Welder salary in North Carolina
Updated September 26, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
Welders in North Carolina earn a median of $50,590 a year, or $24.32 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. One in ten earns more than $71,240. Nationally the median is $53,750, so North Carolina pays 6% less than the U.S. overall and ranks 37th of 51.
- Apprentice starting pay (estimate)
- $18.53/hr
- Jobs in North Carolina
- 11,750
- After cost of living
- $53,630
- Median hourly pay
- $24.32/hr
- vs U.S. median
- −6%
- Rank among states
- 37th of 51
Entry-level to top welder pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | $38,540–$45,400$18.53–$21.83/hr | |
| Experienced welder | $50,590$24.32/hr | |
| Top earners | $60,870–$71,240$29.26–$34.25/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
How North Carolina compares
- Welders are less concentrated in North Carolina than nationally: 2.4 of every 1,000 jobs, 0.89 times the U.S. share.
- The 90th-percentile wage, $71,240, is 1.8 times the 10th-percentile wage, $38,540: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
Pay by metro area
Rural North Carolina
- Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area$52,260
- Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area$49,310
- Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area$48,050
Other trades in North Carolina
Questions
- How much do welders make in North Carolina?
- Welders in North Carolina earn a median of $50,590 a year, or $24.32 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. One in ten earns more than $71,240.
- How much do welders make an hour in North Carolina?
- The median hourly wage is $24.32. The middle half earn between $21.83 and $29.26 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do apprentice welders make in North Carolina?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $18.53 an hour ($38,540 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $21.83.
- Where in North Carolina do welders earn the most?
- Among North Carolina metro areas, Virginia Beach–Chesapeake–Norfolk has the highest median at $62,670 a year, and Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton the lowest at $46,080.
- Do welders in North Carolina earn more than the national average?
- The North Carolina median of $50,590 is 6% less than the U.S. median of $53,750. Prices in North Carolina run 6% below the national average (BEA), so the median buys about what $53,630 would nationally.
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), area code 37. BLS counts wage and salary workers only, so self-employed welders and business owners aren't included. The cost-of-living figure divides the median by the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity for 2024 (94.3, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 26, 2026. How we calculate these figures