Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 51-4122

Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Median pay sits 36% below the mid peer in Production Occupations (neighbors include Power Distributors and Dispatchers, Model Makers, Metal and Plastic, Power Plant Operators, First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: Power Distributors and Dispatchers ($107K) , Model Makers, Metal and Plastic ($63K) , Power Plant Operators ($102K) , First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers ($74K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-4122 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Read blueprints, work orders, or production schedules to determine product or job instructions or specifications
  2. 2. Inspect, measure, or test completed metal workpieces to ensure conformance to specifications, using measuring and testing devices
  3. 3. Add chemicals or materials to workpieces or machines to facilitate bonding or to cool workpieces
  4. 4. Record operational information on specified production reports
  5. 5. Correct problems by adjusting controls or by stopping machines and opening holding devices
  6. 6. Set up, operate, or tend welding machines that join or bond components to fabricate metal products or assemblies
  7. 7. Select torch tips, alloys, flux, coil, tubing, or wire, according to metal types or thicknesses, data charts, or records
  8. 8. Lay out, fit, or connect parts to be bonded, calculating production measurements, as necessary
  9. 9. Prepare metal surfaces or workpieces, using hand-operated equipment, such as grinders, cutters, or drills
  10. 10. Mark weld points and positions of components on workpieces, using rules, squares, templates, or scribes
  11. 11. Set dials and timing controls to regulate electrical current, gas flow pressure, heating or cooling cycles, or shut-off
  12. 12. Turn and press knobs and buttons or enter operating instructions into computers to adjust and start welding machines

Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: O*NET ranks Operations Monitoring first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-4122 - lead skill Operations Monitoring at 3.4 ; lead knowledge Production and Processing. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Operations Monitoring 3.4
  2. 2. Operation and Control 3.3
  3. 3. Reading Comprehension 3.0
  4. 4. Active Listening 3.0
  5. 5. Speaking 3.0
  6. 6. Critical Thinking 3.0
  7. 7. Monitoring 3.0
  8. 8. Complex Problem Solving 3.0

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Production and Processing 3.8
  2. 2. Administration and Management 3.5
  3. 3. Design 3.1
  4. 4. Public Safety and Security 2.9
  5. 5. English Language 2.8
  6. 6. Mechanical 2.8
Pay vs Production Occupations peers
-36%
vs mid peer median $74,450
This role $47,920/yr
$48K
National median
↓ -9%
Growth 2024-2034
3,200
Annual openings
31,600
Estimated US jobs
Power Distributors and Dispatchers
Highest-pay peer · $107K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

1. Arizona $70,150
2. Illinois $58,840
3. Minnesota $57,560
4. Washington $58,990
5. Wisconsin $57,640
6. Missouri $56,210
7. Oregon $58,650
8. New Jersey $53,680
9. Nebraska $57,280
10. Alaska $62,700

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Power Plant Operators $102,040
  2. 2. First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $74,450
  3. 3. Power Distributors and Dispatchers $106,730
  4. 4. Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers $65,380
  5. 5. Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic $63,870
  6. 6. Model Makers, Metal and Plastic $63,340

Among Production Occupations peers on this card, Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sits 36% below the mid peer median ($74,450). Its own median is $47,920.

Employment Projections expect -9% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 3,200 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Arizona at $70,150. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Power Distributors and Dispatchers at $106,730. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay-rank #51 in Production Occupations

Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sits at pay-rank #51 of 105 detailed Production Occupations, the middle third of the major-group median table. ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.

Other mid-table titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

SOC 51-4122 · national median $47,920 · middle third of Production Occupations (#51/105). Open the full OEWS map or a named state before treating the card median as a local ask.

Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-4122

Arizona · top state for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

$70K published median

Illinois · #2 state pay

$59K · behind Arizona

Power Distributors and Dispatchers

Highest-pay peer vs Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · $107K

Model Makers, Metal and Plastic

Lower-pay peer beside Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · $63K

Compare Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Against another occupation

Power Distributors and Dispatchers card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders mid-table among Production Occupations? ▼
Yes: pay-rank #51 of 105 detailed Production Occupations, the middle third. Mid-table neighbors: Medical Appliance Technicians ($48K), Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders ($48K), Foundry Mold and Coremakers ($48K), Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ($48K). ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.
What do welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. Leading ones include: Read blueprints, work orders, or production schedules to determine product or job instructions or specifications; Inspect, measure, or test completed metal workpieces to ensure conformance to specifications, using measuring and testing devices; Add chemicals or materials to workpieces or machines to facilitate bonding or to cool workpieces; Record operational information on specified production reports. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders? ▼
For SOC 51-4122, O*NET importance scores lead with Operations Monitoring (3.4), Operation and Control (3.3), Reading Comprehension (3.0), Active Listening (3.0). Knowledge areas emphasize Production and Processing, Administration and Management, Design. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $47,920 as the national median for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. The published 10th-90th range is $36,860 to $66,540. Beside Power Distributors and Dispatchers ($106,730), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is -9%. Projected annual openings: about 3,200. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
Arizona ($70,150), Illinois ($58,840), Minnesota ($57,560) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-4122. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics