51 Series · SOC 51-4122
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $47,920
- Median / year
- $66,540
- Top 10% earn
- -9%
- Growth '23–'33
- 31,600
- US workers
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders earn a median of $47,920 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $47,920, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $36,860 (10th percentile) to $66,540 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 31,600 US workers. Arizona pays the most ($70,150), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders earn a median of $47,920, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 27% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #51 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 9% by 2033.
- $47,920
- Median annual wage
- Top 73%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #51 of 105
- in Production
- 1.8×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Arizona at $70,150. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (SOC 51-4122) pays a national median of $47,920 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $36,860 at the 10th percentile to $66,540 at the 90th, with a mean of $50,220 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 31,600 Americans work in this occupation across 45 reporting states and 171 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -9% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 3,200 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 3.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.2 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Arizona pays the highest state median at $70,150, which is +46% above the national figure. The top metro is Tuscaloosa, AL at $82,250 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$47,920
per year
Median Hourly
$23.04/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$50,220
average
Employment
31,600
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$47,920 Bottom 27% higher than 27% 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.
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 Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sits on the slower-growing side at -9% growth and $47,920 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-9%
Declining
Annual Openings
3,200
per year (projected)
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
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
3.5/100K
Injury Rate
3.2/100
Danger Index
14.6/100
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 Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Correct problems by adjusting controls or by stopping machines and opening holding devices.
- ▸ Set up, operate, or tend welding machines that join or bond components to fabricate metal products or assemblies.
- ▸ Select torch tips, alloys, flux, coil, tubing, or wire, according to metal types or thicknesses, data charts, or records.
- ▸ Lay out, fit, or connect parts to be bonded, calculating production measurements, as necessary.
- ▸ Prepare metal surfaces or workpieces, using hand-operated equipment, such as grinders, cutters, or drills.
- ▸ Mark weld points and positions of components on workpieces, using rules, squares, templates, or scribes.
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
10th Percentile
$36,860
25th Percentile
$40,560
Median
$47,920
75th Percentile
$57,390
90th Percentile
$66,540
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 45 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $70,150 | +46% above national |
| 2 | Alaska | $62,700 | +31% above national |
| 3 | Washington | $58,990 | +23% above national |
| 4 | Illinois | $58,840 | +23% above national |
| 5 | Oregon | $58,650 | +22% above national |
| 6 | Wisconsin | $57,640 | +20% above national |
| 7 | Minnesota | $57,560 | +20% above national |
| 8 | Nebraska | $57,280 | +20% above national |
| 9 | Missouri | $56,210 | +17% above national |
| 10 | New Jersey | $53,680 | +12% above national |
| 11 | South Dakota | $52,520 | +10% above national |
| 12 | New York | $52,080 | +9% above national |
| 13 | Iowa | $51,740 | +8% above national |
| 14 | Texas | $51,310 | +7% above national |
| 15 | Idaho | $50,850 | +6% above national |
| 16 | Kentucky | $50,740 | +6% above national |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $50,480 | +5% above national |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $50,040 | +4% above national |
| 19 | Colorado | $49,860 | +4% above national |
| 20 | Virginia | $49,160 | +3% above national |
| 21 | California | $48,940 | +2% above national |
| 22 | Louisiana | $48,740 | +2% above national |
| 23 | Maine | $48,410 | +1% above national |
| 24 | Ohio | $48,190 | +1% above national |
| 25 | Connecticut | $47,900 | same as national |
| 26 | Nevada | $47,870 | same as national |
| 27 | North Carolina | $47,580 | 1% below national |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $47,530 | 1% below national |
| 29 | New Hampshire | $47,500 | 1% below national |
| 30 | Tennessee | $47,180 | 2% below national |
| 31 | Maryland | $47,110 | 2% below national |
| 32 | Arkansas | $46,880 | 2% below national |
| 33 | Kansas | $46,710 | 3% below national |
| 34 | West Virginia | $46,460 | 3% below national |
| 35 | South Carolina | $46,260 | 3% below national |
| 36 | Georgia | $45,850 | 4% below national |
| 37 | Indiana | $43,960 | 8% below national |
| 38 | Michigan | $42,530 | 11% below national |
| 39 | Florida | $41,420 | 14% below national |
| 40 | Utah | $40,600 | 15% below national |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $40,400 | 16% below national |
| 42 | Alabama | $40,050 | 16% below national |
| 43 | Mississippi | $37,390 | 22% below national |
| 44 | Montana | $35,670 | 26% below national |
| 45 | Puerto Rico | $26,980 | 44% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 171 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $82,250 | +72% above national |
| 2 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $75,200 | +57% above national |
| 3 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $74,910 | +56% above national |
| 4 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $68,880 | +44% above national |
| 5 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $66,570 | +39% above national |
| 6 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $64,380 | +34% above national |
| 7 | Winston-Salem, NC | $64,120 | +34% above national |
| 8 | Maryland nonmetropolitan area | $62,990 | +31% above national |
| 9 | Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $62,550 | +31% above national |
| 10 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $61,700 | +29% above national |
| 11 | Boise City, ID | $61,530 | +28% above national |
| 12 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $60,600 | +26% above national |
| 13 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $60,180 | +26% above national |
| 14 | Green Bay, WI | $58,890 | +23% above national |
| 15 | Asheville, NC | $58,450 | +22% above national |
| 16 | Springfield, MO | $58,320 | +22% above national |
| 17 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $57,900 | +21% above national |
| 18 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $57,690 | +20% above national |
| 19 | Fond du Lac, WI | $57,640 | +20% above national |
| 20 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $57,570 | +20% above national |
| 21 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $56,320 | +18% above national |
| 22 | Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $56,010 | +17% above national |
| 23 | Jackson, MS | $55,550 | +16% above national |
| 24 | Omaha, NE-IA | $55,450 | +16% above national |
| 25 | Chambersburg, PA | $55,110 | +15% above national |
| 26 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $54,970 | +15% above national |
| 27 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $54,500 | +14% above national |
| 28 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $54,470 | +14% above national |
| 29 | Madison, WI | $54,440 | +14% above national |
| 30 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $54,390 | +14% above national |
| 31 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $53,680 | +12% above national |
| 32 | Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $53,370 | +11% above national |
| 33 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $52,980 | +11% above national |
| 34 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $52,800 | +10% above national |
| 35 | Wausau, WI | $52,670 | +10% above national |
| 36 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $52,520 | +10% above national |
| 37 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $52,180 | +9% above national |
| 38 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $51,740 | +8% above national |
| 39 | Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $51,630 | +8% above national |
| 40 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $51,320 | +7% above national |
| 41 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $51,290 | +7% above national |
| 42 | Richmond, VA | $51,270 | +7% above national |
| 43 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $51,110 | +7% above national |
| 44 | Springfield, MA | $51,110 | +7% above national |
| 45 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $51,070 | +7% above national |
| 46 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $51,000 | +6% above national |
| 47 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $50,860 | +6% above national |
| 48 | Worcester, MA | $50,760 | +6% above national |
| 49 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $50,740 | +6% above national |
| 50 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $50,640 | +6% above national |
| 51 | Rochester, NY | $50,530 | +5% above national |
| 52 | Niles, MI | $50,370 | +5% above national |
| 53 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $50,370 | +5% above national |
| 54 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $50,230 | +5% above national |
| 55 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $50,160 | +5% above national |
| 56 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $50,120 | +5% above national |
| 57 | Dubuque, IA | $49,930 | +4% above national |
| 58 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $49,920 | +4% above national |
| 59 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $49,890 | +4% above national |
| 60 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $49,840 | +4% above national |
| 61 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $49,820 | +4% above national |
| 62 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $49,780 | +4% above national |
| 63 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $49,630 | +4% above national |
| 64 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $49,400 | +3% above national |
| 65 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $49,390 | +3% above national |
| 66 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $49,160 | +3% above national |
| 67 | Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $49,040 | +2% above national |
| 68 | Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $48,970 | +2% above national |
| 69 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $48,880 | +2% above national |
| 70 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $48,840 | +2% above national |
| 71 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $48,820 | +2% above national |
| 72 | Decatur, AL | $48,620 | +1% above national |
| 73 | South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $48,620 | +1% above national |
| 74 | Spartanburg, SC | $48,580 | +1% above national |
| 75 | Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $48,570 | +1% above national |
| 76 | North Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $48,560 | +1% above national |
| 77 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $48,520 | +1% above national |
| 78 | East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $48,330 | +1% above national |
| 79 | New Haven, CT | $48,320 | +1% above national |
| 80 | Baton Rouge, LA | $48,260 | +1% above national |
| 81 | South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $48,240 | +1% above national |
| 82 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $48,190 | +1% above national |
| 83 | Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $48,180 | +1% above national |
| 84 | Toledo, OH | $48,110 | same as national |
| 85 | Tulsa, OK | $48,000 | same as national |
| 86 | Reading, PA | $47,960 | same as national |
| 87 | Reno, NV | $47,930 | same as national |
| 88 | Knoxville, TN | $47,920 | same as national |
| 89 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $47,840 | same as national |
| 90 | Mansfield, OH | $47,690 | same as national |
| 91 | Akron, OH | $47,570 | 1% below national |
| 92 | Fresno, CA | $47,560 | 1% below national |
| 93 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $47,500 | 1% below national |
| 94 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $47,450 | 1% below national |
| 95 | Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $47,450 | 1% below national |
| 96 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $47,440 | 1% below national |
| 97 | North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $47,390 | 1% below national |
| 98 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $47,380 | 1% below national |
| 99 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $47,260 | 1% below national |
| 100 | Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $47,210 | 1% below national |
| 101 | Pittsburgh, PA | $47,180 | 2% below national |
| 102 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $47,090 | 2% below national |
| 103 | Cleveland, OH | $47,020 | 2% below national |
| 104 | Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $46,940 | 2% below national |
| 105 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $46,790 | 2% below national |
| 106 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $46,710 | 3% below national |
| 107 | West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $46,650 | 3% below national |
| 108 | West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $46,610 | 3% below national |
| 109 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $46,560 | 3% below national |
| 110 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $46,550 | 3% below national |
| 111 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $46,460 | 3% below national |
| 112 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $46,450 | 3% below national |
| 113 | Lynchburg, VA | $46,390 | 3% below national |
| 114 | Gainesville, GA | $46,380 | 3% below national |
| 115 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $46,370 | 3% below national |
| 116 | Lancaster, PA | $46,330 | 3% below national |
| 117 | Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $46,310 | 3% below national |
| 118 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $46,280 | 3% below national |
| 119 | South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $46,250 | 3% below national |
| 120 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $46,200 | 4% below national |
| 121 | York-Hanover, PA | $46,090 | 4% below national |
| 122 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $46,030 | 4% below national |
| 123 | Jacksonville, FL | $45,990 | 4% below national |
| 124 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $45,990 | 4% below national |
| 125 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $45,850 | 4% below national |
| 126 | Columbus, OH | $45,830 | 4% below national |
| 127 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $45,580 | 5% below national |
| 128 | North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $45,550 | 5% below national |
| 129 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $45,540 | 5% below national |
| 130 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $45,410 | 5% below national |
| 131 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $45,090 | 6% below national |
| 132 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $44,980 | 6% below national |
| 133 | Wichita, KS | $44,760 | 7% below national |
| 134 | Fort Wayne, IN | $44,670 | 7% below national |
| 135 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $44,450 | 7% below national |
| 136 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $44,370 | 7% below national |
| 137 | Evansville, IN | $44,240 | 8% below national |
| 138 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $44,060 | 8% below national |
| 139 | Huntsville, AL | $44,030 | 8% below national |
| 140 | Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $44,010 | 8% below national |
| 141 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $43,910 | 8% below national |
| 142 | Birmingham, AL | $43,480 | 9% below national |
| 143 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $43,450 | 9% below national |
| 144 | Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $43,270 | 10% below national |
| 145 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $43,230 | 10% below national |
| 146 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $43,190 | 10% below national |
| 147 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $43,100 | 10% below national |
| 148 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $42,830 | 11% below national |
| 149 | Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $42,530 | 11% below national |
| 150 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $41,760 | 13% below national |
| 151 | Erie, PA | $41,530 | 13% below national |
| 152 | Jackson, MI | $41,180 | 14% below national |
| 153 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $40,560 | 15% below national |
| 154 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $40,240 | 16% below national |
| 155 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $40,150 | 16% below national |
| 156 | Montgomery, AL | $40,050 | 16% below national |
| 157 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $39,980 | 17% below national |
| 158 | Oklahoma City, OK | $39,840 | 17% below national |
| 159 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $38,970 | 19% below national |
| 160 | Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $38,950 | 19% below national |
| 161 | Ann Arbor, MI | $38,900 | 19% below national |
| 162 | Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $38,760 | 19% below national |
| 163 | Springfield, OH | $38,440 | 20% below national |
| 164 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $37,040 | 23% below national |
| 165 | Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $36,590 | 24% below national |
| 166 | Lima, OH | $36,490 | 24% below national |
| 167 | Jackson, TN | $36,350 | 24% below national |
| 168 | Traverse City, MI | $36,260 | 24% below national |
| 169 | Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $35,740 | 25% below national |
| 170 | Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $34,340 | 28% below national |
| 171 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $26,980 | 44% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 51 (production) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders make? ▼
What state pays Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
How dangerous is being a Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
Is Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders a good career? ▼
How does Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $57,390/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Arizona leads at $70,150/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.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
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.