The median pay for Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers is $53,750 a year ($25.84/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 2.4% through 2035, with about 40,300 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 51-4121
- Production
- Last updated October 15, 2026
At a glance
Welder in four numbers
- Median pay
- $53,750a year, or $25.84/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $39KTop 10% $78K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +2.4%Slower than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+2.4%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +2.4% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 40,300437,700 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025437.7K
- Projected 2035448.1K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 437.7K Projected 2035 448.1K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school20.8%
- High school53.6%
- Certificate11.6%
- Some college11.3%
- Associate's1.8%
- Bachelor's0.9%
Highest education held by welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers Segment Value Less than high school 20.8% High school 53.6% Certificate 11.6% Some college 11.3% Associate's 1.8% Bachelor's 0.9%
Also advertised as: Assembly Line Brazer, Brazer, Fabrication Welder, Maintenance Welder, MIG Welder (Metal Inert Gas Welder), Solderer.
Pay
How much do welders make?
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers earn a median of $53,750 a year ($25.84 an hour, or about $4,480 a month); the lowest-paid 10% earn less than $39,240 and the top 10% more than $77,530 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The best-paying state is Alaska, with a median of $80,840. See Welder salary in Alaska and every other state. By city, pay is highest around Fairbanks ($83,300 average): salary in every city.
Every welder in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$53,750
Middle half earn $46,790 to $63,010
- 10th
- $39,240
- 25th
- $46,790
- 75th
- $63,010
- 90th
- $77,530
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $39,240 |
| 25th | $46,790 |
| Median | $53,750 |
| 75th | $63,010 |
| 90th | $77,530 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $53,750
- Median hourly wage
- $25.84/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $56,760
- People employed
- 416,210
Versus all US occupations
At $53,750, Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers earn 5% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $2,770 a year.
Versus production occupations
Inside the Production group, where the middle occupation pays $48,030, this is 12% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $77,530 or more while the bottom 10% earn $39,240, a gap of 2.0×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 26% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Alaska pays the most at $80,840, and still leads at $78,977 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay welders the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Alaska | $80,840 | $78,977 | 790 |
| 2Hawaii | $79,000 | $71,850 | 520 |
| 3Connecticut | $64,880 | $62,619 | 1,790 |
| 4Wyoming | $63,820 | $68,852 | 1,850 |
| 5Washington | $63,020 | $58,890 | 7,720 |
| 6Massachusetts | $62,570 | $59,164 | 2,830 |
| 7New Hampshire | $62,360 | $59,867 | 1,110 |
| 8Louisiana | $62,250 | $70,573 | 13,690 |
| 9Maine | $62,220 | $64,111 | 1,690 |
| 10North Dakota | $62,000 | $69,695 | 2,590 |
Job outlook
Is welder a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Slower than average. +2.4% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | +2.4% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers to change 2.4% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 10,300 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 40,300 openings are projected each year, 9.2% of the 437,700 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Despite limited employment growth, about 40,300 openings for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
The nation’s aging infrastructure will require the expertise of welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers to help rebuild bridges, highways, and buildings. These workers also will be needed in manufacturing plants, such as those that produce metal products and machinery. However, automation in manufacturing may limit overall demand for these workers.
AI exposure: low
BLS places this occupation in its low relative AI exposure category, among the occupations least exposed to current AI.
Getting in
How to become a welder
Welding is generally not a licensed profession — a few states and localities do license it, but for most jobs the gate is passing a hands-on welder qualification test for the code or welding procedure the work is built to, and the most portable credential proving that is the American Welding Society's Certified Welder.
The credential path, step by step
- Get a high school diploma and welding training
Employers often prefer or require a high school diploma or equivalent plus technical training, available through high school technical education, vocational-technical institutes, community colleges, private welding schools, or the US Armed Forces. Blueprint reading, shop mathematics and mechanical drawing are useful.
- Get on the tools
Some employers hire inexperienced entry-level workers and train them; others prefer people who have finished a training or credentialing program, and even those workers still get several months of on-the-job training. Employer-based apprenticeships exist for both beginners and vocational-school graduates.
- Pass the qualification test for the work you want
The real gate is a performance test against the code or welding procedure the job uses — structural, pipeline, sheet metal or pressure work each qualify differently, and a qualification is specific to the process, material and position tested.
- Earn the AWS Certified Welder credentialDigital credential issued about two to three weeks after AWS receives the application
Contact an AWS Accredited Test Facility, test against the QC47 specification, and the facility submits your application to AWS. This gives you a transferable credential rather than one tied to a single employer.
- Keep the certification active
Submit the six-month maintenance (continuity) documentation confirming you continue to use the certified process, or the certification goes inactive and requires retesting.
Exams you have to pass
Certified Welder performance qualification test (CW)
A strictly performance-based weld test conducted in accordance with the AWS QC47 specification. There are no prerequisite courses or certifications: if you can make the weld, you are eligible. The program tests welders on procedures used in structural steel, petroleum pipeline, sheet metal and chemical refinery welding, and welders commonly hold several certifications covering different processes and positions.
Administered by AWS Accredited Test Facilities.
- Continuing education
Required to stay credentialed
An AWS Certified Welder certification remains valid only as long as continuity is maintained: you must submit certification maintenance documentation every six months confirming you are still performing the welding process you were certified in, via an annual WeldCert Pro subscription. Kept current, the certification can stay active indefinitely; lapse it and it goes inactive and you must requalify by testing.
- Program accreditation
ATF · AWS Accredited Test Facility
Certified Welder tests can only be taken at an AWS Accredited Testing Facility, which operates under AWS welder testing standards and submits your Certified Welder application to AWS. You schedule an appointment with a facility directly; there is no course prerequisite.
Licensing and state variation
Not a state license
Welding is not a state-licensed profession in most of the country, though BLS notes that welders must be licensed in some states and localities and that those requirements vary — worth checking with the local government licensing agency where you plan to work. What actually gates the job is qualification: employers hire against a code or welding procedure (for example AWS D1.1 for structural steel, or the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section IX and B31.1/B31.3 piping codes for pressure work), and some employers require general or specific certification for particular jobs and will pay for the training and testing.
Who governs the credential
- American Welding Society (AWS)
Publishes the welding codes that most US welding work is qualified against, including AWS D1.1/D1.1M Structural Welding Code — Steel, and runs the Certified Welder program through its network of Accredited Test Facilities.
- NCCER
Describes itself as the nation's leader in providing construction industry education, assessments, credentials and accreditation, and issues craft credentials that employers use to verify training across the construction trades.
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Federal workplace safety regulator; per BLS, OSHA requires welders to complete training on electrical safety, while its other training is generally not required.
Credential detail for welders is researched by hand from the bodies that issue it, not derived from BLS or O*NET. Sources last checked August 23, 2026. Requirements change: confirm with your own state board before enrolling in anything.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers, How to Become One · checked August 23, 2026
- American Welding Society — Certified Welder Program · checked August 23, 2026
- American Welding Society — Welder Performance Qualifier Endorsement (WPQ1), listing AWS D1.1/D1.1M Structural Welding Code — Steel among the reference codes · checked August 23, 2026
- American Welding Society — ASME BPVC Section IX, Power B31.1 and Process B31.3 Piping endorsement · checked August 23, 2026
- NCCER — About · checked August 23, 2026
What the federal data says
Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers typically need a high school diploma or equivalent, combined with technical and on-the-job training, to enter the occupation.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)53.6%
- Less than a High School Diploma20.8%
- Post-Secondary Certificate11.6%
- Some College Courses11.3%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree1.8%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 53.6% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 20.8% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 11.6% |
| Some College Courses | 11.3% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 1.8% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a welder do?
Use hand-welding, flame-cutting, hand-soldering, or brazing equipment to weld or join metal components or to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products.
Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers use hand-held or remotely controlled equipment to join or cut metal parts. They also fill holes, indentations, or seams in metal products.
Day-to-day tasks
- Operate safety equipment and use safe work habits.
- 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.
- Weld components in flat, vertical, or overhead positions.
- Detect faulty operation of equipment or defective materials and notify supervisors.
- Prepare all material surfaces to be welded, ensuring that there is no loose or thick scale, slag, rust, moisture, grease, or other foreign matter.
- Position and secure workpieces, using hoists, cranes, wire, and banding machines or hand tools.
- Mark or tag material with proper job number, piece marks, and other identifying marks as required.
- Chip or grind off excess weld, slag, or spatter, using hand scrapers or power chippers, portable grinders, or arc-cutting equipment.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Fatal injury rate: 6.9 per 100,000 workers (2.1x the 3.3 average)
BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2024, for the group “Welding, soldering, and brazing workers”: 42 deaths that year.
Most welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Many manufacturing firms have two or three 8- to 12-hour shifts each day, allowing the firm to continue production around the clock if needed. As a result, welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers may work evenings and weekends.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantLittle or no dealing with customers or the public.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Where welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers work
Share of jobs by employer type
- Manufacturing63%
- Specialty trade contractors8%
- Self-employed workers4%
- Repair and maintenance4%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 63% |
| Specialty trade contractors | 8% |
| Self-employed workers | 4% |
| Repair and maintenance | 4% |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Monitoring3.0
- Critical Thinking2.9
- Active Listening2.6
- Speaking2.6
- Reading Comprehension2.5
- Active Learning2.3
- Mathematics2.1
- Learning Strategies2.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.9 |
| Active Listening | 2.6 |
| Speaking | 2.6 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.5 |
| Active Learning | 2.3 |
| Mathematics | 2.1 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Quality Control Analysis3.1
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9
- Operations Monitoring2.8
- Time Management2.8
- Operation and Control2.6
- Complex Problem Solving2.5
- Troubleshooting2.5
- Coordination2.4
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.1 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.9 |
| Operations Monitoring | 2.8 |
| Time Management | 2.8 |
| Operation and Control | 2.6 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.5 |
| Troubleshooting | 2.5 |
| Coordination | 2.4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Computer aided design CAD software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
The workforce
Who works as a welder?
Women make up 5.8% of welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers, against 47.1% of all employed people: a heavily male-dominated occupation.
20.2% are 55 or older, close to the 23.2% across all jobs.
The median worker is 39.3 years old (all workers: 42.1).
- Women
- 5.8%All workers 47.1% · BLS CPS, 2025
- Median age
- 39.3All workers 42.1 · BLS CPS, 2025
- Aged 55+
- 20.2%All workers 23.2% · BLS CPS, 2025
- Employed (CPS)
- 573,000Welding, soldering, and brazing workers · BLS CPS, 2025
| Group | Share of welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers | All employed people |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 5.8% | 47.1% |
| White | 84.2% | 75.7% |
| Black or African American | 8.0% | 12.7% |
| Asian | 3.0% | 7.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 29.8% | 20.0% |
| Aged 55 and over | 20.2% | 23.2% |
| Aged 16 to 24 | 16.8% | 12.2% |
Current Population Survey annual averages, 2025 (BLS tables 11 and 11b). Race groups can overlap with Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, so they do not sum to 100%. CPS reports this occupation only within the wider Census group “Welding, soldering, and brazing workers”, so these figures are for that group.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a welder?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Welder |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic7.0
- Conventional3.6
- Investigative2.1
- Enterprising1.5
- Artistic1.4
- Social1.1
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Welder
O*NET related occupations
- Production
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender
$47,920median a year
Most earn $37K to $67K
−8.9%High school - Production
- Production
Aircraft Structure, Surface, Rigging, and Systems Assembler
$65,380median a year
Most earn $47K to $108K
−5.6%High school - Production
- Construction and Extraction
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairer
$56,210median a year
Most earn $37K to $85K
+4.4%High school
More production careers
Median annual pay, with welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers highlighted
- Power Plant Operator$102,040
- Tool and Die Maker$64,050
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator$60,020
- Machinist$58,750
- Welder$53,750
- Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter$51,330
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator$50,690
- Butcher and Meat Cutter$40,140
- Baker$37,160
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Power Plant Operator | $102,040 |
| Tool and Die Maker | $64,050 |
| Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator | $60,020 |
| Machinist | $58,750 |
| Welder | $53,750 |
| Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter | $51,330 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator | $50,690 |
| Butcher and Meat Cutter | $40,140 |
| Baker | $37,160 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Specialty careers within welder
Distinct careers BLS counts inside this occupation, each with its own profile.
Lists Welder appears on
Questions
Welder: frequently asked questions
How much do welders make?
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers earn a median of $53,750 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 5% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $25.84/hr. The middle half earn between $46,790 and $63,010. The top 10% earn $77,530 or more.
How much do welders make an hour?
The median hourly wage for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers is $25.84 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). On a full-year basis the $53,750 annual median works out to about $4,480 a month before tax.
What is the starting salary for a welder?
BLS does not publish a starting salary. The nearest measure is the low end of the pay range: the lowest-paid 10% of welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers earn less than $39,240 a year and the bottom quarter less than $46,790 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). New workers often start near that end, but where a particular job starts depends on the employer, the state and the credentials you bring, so read these as the bottom of the range rather than a guaranteed entry wage.
Do welders make $100k?
Rarely. Even the 90th percentile is $77,530, so fewer than 10% of welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers earn $100,000 or more (BLS OEWS, May 2025). No state's median reaches $100,000; the highest is Alaska at $80,840.
Which states pay welders the most?
The highest state medians for Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers are Alaska ($80,840), Hawaii ($79,000), Connecticut ($64,880) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What kind of welder earns the most?
BLS does not split welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers' pay by specialty or employer, but its range shows how far the top end runs: the highest-paid 10% earn more than $77,530, against a median of $53,750 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Location moves pay the most in the published data: the best-paying states are Alaska ($80,840), Hawaii ($79,000), Connecticut ($64,880). BLS also counts a specialty career inside this occupation (pipeline welder), which shares its federal pay figures.
Do you need a degree to become a welder?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 53.6% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
How long does it take to become a welder?
BLS does not publish a fixed length; it depends on the route. What it does publish: the typical way in for welders is a high school diploma or equivalent. Once hired, BLS lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical. O*NET classes the work as needing some preparation.
Is welder a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 2.4% over 2025–2035 against 3.5% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 40,300 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a welder do?
Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers use hand-held or remotely controlled equipment to join or cut metal parts. A core O*NET task: operate safety equipment and use safe work habits. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software, Office suite software.
Do welders work 40 hours a week?
Yes, for most. In O*NET's survey of people in the job, 35% of welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers usually work more than 40 hours a week, 65% work exactly 40 and 0% work fewer. 86% say their schedule is regular and 10% irregular. Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, Work Context.
What personality type suits a welder?
O*NET scores Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.
Do you need a license to work as a welder?
Not a state license. Welding is not a state-licensed profession in most of the country, though BLS notes that welders must be licensed in some states and localities and that those requirements vary — worth checking with the local government licensing agency where you plan to work. What actually gates the job is qualification: employers hire against a code or welding procedure (for example AWS D1.1 for structural steel, or the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section IX and B31.1/B31.3 piping codes for pressure work), and some employers require general or specific certification for particular jobs and will pay for the training and testing.
What exams and certifications apply to a welder?
The CW (Certified Welder performance qualification test). A strictly performance-based weld test conducted in accordance with the AWS QC47 specification. There are no prerequisite courses or certifications: if you can make the weld, you are eligible. The program tests welders on procedures used in structural steel, petroleum pipeline, sheet metal and chemical refinery welding, and welders commonly hold several certifications covering different processes and positions.
What percentage of welders are women?
Women make up 5.8% of welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers, against 47.1% of all employed people: a heavily male-dominated occupation. 20.2% are 55 or older, close to the 23.2% across all jobs. The median worker is 39.3 years old (all workers: 42.1). Source: BLS Current Population Survey, 2025 annual averages, for the Census group "Welding, soldering, and brazing workers".