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Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Salary by State
There were an estimated 424,040 welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers working in the United States in May 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey. The typical (median) welder earned $51,000 a year, or $24.52 an hour, while the mean annual wage was $55,100. Pay spans a wide range even inside the same occupation: the lowest-paid 10% of welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers earned $38,130 or less, the bottom quarter earned $45,580 or less, the top quarter earned at least $61,610, and the top 10% earned at least $75,850. Where a welder works matters almost as much as the job itself, as the state table below shows.
Where welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers earn the most — and least
The highest median pay for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers is in Hawaii, at $76,970 a year — 50.9% higher than the national median of $51,000. Next are Alaska at $75,140 and Wyoming at $66,070. At the other end, West Virginia posts the lowest published median, $47,000, which is 7.8% lower than the national figure. That is a top-to-bottom spread of about 1.6 times between the highest- and lowest-paying states for the same occupation — a gap driven by local labor markets, licensing, employer mix, and cost of living rather than by differences in the job title itself.
Where the welder jobs are
Employment is concentrated in a handful of large states. Texas alone employs 56,650 welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers, and the three largest states — Texas, California, and Ohio — together account for 24% of all U.S. jobs in this occupation. Pay in the largest market, Texas, runs at a median of $49,830, 2.3% lower than the national median, so the biggest job market is not the highest-paying option. Smaller states can still be attractive: several low-population states post medians close to the national figure with far less competition for each opening.
Welder salary by state — full table
Median and mean annual wages for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in every state where BLS publishes an estimate for May 2024, ranked by median pay. The 90th-percentile column shows what the top-earning tenth of welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in each state make. Follow a state link for that state's full wage tables, or open a detailed guide where one is available.
| State | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 570 | $37.01 | $76,970 | $75,510 | $98,670 |
| Alaska | 650 | $36.13 | $75,140 | $76,370 | $106,490 |
| Wyoming | 1,900 | $31.76 | $66,070 | $68,540 | $89,740 |
| Connecticut | 2,030 | $31.02 | $64,520 | $66,330 | $93,950 |
| Washington | 7,680 | $29.68 | $61,730 | $64,730 | $83,300 |
| Massachusetts | 3,080 | $29.67 | $61,710 | $64,380 | $85,680 |
| North Dakota | 2,720 | $28.98 | $60,270 | $62,700 | $83,080 |
| Louisiana | 12,360 | $28.78 | $59,860 | $62,290 | $83,250 |
| New Jersey | 3,300 | $28.67 | $59,630 | $64,500 | $90,390 |
| Nevada | 2,080 | $28.54 | $59,370 | $62,300 | $92,070 |
| Minnesota | 9,420 | $28.24 | $58,730 | $59,220 | $73,550 |
| District of Columbia | 330 | $28.22 | $58,700 | $66,140 | $105,060 |
| Oregon | 4,870 | $28.17 | $58,590 | $59,550 | $79,230 |
| Maine | 1,950 | $28.05 | $58,340 | $58,680 | $73,830 |
| California | 26,100 | $27.86 | $57,940 | $61,980 | $84,690 |
| New Hampshire | 1,040 | $27.74 | $57,700 | $60,080 | $78,090 |
| Vermont | 340 | $27.65 | $57,520 | $56,560 | $71,660 |
| Virginia | 10,690 | $27.57 | $57,350 | $58,250 | $78,000 |
| New York | 7,810 | $27.51 | $57,230 | $60,700 | $80,910 |
| Colorado | 4,470 | $27.50 | $57,200 | $59,190 | $77,690 |
| Rhode Island | 2,350 | $27.40 | $57,000 | $61,480 | $102,720 |
| Delaware | 510 | $27.17 | $56,510 | $61,310 | $92,410 |
| Maryland | 3,190 | $27.12 | $56,420 | $59,800 | $84,840 |
| Utah | 4,230 | $26.95 | $56,050 | $57,200 | $78,300 |
| Wisconsin | 16,820 | $26.74 | $55,630 | $55,660 | $64,960 |
| Arizona | 7,630 | $25.85 | $53,770 | $58,390 | $82,040 |
| New Mexico | 2,350 | $25.22 | $52,460 | $60,390 | $91,740 |
| Montana | 1,340 | $24.66 | $51,280 | $56,310 | $78,290 |
| Pennsylvania | 16,060 | $24.45 | $50,860 | $53,210 | $67,010 |
| Nebraska | 3,990 | $24.31 | $50,550 | $53,060 | $64,880 |
| North Carolina | 12,020 | $23.97 | $49,860 | $53,340 | $70,500 |
| Texas | 56,650 | $23.96 | $49,830 | $54,380 | $78,440 |
| Illinois | 17,340 | $23.91 | $49,730 | $53,630 | $70,750 |
| Mississippi | 6,570 | $23.80 | $49,490 | $51,360 | $63,000 |
| Missouri | 10,270 | $23.78 | $49,460 | $53,100 | $73,990 |
| Iowa | 9,250 | $23.77 | $49,450 | $52,280 | $61,570 |
| Florida | 16,390 | $23.77 | $49,430 | $52,570 | $68,420 |
| Ohio | 20,110 | $23.75 | $49,410 | $52,210 | $67,500 |
| Kentucky | 7,360 | $23.68 | $49,260 | $51,320 | $64,630 |
| Idaho | 3,300 | $23.65 | $49,190 | $51,670 | $65,510 |
| South Carolina | 7,600 | $23.61 | $49,120 | $50,900 | $66,160 |
| Kansas | 6,310 | $23.58 | $49,040 | $52,360 | $67,450 |
| Michigan | 13,640 | $23.53 | $48,930 | $52,780 | $72,420 |
| Oklahoma | 9,780 | $23.31 | $48,490 | $50,820 | $64,940 |
| Indiana | 13,260 | $23.30 | $48,460 | $53,020 | $70,470 |
| South Dakota | 3,480 | $23.24 | $48,340 | $49,280 | $61,330 |
| Georgia | 14,030 | $23.08 | $48,000 | $49,960 | $64,750 |
| Tennessee | 12,610 | $22.73 | $47,280 | $49,420 | $63,380 |
| Alabama | 12,570 | $22.68 | $47,170 | $49,440 | $66,590 |
| Arkansas | 7,240 | $22.64 | $47,100 | $48,970 | $63,570 |
| West Virginia | 2,280 | $22.60 | $47,000 | $52,720 | $91,020 |
Welder wages in U.S. territories
| Area | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virgin Islands | 70 | $24.30 | $50,540 | $58,520 | $79,860 |
| Guam | 330 | $19.21 | $39,950 | $43,080 | $53,580 |
| Puerto Rico | 1,600 | $13.95 | $29,020 | $29,100 | $35,090 |
How to read these numbers
The median is the middle wage: half of welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers earn more and half earn less. The mean is pulled up by the highest earners, which is why the mean of $55,100 sits above the median of $51,000 for this occupation. OEWS wages are gross pay before taxes and benefits, and BLS converts hourly rates to annual figures on a 2,080-hour, year-round full-time basis; part-time and seasonal workers' actual annual earnings can be lower. Figures marked with a plus sign are at or above the BLS reporting cap of $239,200 a year ($115.00 an hour).
Welder salary FAQ
What is the average welder salary?
BLS put the mean annual wage for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers at $55,100 in May 2024, with a median of $51,000 ($24.52 an hour) across 424,040 U.S. jobs.
Which state pays welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers the most?
Hawaii has the highest median pay for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers, at $76,970 a year in May 2024 — 50.9% higher than the national median of $51,000.
Which state pays welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers the least?
Among states where BLS publishes an estimate, West Virginia has the lowest median for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers, at $47,000 a year, 7.8% lower than the national median.
How many welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers are there in the United States?
BLS estimated 424,040 welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers jobs in May 2024. The largest state market is Texas, with 56,650 jobs.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.