How Much Do Welders Make?
Welders make a median of $53,750 a year, or $25.84 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $39,240 and the top 10% more than $77,530. Alaska has the highest median welder salary, at $80,840.
The Welder Pay Range
BLS counts about 416,210 U.S. jobs for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers. The spread tells you more than the median: half of all welders earn between $46,790 and $63,010.
Welder Salary by State
Median and 90th-percentile annual welder pay in every state BLS publishes, sorted by median. Employment shows how many welding jobs each state has.
| State | Median | Top 10% earn over | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $80,840 | $109,940 | 790 |
| Hawaii | $79,000 | $100,220 | 520 |
| Connecticut | $64,880 | $87,980 | 1,790 |
| Wyoming | $63,820 | $89,610 | 1,850 |
| Washington | $63,020 | $86,250 | 7,720 |
| Massachusetts | $62,570 | $83,430 | 2,830 |
| New Hampshire | $62,360 | $80,290 | 1,110 |
| Louisiana | $62,250 | $81,750 | 13,690 |
| Maine | $62,220 | $76,220 | 1,690 |
| North Dakota | $62,000 | $83,290 | 2,590 |
| Nevada | $61,520 | $95,050 | 1,600 |
| Vermont | $60,890 | $74,870 | 340 |
| Maryland | $60,310 | $95,280 | 2,850 |
| Minnesota | $60,280 | $75,710 | 9,270 |
| District of Columbia | $60,180 | $75,580 | 280 |
| New Mexico | $59,840 | $92,760 | 2,390 |
| Oregon | $59,450 | $79,230 | 5,240 |
| New Jersey | $59,440 | $81,760 | 3,730 |
| Virginia | $59,180 | $79,630 | 10,100 |
| New York | $59,140 | $87,110 | 8,310 |
| Colorado | $58,590 | $79,700 | 4,970 |
| Wisconsin | $58,410 | $70,720 | 15,320 |
| Utah | $58,380 | $79,520 | 4,440 |
| California | $58,060 | $81,940 | 26,060 |
| Delaware | $57,270 | $75,560 | 600 |
| Montana | $55,610 | $81,470 | 1,530 |
| Arizona | $55,600 | $81,280 | 7,270 |
| Iowa | $55,090 | $65,250 | 9,270 |
| Texas | $53,340 | $80,240 | 52,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $52,900 | $74,870 | 17,850 |
| Nebraska | $52,220 | $66,900 | 4,200 |
| Missouri | $51,950 | $78,150 | 10,600 |
| Kentucky | $51,470 | $69,010 | 6,630 |
| Illinois | $51,320 | $76,730 | 16,260 |
| Mississippi | $51,100 | $64,440 | 6,460 |
| Florida | $50,640 | $70,390 | 16,420 |
| North Carolina | $50,590 | $71,240 | 11,750 |
| Rhode Island | $50,580 | $81,000 | 2,300 |
| Idaho | $50,530 | $70,790 | 3,300 |
| Ohio | $50,340 | $70,510 | 20,330 |
| Michigan | $49,990 | $70,200 | 13,330 |
| South Carolina | $49,980 | $64,510 | 7,380 |
| Indiana | $49,730 | $74,880 | 13,280 |
| Oklahoma | $49,720 | $70,640 | 9,960 |
| South Dakota | $49,440 | $63,380 | 3,250 |
| Kansas | $49,410 | $66,680 | 6,370 |
| West Virginia | $48,810 | $73,780 | 2,100 |
| Alabama | $48,490 | $66,820 | 12,450 |
| Georgia | $48,430 | $65,160 | 13,130 |
| Tennessee | $48,040 | $64,200 | 12,510 |
| Arkansas | $47,970 | $62,830 | 6,150 |
Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers (SOC 51-4121). Blank job counts are ones BLS doesn't publish for that state. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Welder Salary in Texas
Texas has the most welding jobs of any state, about 52,000, followed by California (26,060). The Texas median is $53,340, close to the national figure, with the top 10% earning more than $80,240. See the best welding schools in Texas for training costs from $1,863 a year.
How Welders Raise Their Pay
Employers hire and assign welders by the processes, positions, and codes they can pass tests in, and AWS welding certification gives you a portable record of those tests. Some welders move into inspection: AWS's Certified Welding Inspector credential requires five years of welding experience with a high school diploma. Specialties such as underwater welding combine welding with commercial diving; see the underwater welder salary picture.
Welder Salary FAQ
What Is the Average Welder Salary?
BLS puts the median welder salary at $53,750 a year, or $25.84 an hour, for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers (May 2025). The mean, pulled up by high earners, is $56,760.
Can You Make $100,000 as a Welder?
Few welders do. Nationally, the top 10% earn more than $77,530 a year, so $100,000 sits above what 90% of welders make. Pay is higher in some states: the 90th percentile tops $109,940 in Alaska.
Which State Pays Welders the Most?
Alaska has the highest median welder pay at $80,840 a year, followed by Hawaii ($79,000) and Connecticut ($64,880).
What Is the Welder Salary in Texas?
The welder salary in Texas has a median of $53,340 a year, with the middle half earning $45,750 to $64,770. Texas has more welding jobs than any other state, about 52,000.
How Much Do Underwater Welders Make?
BLS doesn't track underwater welders separately. Commercial divers, the closest occupation, earn a median of $72,990 a year.
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Sources
Reviewed September 24, 2026.