welder salary by experience level
Experience is the most consistent predictor of welder earnings across every state and industry.
| Experience level | Years | Typical annual salary | Key differentiators |
| Apprentice/helper | 0–1 years | $30,000 – $38,000 | Learning processes, building consistency |
| Entry-level welder | 1–2 years | $38,000 – $46,000 | AWS CW cert (1–2 processes) |
| Mid-level welder | 2–5 years | $46,000 – $62,000 | Multiple AWS certifications, positional proficiency |
| Senior welder/lead | 5–10 years | $62,000 – $75,000 | 6G pipe cert, crew leadership |
| Specialist/journeyman | 10+ years | $70,000 – $90,000+ | Advanced specialization, travel roles |
| Certified Welding Inspector | 7+ years | $80,000 – $105,000 | AWS CWI credential, quality oversight |
Source: BLS OEWS wage percentile data (May 2024); industry compensation benchmarks.
The steepest salary jumps in welding happen at two specific moments: earning a 6G pipe certification (the ability to weld pipe in all positions, including overhead) and transitioning into a Certified Welding Inspector role. Both require documented years of experience. The 6G test typically becomes realistic after 3–5 years of consistent pipe welding practice, and the CWI requires a minimum of 5 years of welding-related experience to sit the exam.
Full breakdown of welder salary by state
Where you work in the US has a significant impact on your base wage. The spread between the highest- and lowest-paying states is substantial, and it is not simply a cost-of-living story.
| State | Mean annual wage | Hourly mean | vs. National mean |
| Alaska | $79,000 | $37.98 | +48% |
| Washington, D.C. | $71,230 | $34.24 | +34% |
| Hawaii | $66,020 | $31.74 | +24% |
| Washington | $65,100 | $31.30 | +22% |
| Illinois | $64,800 | $31.15 | +22% |
| Oregon | $63,500 | $30.53 | +19% |
| Minnesota | $62,900 | $30.24 | +18% |
| Massachusetts | $62,400 | $30.00 | +17% |
| California | $61,800 | $29.71 | +16% |
| New Jersey | $61,200 | $29.42 | +15% |
| New York | $60,700 | $29.18 | +14% |
| Connecticut | $59,800 | $28.75 | +12% |
| Maryland | $58,900 | $28.32 | +11% |
| Nevada | $58,400 | $28.08 | +10% |
| Michigan | $57,900 | $27.84 | +9% |
| Ohio | $57,100 | $27.45 | +7% |
| Pennsylvania | $56,700 | $27.26 | +7% |
| Colorado | $56,200 | $27.02 | +6% |
| Wisconsin | $55,800 | $26.83 | +5% |
| Indiana | $55,400 | $26.63 | +4% |
| Texas | $53,900 | $25.91 | +1% |
| Louisiana | $53,600 | $25.77 | +1% |
| Virginia | $53,100 | $25.53 | ~National |
| Georgia | $51,800 | $24.90 | -2% |
| Florida | $51,200 | $24.62 | -4% |
| North Carolina | $50,700 | $24.38 | -4% |
| Arizona | $50,200 | $24.13 | -5% |
| Oklahoma | $49,800 | $23.94 | -6% |
| Kentucky | $49,400 | $23.75 | -7% |
| South Carolina | $49,000 | $23.56 | -8% |
| Alabama | $48,600 | $23.37 | -8% |
| Missouri | $48,200 | $23.17 | -9% |
| Kansas | $47,800 | $22.98 | -10% |
| Nebraska | $47,400 | $22.79 | -11% |
| Iowa | $47,100 | $22.64 | -11% |
| Tennessee | $46,700 | $22.45 | -12% |
| Mississippi | $46,200 | $22.21 | -13% |
| West Virginia | $45,800 | $22.02 | -14% |
| Arkansas | $44,900 | $21.59 | -15% |
| South Dakota | $44,500 | $21.39 | -16% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 state-level data for SOC 51-4121 (Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers). Figures represent estimated mean annual wages — always verify at BLS.gov for the most current published figures.
Top 10 highest-paying states for welders
1. Alaska: ~$79,000/year
Alaska’s welder salaries are significantly higher due to geographic isolation, higher living costs, and the need to attract skilled labor from outside the state. The oil and gas sector, including the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, drives intense demand for pipeline-qualified welders.
Remote work conditions command hazard and hardship premiums on top of base wages. Alaska is the single highest-paying state for general welders in the US, but the cost of living, including housing and goods, is among the highest nationally.
2. Washington, D.C.: ~$71,230/year
A welder in Washington, D.C. will earn an average of $71,230 annually, driven by federal construction projects, infrastructure maintenance, government facilities, and a high concentration of commercial work in a dense urban market with strong union representation.
3. Hawaii: ~$66,020/year
Hawaii commands strong salaries at $66,020 per year on average, driven by geographic isolation from mainland labor supply, military installation demand (including shipyard and aircraft maintenance work), and the high cost of living that necessitates higher wages to attract and retain skilled workers.
4–10. Washington, Illinois, Oregon, Minnesota, Massachusetts, California, New Jersey
All seven share key characteristics that push welder wages above the national mean: strong union density in the building trades, high costs of living, and concentration of commercial and industrial construction.
In some cases, shipbuilding (Washington state’s naval and commercial shipyards), aviation manufacturing (Washington’s aerospace sector), and energy infrastructure (Illinois and Minnesota’s utility sector).
Lowest-paying states and what that means practically
The lowest-paying states: Arkansas, South Dakota, Tennessee, Mississippi, and West Virginia consistently sit 12–16% below the national mean. These regions have lower costs of living and a stronger concentration of agriculture, light manufacturing, and service-based industries rather than the heavy industrial, energy, and infrastructure sectors that drive premium welding wages.
The purchasing power question matters here. A welder earning $44,900 in Arkansas lives in a state where the cost of living is roughly 15–20% below the national average. The practical purchasing power of that salary may be closer to a $52,000 salary in a high-cost state.
A raw salary comparison across states without a cost-of-living context can be misleading, particularly for welders evaluating whether to relocate for higher nominal pay.
The states where you capture both above-average wages and a manageable cost of living, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, often represent the strongest overall value proposition for welders not willing to move to high-cost coastal markets.
Welder salary by industry
The industry you work in matters as much as your state. Welders doing identical technical work earn dramatically different wages depending on their employer’s sector.
| Industry | Mean annual wage | Notes |
| Scheduled air transportation | $102,900 | Highest-paid. Aerospace precision work, advanced certifications required |
| Electric power generation & transmission | $82,000 – $90,000 | Utility infrastructure, power plant maintenance |
| Natural gas distribution | $78,000 – $85,000 | Pipeline and distribution system welding |
| Oil and gas extraction | $72,000 – $80,000 | Offshore and onshore, including travel |
| Pipeline transportation of natural gas | $75,000 – $88,000 | Long-distance pipeline work, 6G required |
| Shipbuilding and repair | $58,000 – $72,000 | Structural and pipe, often union |
| Structural steel fabrication | $52,000 – $68,000 | Construction sector |
| Motor vehicle parts manufacturing | $47,310 | High employment, competitive entry, and a lower ceiling |
| Machinery manufacturing | $47,310 | Broad manufacturing, large employer base |
| General fabrication shops | $42,000 – $55,000 | Most common entry point for new welders |
Industries like scheduled air transportation, electric power generation, natural gas distribution, and pipeline transportation of natural gas employ relatively few welders.
They are often fewer than 1,000 per industry, but those industries require the highest-skilled senior welders and pay up to six figures or over $102,900. The trade-off: entry into those sectors requires years of experience, advanced certifications, and often a willingness to relocate or travel.
The motor vehicle and machinery manufacturing sectors employ the most welders by volume and pay the least per welder. This is where most new entrants begin, and it is a reasonable starting point as long as you treat it as a platform for certification-building rather than a long-term salary ceiling.
Specialization salary: Where the real money is
Standard welding pay tops out around $75,850 at the 90th percentile nationally. Breaking through that ceiling requires specialization.
| Specialization | Typical annual salary | Requirements |
| General / fabrication welder | $38,000 – $62,000 | AWS CW, 1–5 years of experience |
| Structural welder | $52,000 – $72,000 | AWS D1.1, position certifications |
| TIG welder (precision/stainless) | $55,000 – $90,000 | AWS GTAW cert, metallurgy knowledge |
| Pipeline welder | $65,000 – $120,000+ | 6G pipe certification, travel required |
| Aerospace welder | $60,000 – $102,900 | AWS/NADCAP specialty, precision standards |
| Nuclear welder | $65,000 – $100,000 | Extreme precision and a security clearance are often required |
| Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) | $80,000 – $105,000 | AWS CWI exam, 5+ years of experience |
| Underwater/commercial diver welder | $54,000 – $300,000+ | Commercial diving cert + welding cert |
Pipeline and underwater welding represent the two highest-earning specializations accessible to welders without engineering degrees. Both require specific certifications and trade-offs.
Pipeline welding means extended travel and working in remote locations for months at a time; underwater welding requires commercial diving training on top of welding credentials and carries meaningful occupational risk.
For the full career paths for each, see our pipeline welder career guide and underwater welder career guide.
The CWI credential is the most accessible high-earning path for welders who want to stay field-adjacent without the travel or physical risk of pipeline or underwater work. At $80,000–$105,000 annually for a credential that requires 5+ years of experience and a challenging written and practical exam, it is the ceiling most working welders can realistically aim for.
What drives salary differences between welders
Five factors account for most of the variation in welder pay, beyond the state and industry effects already covered.
Certification depth. Certification from bodies like the American Welding Society (AWS) is not only required for many industrial jobs but also gives welders an edge in pay.
A welder certified in MIG and Stick earns more than one certified only in MIG. A welder with 6G pipe certification earns substantially more than one without it. Each additional AWS certification test is a documented credential that translates directly into employer pay premiums.
See our full AWS welding certification guide for the complete exam structure and which certifications to pursue at each career stage.
Union membership. Union members often earn 10–20% more than their non-union counterparts, as unions enforce wage scales and seniority systems that push earnings up.
At the national median of $51,000, a 10–20% union premium translates to $5,100–$10,200 in additional annual income, plus the benefits differential (pension, health insurance, apprenticeship pathway).
States with high union density in the construction trades, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, and Washington, show this premium most clearly in their state salary data.
Overtime and total compensation. Base salary alone understates what many welders actually earn. Welders in construction, pipeline, and industrial maintenance commonly work 50- 60-hour workweeks during peak season.
At time-and-a-half for hours beyond 40, a welder at $25/hour adds $37.50/hour for every overtime hour, which can add $15,000–$25,000 annually on top of base pay during busy periods. Pipeline welders often receive per diem payments on top of wages for extended travel assignments.
Willingness to travel. Pipeline and energy sector welding pays a significant premium, but those jobs require extended time away from home. Welders who accept travel assignments consistently earn at the upper end of their experience tier, while those who prefer local work trade income for stability and proximity.
Process and position versatility. A welder proficient in MIG, TIG, Stick, and flux-core is significantly more valuable than one who specializes in a single process. Position certification (ability to weld in flat, horizontal, vertical, and overhead positions) compounds this; overhead and vertical certifications add direct market value because they are harder to earn and limit what competitors can offer employers.
How to increase your welding salary
Your state and industry set your floor. Your decisions determine how far above that floor you climb.
Step 1: Stack AWS certifications strategically. Start with your strongest process and position, then systematically add certifications. Prioritize the certifications required in your target industry: 6G pipe for energy and infrastructure, GTAW/TIG for aerospace, D1.1 for structural. Each test costs $35–$50 at an AWS Accredited Test Facility, but it can add thousands to your annual earnings.
Step 2: Target the right industry. If you start in manufacturing and build certifications over 3–5 years, the move to pipeline, utility, or energy sector welding becomes available. With this, the pay jump can be $15,000–$30,000 annually for the same hours of work. Treat early manufacturing experience as a certification-building platform, not a career ceiling.
Step 3: Consider union membership. If you are in a state with active UA (United Association) or Boilermakers locals, pursuing a union apprenticeship or journeyman card delivers the most consistent long-term wage floor in the trade. For information on how to access union welding programs in your area, see our welding apprenticeship programs guide.
Step 4: Pursue 6G pipe certification. This single credential unlocks the highest-paying welding positions in the US. It is not easy. The 6G test requires welding pipe in a fixed position, including overhead, and it demands sustained practice to pass consistently. But it is the most direct path to $80,000+ annual earnings as a field welder without moving into inspection or management.
Step 5: Plan toward CWI. After 5 years of documented welding experience, the Certified Welding Inspector credential becomes your most valuable target. CWIs earn $80,000–$105,000 with less physical strain than field welding and lower occupational risk.
It has a strong demand from construction, manufacturing, and energy companies that need qualified quality assurance professionals. For an overview of all training paths that feed into these salary outcomes, see our full guide on how to become a welder.