Welder salary

The median pay for a welder nationally is $25.84 an hour — about $53,750 a year full time. That figure comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for U.S. (2025). Half of the roles pay more than this and half pay less, so treat it as the middle of the market rather than a target.

Most welders nationally earn between $18.87 an hour and $37.27 an hour — that is the 10th to the 90th percentile. The spread usually reflects experience, shift, certifications and employer size more than anything else.

Pay at the bottom of the range — roughly what someone starting out can expect — is around $18.87 an hour. A quarter of welders earn below $22.50 an hour, so the first year or two typically sits in that band.

The top 10% of welders nationally earn about $37.27 an hour or more, roughly 1.4× the median. Getting there usually means experience plus something specific — certifications, supervisory duties, specialised skills or premium shifts.

Welders join metal components across construction, manufacturing, shipbuilding and pipeline work. Pay varies enormously by process, certification and whether the work involves travel. Day to day, that means weld using MIG, TIG, stick or flux-core processes, read blueprints and welding symbols, prepare and clean materials and inspect welds for defects.

The usual route is: (1) complete a welding programme, (2) certify in the processes your target industry uses, (3) start in fabrication or manufacturing, (4) add pipe or specialty certifications for the largest pay increases. Employers typically look for trade programme or apprenticeship, AWS certification for many positions and process-specific and position-specific certifications.

Usually not. Most employers hire welders without a specific licence, though AWS certification for many positions will widen your options and often your pay.

There are currently 9 open welders listed on LocalWork. Demand spans manufacturing, infrastructure and energy. Certified pipe welders and those willing to travel command markedly higher rates.

Pipe welding certifications — particularly 6G position work — typically command the highest rates, especially in energy and industrial construction. Underwater and specialty alloy welding pay more again but require substantial additional training.