Welder Salary by State
How much welders, cutters, solderers and brazers earn in each state. SOC code 51-4121 (Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers). Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025.
- National median wage$53,750Half earn more, half less
- National mean wage$56,760Average of all workers
- Median hourly wage$25.84Mean $27.29/hour
- U.S. employment416,210Wage & salary jobs
- Top-paying stateAlaska$80,100 mean
- States with data51 / 51Others not published by BLS
How much do welders, cutters, solderers and brazers make?
Nationally, welders, cutters, solderers and brazers earn a median of $53,750 a year and a mean of $56,760 (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle half of the occupation earns between $46,790 (25th percentile) and $63,010 (75th percentile); the bottom 10% earn under $39,240 and the top 10% more than $77,530.
That median is 1.1× the median for all U.S. occupations ($50,980).
By state, the mean wage ranges from $80,100 in Alaska (highest) to $50,020 in Arkansas (lowest). After adjusting the median for each state’s price level, Alaska comes out on top at $78,945 in national-average dollars.
National pay distribution
| Percentile | Annual | Monthly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $39,240 | $3,270 | $18.87 |
| 25th | $46,790 | $3,899 | $22.50 |
| Median | $53,750 | $4,479 | $25.84 |
| 75th | $63,010 | $5,251 | $30.29 |
| 90th | $77,530 | $6,461 | $37.28 |
| Mean | $56,760 | $4,730 | $27.29 |
25th and 75th percentile hourly figures are annual ÷ 2,080 hours.
Welder salary in every state
Click a column heading to sort. Adjusted median = median × 100 ÷ BEA regional price parity (2024).
| State | Mean wage | Median wage | Median hourly | 10th pct | 90th pct | Adjusted median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $80,100 | $80,840 | $38.87 | $49,660 | $109,940 | $78,945 | 790 |
| Hawaii | $77,430 | $79,000 | $37.98 | $50,000 | $100,220 | $71,818 | 520 |
| Wyoming | $67,990 | $63,820 | $30.69 | $47,220 | $89,610 | $68,846 | 1,850 |
| Connecticut | $66,800 | $64,880 | $31.19 | $43,590 | $87,980 | $62,625 | 1,790 |
| Washington | $66,340 | $63,020 | $30.30 | $47,980 | $86,250 | $58,897 | 7,720 |
| Massachusetts | $65,050 | $62,570 | $30.08 | $47,720 | $83,430 | $59,140 | 2,830 |
| North Dakota | $64,880 | $62,000 | $29.81 | $46,660 | $83,290 | $69,663 | 2,590 |
| Nevada | $64,590 | $61,520 | $29.58 | $44,530 | $95,050 | $61,520 | 1,600 |
| Maryland | $64,410 | $60,310 | $29.00 | $40,590 | $95,280 | $57,438 | 2,850 |
| Louisiana | $63,750 | $62,250 | $29.93 | $42,810 | $81,750 | $70,578 | 13,690 |
| New Mexico | $63,720 | $59,840 | $28.77 | $36,860 | $92,760 | $64,902 | 2,390 |
| New Hampshire | $62,900 | $62,360 | $29.98 | $47,540 | $80,290 | $59,846 | 1,110 |
| New York | $62,810 | $59,140 | $28.43 | $43,840 | $87,110 | $54,810 | 8,310 |
| New Jersey | $62,500 | $59,440 | $28.58 | $43,290 | $81,760 | $54,632 | 3,730 |
| Maine | $61,930 | $62,220 | $29.92 | $47,230 | $76,220 | $64,144 | 1,690 |
| District of Columbia | $61,620 | $60,180 | $28.93 | $48,400 | $75,580 | $54,759 | 280 |
| California | $61,120 | $58,060 | $27.91 | $44,520 | $81,940 | $52,448 | 26,060 |
| Colorado | $60,410 | $58,590 | $28.17 | $44,100 | $79,700 | $56,828 | 4,970 |
| Virginia | $60,410 | $59,180 | $28.45 | $42,520 | $79,630 | $58,536 | 10,100 |
| Oregon | $60,390 | $59,450 | $28.58 | $46,070 | $79,230 | $57,495 | 5,240 |
| Minnesota | $60,360 | $60,280 | $28.98 | $45,690 | $75,710 | $61,136 | 9,270 |
| Vermont | $60,210 | $60,890 | $29.27 | $45,650 | $74,870 | $62,133 | 340 |
| Utah | $59,640 | $58,380 | $28.07 | $43,850 | $79,520 | $59,029 | 4,440 |
| Arizona | $59,040 | $55,600 | $26.73 | $39,970 | $81,280 | $55,214 | 7,270 |
| Montana | $58,680 | $55,610 | $26.73 | $43,720 | $81,470 | $58,784 | 1,530 |
| Delaware | $58,470 | $57,270 | $27.54 | $45,550 | $75,560 | $57,385 | 600 |
| Rhode Island | $58,180 | $50,580 | $24.32 | $35,560 | $81,000 | $49,443 | 2,300 |
| Wisconsin | $57,920 | $58,410 | $28.08 | $47,060 | $70,720 | $62,072 | 15,320 |
| Texas | $56,940 | $53,340 | $25.64 | $38,380 | $80,240 | $54,933 | 52,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $56,300 | $52,900 | $25.43 | $40,510 | $74,870 | $54,201 | 17,850 |
| Illinois | $55,930 | $51,320 | $24.67 | $38,890 | $76,730 | $51,320 | 16,260 |
| Iowa | $55,580 | $55,090 | $26.49 | $45,590 | $65,250 | $62,745 | 9,270 |
| Missouri | $55,470 | $51,950 | $24.98 | $38,200 | $78,150 | $57,214 | 10,600 |
| Nebraska | $55,290 | $52,220 | $25.10 | $43,850 | $66,900 | $57,958 | 4,200 |
| Idaho | $54,290 | $50,530 | $24.30 | $40,370 | $70,790 | $52,911 | 3,300 |
| Indiana | $54,220 | $49,730 | $23.91 | $38,410 | $74,880 | $53,301 | 13,280 |
| Florida | $54,030 | $50,640 | $24.35 | $39,200 | $70,390 | $48,975 | 16,420 |
| Michigan | $53,820 | $49,990 | $24.03 | $39,090 | $70,200 | $51,965 | 13,330 |
| North Carolina | $53,720 | $50,590 | $24.32 | $38,540 | $71,240 | $53,648 | 11,750 |
| Kentucky | $53,710 | $51,470 | $24.74 | $39,300 | $69,010 | $57,062 | 6,630 |
| Ohio | $53,370 | $50,340 | $24.20 | $38,990 | $70,510 | $54,246 | 20,330 |
| West Virginia | $53,350 | $48,810 | $23.46 | $36,700 | $73,780 | $54,536 | 2,100 |
| Mississippi | $52,930 | $51,100 | $24.57 | $36,800 | $64,440 | $58,736 | 6,460 |
| Oklahoma | $52,860 | $49,720 | $23.90 | $37,860 | $70,640 | $56,629 | 9,960 |
| Kansas | $52,780 | $49,410 | $23.75 | $37,790 | $66,680 | $54,839 | 6,370 |
| South Carolina | $52,120 | $49,980 | $24.03 | $38,720 | $64,510 | $53,340 | 7,380 |
| South Dakota | $51,980 | $49,440 | $23.77 | $38,100 | $63,380 | $55,801 | 3,250 |
| Georgia | $51,520 | $48,430 | $23.28 | $38,030 | $65,160 | $50,291 | 13,130 |
| Alabama | $51,120 | $48,490 | $23.31 | $36,710 | $66,820 | $54,606 | 12,450 |
| Tennessee | $50,450 | $48,040 | $23.10 | $37,840 | $64,200 | $52,274 | 12,510 |
| Arkansas | $50,020 | $47,970 | $23.06 | $37,380 | $62,830 | $55,201 | 6,150 |
Highest median pay
- Alaska — $80,840
- Hawaii — $79,000
- Connecticut — $64,880
- Wyoming — $63,820
- Washington — $63,020
Lowest median pay
- Arkansas — $47,970
- Tennessee — $48,040
- Georgia — $48,430
- Alabama — $48,490
- West Virginia — $48,810
Best pay after cost of living
- Alaska — $78,945
- Hawaii — $71,818
- Louisiana — $70,578
- North Dakota — $69,663
- Wyoming — $68,846
The most welders, cutters, solderers and brazers work in Texas (52,000 jobs), California and Ohio.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a welder make?
The national median wage for welders, cutters, solderers and brazers is $53,750 a year and the mean is $56,760, according to BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates.
Which state pays welders, cutters, solderers and brazers the most?
Alaska has the highest mean wage for welders, cutters, solderers and brazers at $80,100.
Which state pays welders, cutters, solderers and brazers the least?
Arkansas has the lowest mean wage for welders, cutters, solderers and brazers among states with published data, at $50,020.
Where do welders, cutters, solderers and brazers earn the most after cost of living?
Dividing each state’s median wage by its BEA price level, Alaska ranks first at $78,945 in national-average dollars, followed by Hawaii and Louisiana.