Welder salary in West Virginia
Updated September 26, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
Welders in West Virginia earn a median of $48,810 a year, or $23.46 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $73,780 a year. That's 9% less than the national median of $53,750, 47th of 51 states and DC.
- Apprentice starting pay (estimate)
- $17.65/hr
- Jobs in West Virginia
- 2,100
- After cost of living
- $54,540
- Median hourly pay
- $23.46/hr
- vs U.S. median
- −9%
- Rank among states
- 47th of 51
Entry-level to top welder pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | $36,700–$39,900$17.65–$19.18/hr | |
| Experienced welder | $48,810$23.46/hr | |
| Top earners | $60,170–$73,780$28.93–$35.47/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
How West Virginia compares
- Welders are more concentrated in West Virginia than nationally: 3.0 of every 1,000 jobs, 1.1 times the U.S. share.
- The 90th-percentile wage, $73,780, is 2.0 times the 10th-percentile wage, $36,700: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
Pay by metro area
Rural West Virginia
- Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area$49,280
- Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area$49,030
Other trades in West Virginia
Questions
- How much do welders make in West Virginia?
- Welders in West Virginia earn a median of $48,810 a year, or $23.46 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $73,780 a year.
- How much do welders make an hour in West Virginia?
- The median hourly wage is $23.46. The middle half earn between $19.18 and $28.93 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do apprentice welders make in West Virginia?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $17.65 an hour ($36,700 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $19.18.
- Where in West Virginia do welders earn the most?
- Among West Virginia metro areas, Washington–Arlington–Alexandria has the highest median at $60,670 a year, and Huntington–Ashland the lowest at $46,980.
- Do welders in West Virginia earn more than the national average?
- The West Virginia median of $48,810 is 9% less than the U.S. median of $53,750. Prices in West Virginia run 11% below the national average (BEA), so the median buys about what $54,540 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 54. 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 (89.5, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 26, 2026. How we calculate these figures