Welder salary
Updated September 26, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
Welders in the U.S. earn a median of $53,750 a year, or $25.84 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $77,530 a year.
Median yearly pay$53,750
Bottom 10% under$39,240Top 10% over$77,530
- Apprentice starting pay (estimate)
- $18.87/hr
- Jobs nationwide
- 416,210
- Median hourly pay
- $25.84/hr
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Excludes self-employed welders. *Starting pay is estimated from the 10th percentile; BLS does not report pay by license level.
Entry-level to top welder pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | $39,240–$46,790$18.87–$22.50/hr | |
| Experienced welder | $53,750$25.84/hr | |
| Top earners | $63,010–$77,530$30.29–$37.28/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
How it compares
- The 90th-percentile wage, $77,530, is 2.0 times the 10th-percentile wage, $39,240: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
Welder pay by state
- Alaska$80,840
- Hawaii$79,000
- Connecticut$64,880
- Wyoming$63,820
- Washington$63,020
- Massachusetts$62,570
- New Hampshire$62,360
- Louisiana$62,250
- Maine$62,220
- North Dakota$62,000
See all 50 states and DC
- Nevada$61,520
- Vermont$60,890
- Maryland$60,310
- Minnesota$60,280
- District of Columbia$60,180
- New Mexico$59,840
- Oregon$59,450
- New Jersey$59,440
- Virginia$59,180
- New York$59,140
- Colorado$58,590
- Wisconsin$58,410
- Utah$58,380
- California$58,060
- Delaware$57,270
- Montana$55,610
- Arizona$55,600
- Iowa$55,090
- Texas$53,340
- Pennsylvania$52,900
- Nebraska$52,220
- Missouri$51,950
- Kentucky$51,470
- Illinois$51,320
- Mississippi$51,100
- Florida$50,640
- North Carolina$50,590
- Rhode Island$50,580
- Idaho$50,530
- Ohio$50,340
- Michigan$49,990
- South Carolina$49,980
- Indiana$49,730
- Oklahoma$49,720
- South Dakota$49,440
- Kansas$49,410
- West Virginia$48,810
- Alabama$48,490
- Georgia$48,430
- Tennessee$48,040
- Arkansas$47,970
Top-paying metro areas
Other trades in the U.S.
Questions
- How much do welders make?
- Welders in the U.S. earn a median of $53,750 a year, or $25.84 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $77,530 a year.
- How much do welders make an hour in the U.S.?
- The median hourly wage is $25.84. The middle half earn between $22.50 and $30.29 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do apprentice welders make in the U.S.?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $18.87 an hour ($39,240 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $22.50.
- Which state pays welders the most?
- Alaska, with a median of $80,840 a year, followed by Hawaii ($79,000). Arkansas has the lowest median, $47,970.
- Which metro area pays welders the most?
- The Lima, OH area, with a median of $85,790 a year.
About this data
Wages are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for May 2025, occupation 51-4121 (Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers). BLS counts wage and salary workers only, so self-employed welders and business owners aren't included. Page updated September 26, 2026. How we calculate these figures