51 Series · SOC 51-4121
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $53,750
- Median / year
- +5.4%
- 2024→2025
- $77,530
- Top 10% earn
- +2.2%
- Growth '24–'34
- 416,210
- Estimated US jobs
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers earn a median of $53,750 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $53,750, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $39,240 (10th percentile) to $77,530 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 416,210 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Alaska ($80,840).
The pay verdict
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers earn a median of $53,750, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 39% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #24 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 2.2% by 2034.
- $53,750
- Median annual wage
- Top 61%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #24 of 105
- in Production
- 2.0×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Alaska at $80,840. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers moved from $42,490 in May 2019 to $53,750 in May 2025 (+26.5%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers sits +2.1 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers (SOC 51-4121) has a national median of $53,750 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $39,240 to $77,530, and the published mean is $56,760. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 416,210 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 54 state or territory areas and 515 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $51,000 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $53,750 in May 2025, a rise of $2,750 (+5.4%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +2.2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as about as fast as average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 45,600 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as moderate-term on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) publish an occupation-specific rate that produces a WageDex safety grade of B, with a fatality rate of 4 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.5 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Alaska pays the highest state median at $80,840, which is +50% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Lima, OH at $85,790. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$53,750
per year
Median Hourly
$25.84/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$56,760
average
Employment
416,210
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$53,750 Bottom 39% higher than 39% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 (this entry) | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$53,750 · 39th percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 51-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Miscellaneous Assemb…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.1%, Median annual wage $44650
- First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.2%, Median annual wage $74450
- Welders, Cutters, So…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.2%, Median annual wage $53750
- Packaging and Fillin…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $43220
- Production Workers, …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.5%, Median annual wage $40110
- Electrical, Electron…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $45850
- Bakers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.6%, Median annual wage $37160
- Laundry and Dry-Clea…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.4%, Median annual wage $34890
- Food Batchmakers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.9%, Median annual wage $42290
- Cutting, Punching, a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -12.1%, Median annual wage $46330
- Computer Numerically…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -10.7%, Median annual wage $50690
- Helpers--Production …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -8.9%, Median annual wage $39070
- Coating, Painting, a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.7%, Median annual wage $48250
- Molding, Coremaking,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.8%, Median annual wage $44350
- Meat, Poultry, and F…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.5%, Median annual wage $38300
- Printing Press Opera…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -8.1%, Median annual wage $45780
- Chemical Equipment O…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.3%, Median annual wage $58040
- Butchers and Meat Cu…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1%, Median annual wage $40140
- Water and Wastewater…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6.5%, Median annual wage $60020
- Multiple Machine Too…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.5%, Median annual wage $47180
- Sewing Machine Opera…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -10.8%, Median annual wage $36670
- Paper Goods Machine …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6.3%, Median annual wage $50270
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+2.2%
About as fast as average
Annual Openings
45,600
per year (projected)
Employment Change
+9,900
457,300 (2024) → 467,200 (2034)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Safe
WageDex derived grade from BLS CFOI/SOII 2023, not an official BLS rating
Fatality Rate
4/100K
Injury Rate
3.5/100
Danger Index
16/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Operate safety equipment and use safe work habits.
- ▸ Examine workpieces for defects and measure workpieces with straightedges or templates to ensure conformance with specifications.
- ▸ Weld components in flat, vertical, or overhead positions.
- ▸ Check grooves, angles, or gap allowances, using micrometers, calipers, and precision measuring instruments.
- ▸ Detect faulty operation of equipment or defective materials and notify supervisors.
- ▸ Recognize, set up, and operate hand and power tools common to the welding trade, such as shielded metal arc and gas metal arc welding equipment.
- ▸ Select and install torches, torch tips, filler rods, and flux, according to welding chart specifications or types and thicknesses of metals.
- ▸ Mark or tag material with proper job number, piece marks, and other identifying marks as required.
- ▸ Determine required equipment and welding methods, applying knowledge of metallurgy, geometry, and welding techniques.
- ▸ Prepare all material surfaces to be welded, ensuring that there is no loose or thick scale, slag, rust, moisture, grease, or other foreign matter.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers pay history, 2015–2025
Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $38,150 |
| 2016 | $39,390 |
| 2017 | $40,240 |
| 2018 | $41,380 |
| 2019 | $42,490 |
| 2020 | $44,190 |
| 2021 | $47,010 |
| 2022 | $47,540 |
| 2023 | $48,940 |
| 2024 | $51,000 |
| 2025 | $53,750 |
2015 median
$38,150
2025 median
$53,750
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$11,260 (+26.5%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+4%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2015 | $38,150 | First banked release | 386,240 |
| May 2016 | $39,390 | +3.3% | 382,730 |
| May 2017 | $40,240 | +2.2% | 377,250 |
| May 2018 | $41,380 | +2.8% | 389,190 |
| May 2019 | $42,490 | Classification break | 410,750 |
| May 2020 | $44,190 | +4.0% | 397,550 |
| May 2021 | $47,010 | +6.4% | 397,600 |
| May 2022 | $47,540 | +1.1% | 408,990 |
| May 2023 | $48,940 | +2.9% | 421,730 |
| May 2024 | $51,000 | +4.2% | 424,040 |
| May 2025 | $53,750 | +5.4% | 416,210 |
Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $38,150 in May 2015 to $53,750 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +4% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 410,750 in May 2019 to 416,210 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 54 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $80,840 | +50% above national |
| 2 | Hawaii | $79,000 | +47% above national |
| 3 | Connecticut | $64,880 | +21% above national |
| 4 | Wyoming | $63,820 | +19% above national |
| 5 | Washington | $63,020 | +17% above national |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $62,570 | +16% above national |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $62,360 | +16% above national |
| 8 | Louisiana | $62,250 | +16% above national |
| 9 | Maine | $62,220 | +16% above national |
| 10 | North Dakota | $62,000 | +15% above national |
| 11 | Nevada | $61,520 | +14% above national |
| 12 | Vermont | $60,890 | +13% above national |
| 13 | Maryland | $60,310 | +12% above national |
| 14 | Minnesota | $60,280 | +12% above national |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $60,180 | +12% above national |
| 16 | New Mexico | $59,840 | +11% above national |
| 17 | Oregon | $59,450 | +11% above national |
| 18 | New Jersey | $59,440 | +11% above national |
| 19 | Virginia | $59,180 | +10% above national |
| 20 | New York | $59,140 | +10% above national |
| 21 | Colorado | $58,590 | +9% above national |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $58,410 | +9% above national |
| 23 | Utah | $58,380 | +9% above national |
| 24 | California | $58,060 | +8% above national |
| 25 | Delaware | $57,270 | +7% above national |
| 26 | Montana | $55,610 | +3% above national |
| 27 | Arizona | $55,600 | +3% above national |
| 28 | Iowa | $55,090 | +2% above national |
| 29 | Texas | $53,340 | 1% below national |
| 30 | Pennsylvania | $52,900 | 2% below national |
| 31 | Nebraska | $52,220 | 3% below national |
| 32 | Missouri | $51,950 | 3% below national |
| 33 | Kentucky | $51,470 | 4% below national |
| 34 | Illinois | $51,320 | 5% below national |
| 35 | Mississippi | $51,100 | 5% below national |
| 36 | Florida | $50,640 | 6% below national |
| 37 | North Carolina | $50,590 | 6% below national |
| 38 | Rhode Island | $50,580 | 6% below national |
| 39 | Idaho | $50,530 | 6% below national |
| 40 | Ohio | $50,340 | 6% below national |
| 41 | Michigan | $49,990 | 7% below national |
| 42 | South Carolina | $49,980 | 7% below national |
| 43 | Indiana | $49,730 | 7% below national |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $49,720 | 7% below national |
| 45 | South Dakota | $49,440 | 8% below national |
| 46 | Kansas | $49,410 | 8% below national |
| 47 | West Virginia | $48,810 | 9% below national |
| 48 | Alabama | $48,490 | 10% below national |
| 49 | Georgia | $48,430 | 10% below national |
| 50 | Tennessee | $48,040 | 11% below national |
| 51 | Arkansas | $47,970 | 11% below national |
| 52 | Virgin Islands | $46,270 | 14% below national |
| 53 | Guam | $40,600 | 24% below national |
| 54 | Puerto Rico | $30,220 | 44% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 382 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lima, OH | $85,790 | +60% above national |
| 2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $81,120 | +51% above national |
| 3 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $80,210 | +49% above national |
| 4 | Baton Rouge, LA | $78,170 | +45% above national |
| 5 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $75,040 | +40% above national |
| 6 | Anchorage, AK | $74,000 | +38% above national |
| 7 | Lake Charles, LA | $72,920 | +36% above national |
| 8 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $71,720 | +33% above national |
| 9 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $67,280 | +25% above national |
| 10 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $66,420 | +24% above national |
| 11 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $66,240 | +23% above national |
| 12 | St. Joseph, MO-KS | $66,060 | +23% above national |
| 13 | Boulder, CO | $65,040 | +21% above national |
| 14 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $64,720 | +20% above national |
| 15 | Alexandria, LA | $64,490 | +20% above national |
| 16 | Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $64,470 | +20% above national |
| 17 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $64,320 | +20% above national |
| 18 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $64,140 | +19% above national |
| 19 | Vallejo, CA | $63,860 | +19% above national |
| 20 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $63,770 | +19% above national |
| 21 | Bellingham, WA | $63,720 | +19% above national |
| 22 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $63,610 | +18% above national |
| 23 | Odessa, TX | $63,470 | +18% above national |
| 24 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $63,460 | +18% above national |
| 25 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $63,440 | +18% above national |
| 26 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $63,440 | +18% above national |
| 27 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $63,270 | +18% above national |
| 28 | Napa, CA | $62,890 | +17% above national |
| 29 | St. Cloud, MN | $62,820 | +17% above national |
| 30 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $62,800 | +17% above national |
| 31 | Albany, OR | $62,790 | +17% above national |
| 32 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $62,670 | +17% above national |
| 33 | Casper, WY | $62,660 | +17% above national |
| 34 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $62,560 | +16% above national |
| 35 | Minot, ND | $62,060 | +15% above national |
| 36 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $62,050 | +15% above national |
| 37 | Bismarck, ND | $62,000 | +15% above national |
| 38 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $61,920 | +15% above national |
| 39 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $61,880 | +15% above national |
| 40 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $61,680 | +15% above national |
| 41 | New Haven, CT | $61,630 | +15% above national |
| 42 | Carson City, NV | $61,520 | +14% above national |
| 43 | Mobile, AL | $61,420 | +14% above national |
| 44 | Midland, TX | $61,410 | +14% above national |
| 45 | Fargo, ND-MN | $61,140 | +14% above national |
| 46 | Fond du Lac, WI | $60,930 | +13% above national |
| 47 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $60,880 | +13% above national |
| 48 | Lexington Park, MD | $60,840 | +13% above national |
| 49 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $60,810 | +13% above national |
| 50 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $60,720 | +13% above national |
| 51 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $60,670 | +13% above national |
| 52 | Rochester, MN | $60,380 | +12% above national |
| 53 | Worcester, MA | $60,320 | +12% above national |
| 54 | Ogden, UT | $60,240 | +12% above national |
| 55 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $60,190 | +12% above national |
| 56 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $60,000 | +12% above national |
| 57 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $59,980 | +12% above national |
| 58 | Elizabethtown, KY | $59,900 | +11% above national |
| 59 | Longview-Kelso, WA | $59,860 | +11% above national |
| 60 | Anniston-Oxford, AL | $59,820 | +11% above national |
| 61 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $59,660 | +11% above national |
| 62 | Madison, WI | $59,530 | +11% above national |
| 63 | Sheboygan, WI | $59,460 | +11% above national |
| 64 | Corpus Christi, TX | $59,450 | +11% above national |
| 65 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $59,390 | +10% above national |
| 66 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $59,390 | +10% above national |
| 67 | Walla Walla, WA | $59,380 | +10% above national |
| 68 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $59,350 | +10% above national |
| 69 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $59,200 | +10% above national |
| 70 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $59,190 | +10% above national |
| 71 | Greeley, CO | $59,180 | +10% above national |
| 72 | Bozeman, MT | $59,140 | +10% above national |
| 73 | Glens Falls, NY | $59,140 | +10% above national |
| 74 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $59,040 | +10% above national |
| 75 | Cheyenne, WY | $59,030 | +10% above national |
| 76 | Peoria, IL | $58,960 | +10% above national |
| 77 | Appleton, WI | $58,920 | +10% above national |
| 78 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $58,890 | +10% above national |
| 79 | Green Bay, WI | $58,850 | +9% above national |
| 80 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $58,800 | +9% above national |
| 81 | Reno, NV | $58,800 | +9% above national |
| 82 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $58,680 | +9% above national |
| 83 | Ames, IA | $58,560 | +9% above national |
| 84 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $58,510 | +9% above national |
| 85 | Hammond, LA | $58,490 | +9% above national |
| 86 | Salisbury, MD | $58,480 | +9% above national |
| 87 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $58,460 | +9% above national |
| 88 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $58,380 | +9% above national |
| 89 | El Centro, CA | $58,350 | +9% above national |
| 90 | Salinas, CA | $58,240 | +8% above national |
| 91 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $58,230 | +8% above national |
| 92 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $58,200 | +8% above national |
| 93 | Pocatello, ID | $58,140 | +8% above national |
| 94 | Eau Claire, WI | $58,110 | +8% above national |
| 95 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $57,980 | +8% above national |
| 96 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $57,940 | +8% above national |
| 97 | Iowa City, IA | $57,780 | +7% above national |
| 98 | Kenosha, WI | $57,780 | +7% above national |
| 99 | Bay City, MI | $57,760 | +7% above national |
| 100 | Lafayette, LA | $57,750 | +7% above national |
| 101 | Richmond, VA | $57,710 | +7% above national |
| 102 | Decatur, IL | $57,670 | +7% above national |
| 103 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $57,650 | +7% above national |
| 104 | Kingston, NY | $57,600 | +7% above national |
| 105 | Yakima, WA | $57,450 | +7% above national |
| 106 | Farmington, NM | $57,440 | +7% above national |
| 107 | Charlottesville, VA | $57,420 | +7% above national |
| 108 | Duluth, MN-WI | $57,410 | +7% above national |
| 109 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $57,370 | +7% above national |
| 110 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $57,360 | +7% above national |
| 111 | Greenville, NC | $57,360 | +7% above national |
| 112 | Corvallis, OR | $57,350 | +7% above national |
| 113 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $57,290 | +7% above national |
| 114 | Salem, OR | $57,180 | +6% above national |
| 115 | Rochester, NY | $57,130 | +6% above national |
| 116 | Decatur, AL | $56,990 | +6% above national |
| 117 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $56,990 | +6% above national |
| 118 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $56,940 | +6% above national |
| 119 | Bend, OR | $56,910 | +6% above national |
| 120 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $56,750 | +6% above national |
| 121 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $56,720 | +6% above national |
| 122 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $56,540 | +5% above national |
| 123 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $56,440 | +5% above national |
| 124 | Savannah, GA | $56,410 | +5% above national |
| 125 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $56,160 | +4% above national |
| 126 | Dubuque, IA | $56,100 | +4% above national |
| 127 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $56,070 | +4% above national |
| 128 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $56,060 | +4% above national |
| 129 | Roanoke, VA | $56,040 | +4% above national |
| 130 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $56,020 | +4% above national |
| 131 | Springfield, MA | $56,010 | +4% above national |
| 132 | Lewiston, ID-WA | $55,890 | +4% above national |
| 133 | Wausau, WI | $55,780 | +4% above national |
| 134 | Great Falls, MT | $55,720 | +4% above national |
| 135 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $55,690 | +4% above national |
| 136 | Syracuse, NY | $55,660 | +4% above national |
| 137 | Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $55,520 | +3% above national |
| 138 | Amarillo, TX | $55,460 | +3% above national |
| 139 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $55,420 | +3% above national |
| 140 | Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $55,410 | +3% above national |
| 141 | Wilmington, NC | $55,340 | +3% above national |
| 142 | Colorado Springs, CO | $55,270 | +3% above national |
| 143 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $55,200 | +3% above national |
| 144 | York-Hanover, PA | $55,070 | +2% above national |
| 145 | Sherman-Denison, TX | $55,020 | +2% above national |
| 146 | Reading, PA | $54,840 | +2% above national |
| 147 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $54,790 | +2% above national |
| 148 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $54,740 | +2% above national |
| 149 | Winchester, VA-WV | $54,690 | +2% above national |
| 150 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $54,670 | +2% above national |
| 151 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $54,640 | +2% above national |
| 152 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $54,590 | +2% above national |
| 153 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $54,560 | +2% above national |
| 154 | Flagstaff, AZ | $54,460 | +1% above national |
| 155 | Lancaster, PA | $54,370 | +1% above national |
| 156 | Wichita, KS | $54,190 | +1% above national |
| 157 | Ann Arbor, MI | $54,180 | +1% above national |
| 158 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $54,180 | +1% above national |
| 159 | Ithaca, NY | $54,170 | +1% above national |
| 160 | Springfield, MO | $54,080 | +1% above national |
| 161 | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $54,030 | +1% above national |
| 162 | Lincoln, NE | $53,990 | same as national |
| 163 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $53,680 | same as national |
| 164 | Bowling Green, KY | $53,630 | same as national |
| 165 | Pittsburgh, PA | $53,610 | same as national |
| 166 | Tulsa, OK | $53,550 | same as national |
| 167 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $53,420 | 1% below national |
| 168 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $53,350 | 1% below national |
| 169 | Chambersburg, PA | $53,340 | 1% below national |
| 170 | Muncie, IN | $53,340 | 1% below national |
| 171 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $53,280 | 1% below national |
| 172 | Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | $53,160 | 1% below national |
| 173 | Omaha, NE-IA | $53,110 | 1% below national |
| 174 | Vineland, NJ | $53,000 | 1% below national |
| 175 | Battle Creek, MI | $52,970 | 1% below national |
| 176 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $52,970 | 1% below national |
| 177 | Mankato, MN | $52,940 | 2% below national |
| 178 | Santa Fe, NM | $52,820 | 2% below national |
| 179 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $52,800 | 2% below national |
| 180 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $52,800 | 2% below national |
| 181 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $52,800 | 2% below national |
| 182 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $52,710 | 2% below national |
| 183 | Columbia, MO | $52,700 | 2% below national |
| 184 | Billings, MT | $52,670 | 2% below national |
| 185 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $52,650 | 2% below national |
| 186 | Modesto, CA | $52,590 | 2% below national |
| 187 | Asheville, NC | $52,540 | 2% below national |
| 188 | Redding, CA | $52,450 | 2% below national |
| 189 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $52,410 | 2% below national |
| 190 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $52,330 | 3% below national |
| 191 | Longview, TX | $52,300 | 3% below national |
| 192 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $52,270 | 3% below national |
| 193 | Jackson, MS | $52,220 | 3% below national |
| 194 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $52,180 | 3% below national |
| 195 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $52,050 | 3% below national |
| 196 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $51,990 | 3% below national |
| 197 | Lynchburg, VA | $51,970 | 3% below national |
| 198 | Jonesboro, AR | $51,900 | 3% below national |
| 199 | Harrisonburg, VA | $51,870 | 3% below national |
| 200 | Monroe, LA | $51,870 | 3% below national |
| 201 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $51,820 | 4% below national |
| 202 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $51,810 | 4% below national |
| 203 | Owensboro, KY | $51,700 | 4% below national |
| 204 | Rapid City, SD | $51,690 | 4% below national |
| 205 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $51,640 | 4% below national |
| 206 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $51,630 | 4% below national |
| 207 | Grand Junction, CO | $51,580 | 4% below national |
| 208 | Jefferson City, MO | $51,580 | 4% below national |
| 209 | Altoona, PA | $51,540 | 4% below national |
| 210 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $51,510 | 4% below national |
| 211 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $51,480 | 4% below national |
| 212 | Topeka, KS | $51,390 | 4% below national |
| 213 | Grants Pass, OR | $51,330 | 5% below national |
| 214 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $51,300 | 5% below national |
| 215 | Columbus, OH | $51,260 | 5% below national |
| 216 | Pueblo, CO | $51,190 | 5% below national |
| 217 | Tucson, AZ | $51,150 | 5% below national |
| 218 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $51,080 | 5% below national |
| 219 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $51,070 | 5% below national |
| 220 | Yuba City, CA | $51,040 | 5% below national |
| 221 | State College, PA | $51,030 | 5% below national |
| 222 | Evansville, IN | $50,960 | 5% below national |
| 223 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $50,950 | 5% below national |
| 224 | Lebanon, PA | $50,920 | 5% below national |
| 225 | St. George, UT | $50,890 | 5% below national |
| 226 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $50,870 | 5% below national |
| 227 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $50,840 | 5% below national |
| 228 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $50,800 | 5% below national |
| 229 | Idaho Falls, ID | $50,770 | 6% below national |
| 230 | Burlington, NC | $50,740 | 6% below national |
| 231 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $50,710 | 6% below national |
| 232 | Jacksonville, FL | $50,640 | 6% below national |
| 233 | Bangor, ME | $50,590 | 6% below national |
| 234 | Binghamton, NY | $50,560 | 6% below national |
| 235 | Fresno, CA | $50,550 | 6% below national |
| 236 | Manhattan, KS | $50,550 | 6% below national |
| 237 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $50,510 | 6% below national |
| 238 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $50,390 | 6% below national |
| 239 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $50,370 | 6% below national |
| 240 | Akron, OH | $50,340 | 6% below national |
| 241 | Merced, CA | $50,340 | 6% below national |
| 242 | Medford, OR | $50,270 | 6% below national |
| 243 | Boise City, ID | $50,240 | 7% below national |
| 244 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $50,200 | 7% below national |
| 245 | Rockford, IL | $50,200 | 7% below national |
| 246 | Warner Robins, GA | $50,170 | 7% below national |
| 247 | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | $50,030 | 7% below national |
| 248 | Albuquerque, NM | $49,980 | 7% below national |
| 249 | Birmingham, AL | $49,930 | 7% below national |
| 250 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $49,930 | 7% below national |
| 251 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $49,930 | 7% below national |
| 252 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $49,920 | 7% below national |
| 253 | Kokomo, IN | $49,860 | 7% below national |
| 254 | Springfield, IL | $49,860 | 7% below national |
| 255 | Spartanburg, SC | $49,820 | 7% below national |
| 256 | Jackson, MI | $49,790 | 7% below national |
| 257 | Fayetteville, NC | $49,780 | 7% below national |
| 258 | Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $49,780 | 7% below national |
| 259 | Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $49,770 | 7% below national |
| 260 | Columbia, SC | $49,730 | 7% below national |
| 261 | Lawton, OK | $49,720 | 7% below national |
| 262 | Yuma, AZ | $49,680 | 8% below national |
| 263 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $49,630 | 8% below national |
| 264 | Utica-Rome, NY | $49,630 | 8% below national |
| 265 | Rocky Mount, NC | $49,600 | 8% below national |
| 266 | Monroe, MI | $49,570 | 8% below national |
| 267 | Hattiesburg, MS | $49,500 | 8% below national |
| 268 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $49,460 | 8% below national |
| 269 | Traverse City, MI | $49,420 | 8% below national |
| 270 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $49,370 | 8% below national |
| 271 | Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $49,330 | 8% below national |
| 272 | Columbus, IN | $49,320 | 8% below national |
| 273 | Fort Wayne, IN | $49,300 | 8% below national |
| 274 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $49,280 | 8% below national |
| 275 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $49,220 | 8% below national |
| 276 | Erie, PA | $49,180 | 9% below national |
| 277 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $49,130 | 9% below national |
| 278 | Toledo, OH | $49,130 | 9% below national |
| 279 | Enid, OK | $49,090 | 9% below national |
| 280 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $49,090 | 9% below national |
| 281 | Cleveland, OH | $49,040 | 9% below national |
| 282 | Homosassa Springs, FL | $49,040 | 9% below national |
| 283 | Niles, MI | $49,040 | 9% below national |
| 284 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $49,020 | 9% below national |
| 285 | Gettysburg, PA | $49,010 | 9% below national |
| 286 | Wichita Falls, TX | $49,010 | 9% below national |
| 287 | Beckley, WV | $48,960 | 9% below national |
| 288 | Grand Island, NE | $48,940 | 9% below national |
| 289 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $48,920 | 9% below national |
| 290 | Logan, UT-ID | $48,920 | 9% below national |
| 291 | Elmira, NY | $48,820 | 9% below national |
| 292 | Saginaw, MI | $48,820 | 9% below national |
| 293 | Flint, MI | $48,810 | 9% below national |
| 294 | Oklahoma City, OK | $48,760 | 9% below national |
| 295 | Chico, CA | $48,740 | 9% below national |
| 296 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $48,630 | 10% below national |
| 297 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $48,610 | 10% below national |
| 298 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $48,600 | 10% below national |
| 299 | Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $48,580 | 10% below national |
| 300 | Victoria, TX | $48,580 | 10% below national |
| 301 | Paducah, KY-IL | $48,560 | 10% below national |
| 302 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $48,520 | 10% below national |
| 303 | Dover, DE | $48,510 | 10% below national |
| 304 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $48,460 | 10% below national |
| 305 | Gainesville, GA | $48,430 | 10% below national |
| 306 | Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | $48,380 | 10% below national |
| 307 | Goldsboro, NC | $48,320 | 10% below national |
| 308 | Ocala, FL | $48,270 | 10% below national |
| 309 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $48,220 | 10% below national |
| 310 | Lawrence, KS | $48,180 | 10% below national |
| 311 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $48,170 | 10% below national |
| 312 | Abilene, TX | $48,160 | 10% below national |
| 313 | Williamsport, PA | $48,130 | 10% below national |
| 314 | Midland, MI | $48,120 | 10% below national |
| 315 | Knoxville, TN | $48,040 | 11% below national |
| 316 | Punta Gorda, FL | $48,040 | 11% below national |
| 317 | Charleston, WV | $48,000 | 11% below national |
| 318 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $47,970 | 11% below national |
| 319 | Sandusky, OH | $47,900 | 11% below national |
| 320 | Montgomery, AL | $47,880 | 11% below national |
| 321 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $47,860 | 11% below national |
| 322 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $47,850 | 11% below national |
| 323 | Springfield, OH | $47,780 | 11% below national |
| 324 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $47,740 | 11% below national |
| 325 | Missoula, MT | $47,720 | 11% below national |
| 326 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $47,690 | 11% below national |
| 327 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $47,670 | 11% below national |
| 328 | Morgantown, WV | $47,650 | 11% below national |
| 329 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $47,560 | 12% below national |
| 330 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $47,520 | 12% below national |
| 331 | Las Cruces, NM | $47,520 | 12% below national |
| 332 | Kankakee, IL | $47,460 | 12% below national |
| 333 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $47,440 | 12% below national |
| 334 | Sebring, FL | $47,250 | 12% below national |
| 335 | Valdosta, GA | $47,240 | 12% below national |
| 336 | Gainesville, FL | $47,230 | 12% below national |
| 337 | Dalton, GA | $47,190 | 12% below national |
| 338 | Albany, GA | $47,180 | 12% below national |
| 339 | Bloomington, IL | $47,180 | 12% below national |
| 340 | Tallahassee, FL | $47,130 | 12% below national |
| 341 | Morristown, TN | $47,070 | 12% below national |
| 342 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $46,980 | 13% below national |
| 343 | Visalia, CA | $46,850 | 13% below national |
| 344 | Johnstown, PA | $46,780 | 13% below national |
| 345 | Lubbock, TX | $46,760 | 13% below national |
| 346 | Cleveland, TN | $46,670 | 13% below national |
| 347 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $46,630 | 13% below national |
| 348 | San Angelo, TX | $46,440 | 14% below national |
| 349 | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $46,420 | 14% below national |
| 350 | Hot Springs, AR | $46,400 | 14% below national |
| 351 | Waco, TX | $46,380 | 14% below national |
| 352 | Winston-Salem, NC | $46,370 | 14% below national |
| 353 | Terre Haute, IN | $46,090 | 14% below national |
| 354 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $46,080 | 14% below national |
| 355 | Johnson City, TN | $46,070 | 14% below national |
| 356 | Joplin, MO-KS | $45,770 | 15% below national |
| 357 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $45,640 | 15% below national |
| 358 | Twin Falls, ID | $45,550 | 15% below national |
| 359 | Jackson, TN | $45,460 | 15% below national |
| 360 | Laredo, TX | $45,370 | 16% below national |
| 361 | Dothan, AL | $45,210 | 16% below national |
| 362 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $45,020 | 16% below national |
| 363 | El Paso, TX | $45,000 | 16% below national |
| 364 | Florence, SC | $44,990 | 16% below national |
| 365 | Bloomington, IN | $44,730 | 17% below national |
| 366 | Sumter, SC | $44,540 | 17% below national |
| 367 | Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $44,210 | 18% below national |
| 368 | Huntsville, AL | $44,020 | 18% below national |
| 369 | Wildwood-The Villages, FL | $43,490 | 19% below national |
| 370 | Mansfield, OH | $43,120 | 20% below national |
| 371 | Tyler, TX | $43,100 | 20% below national |
| 372 | Auburn-Opelika, AL | $42,520 | 21% below national |
| 373 | Rome, GA | $42,280 | 21% below national |
| 374 | Gadsden, AL | $42,240 | 21% below national |
| 375 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $41,920 | 22% below national |
| 376 | Columbus, GA-AL | $40,100 | 25% below national |
| 377 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $39,710 | 26% below national |
| 378 | Ponce, PR | $31,680 | 41% below national |
| 379 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $30,390 | 43% below national |
| 380 | Mayaguez, PR | $30,230 | 44% below national |
| 381 | Arecibo, PR | $29,380 | 45% below national |
| 382 | Aguadilla, PR | $28,450 | 47% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 51 (Production Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders
SOC 51-9191
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers
SOC 51-2011
Bakers
SOC 51-3011
Butchers and Meat Cutters
SOC 51-3021
Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters
SOC 51-7011
Showing 5 of 104 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Production Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($53,750 here) and reported employment (416,210 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers make? ▼
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What to do with this data
How to use Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $63,010/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Alaska leads at $80,840/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.