Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazerss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $56,760 ≈ $27/hr
National median salary $53,750
Total employment 416,210 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +2.2%
About as fast as average
Annual openings 45,600 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 457,300 → 467,200 (+9,900)
Typical entry education High school diploma or equivalent
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Alaska$80,100
- Hawaii$77,430
- Wyoming$67,990
- Connecticut$66,800
- Washington$66,340
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Arkansas$50,020
- Tennessee$50,450
- Alabama$51,120
- Georgia$51,520
- South Dakota$51,980
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $80,100 | $80,840 | $39 | +41.1% | 790 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $77,430 | $79,000 | $37 | +36.4% | 520 |
| 3 | Wyoming | $67,990 | $63,820 | $33 | +19.8% | 1,850 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $66,800 | $64,880 | $32 | +17.7% | 1,790 |
| 5 | Washington | $66,340 | $63,020 | $32 | +16.9% | 7,720 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $65,050 | $62,570 | $31 | +14.6% | 2,830 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $64,880 | $62,000 | $31 | +14.3% | 2,590 |
| 8 | Nevada | $64,590 | $61,520 | $31 | +13.8% | 1,600 |
| 9 | Maryland | $64,410 | $60,310 | $31 | +13.5% | 2,850 |
| 10 | Louisiana | $63,750 | $62,250 | $31 | +12.3% | 13,690 |
| 11 | New Mexico | $63,720 | $59,840 | $31 | +12.3% | 2,390 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $62,900 | $62,360 | $30 | +10.8% | 1,110 |
| 13 | New York | $62,810 | $59,140 | $30 | +10.7% | 8,310 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $62,500 | $59,440 | $30 | +10.1% | 3,730 |
| 15 | Maine | $61,930 | $62,220 | $30 | +9.1% | 1,690 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $61,620 | $60,180 | $30 | +8.6% | 280 |
| 17 | California | $61,120 | $58,060 | $29 | +7.7% | 26,060 |
| 18 | Colorado | $60,410 | $58,590 | $29 | +6.4% | 4,970 |
| 19 | Virginia | $60,410 | $59,180 | $29 | +6.4% | 10,100 |
| 20 | Oregon | $60,390 | $59,450 | $29 | +6.4% | 5,240 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $60,360 | $60,280 | $29 | +6.3% | 9,270 |
| 22 | Vermont | $60,210 | $60,890 | $29 | +6.1% | 340 |
| 23 | Utah | $59,640 | $58,380 | $29 | +5.1% | 4,440 |
| 24 | Arizona | $59,040 | $55,600 | $28 | +4% | 7,270 |
| 25 | Montana | $58,680 | $55,610 | $28 | +3.4% | 1,530 |
| 26 | Delaware | $58,470 | $57,270 | $28 | +3% | 600 |
| 27 | Rhode Island | $58,180 | $50,580 | $28 | +2.5% | 2,300 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $57,920 | $58,410 | $28 | +2% | 15,320 |
| 29 | Texas | $56,940 | $53,340 | $27 | +0.3% | 52,000 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania | $56,300 | $52,900 | $27 | -0.8% | 17,850 |
| 31 | Illinois | $55,930 | $51,320 | $27 | -1.5% | 16,260 |
| 32 | Iowa | $55,580 | $55,090 | $27 | -2.1% | 9,270 |
| 33 | Missouri | $55,470 | $51,950 | $27 | -2.3% | 10,600 |
| 34 | Nebraska | $55,290 | $52,220 | $27 | -2.6% | 4,200 |
| 35 | Idaho | $54,290 | $50,530 | $26 | -4.4% | 3,300 |
| 36 | Indiana | $54,220 | $49,730 | $26 | -4.5% | 13,280 |
| 37 | Florida | $54,030 | $50,640 | $26 | -4.8% | 16,420 |
| 38 | Michigan | $53,820 | $49,990 | $26 | -5.2% | 13,330 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $53,720 | $50,590 | $26 | -5.4% | 11,750 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $53,710 | $51,470 | $26 | -5.4% | 6,630 |
| 41 | Ohio | $53,370 | $50,340 | $26 | -6% | 20,330 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $53,350 | $48,810 | $26 | -6% | 2,100 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $52,930 | $51,100 | $25 | -6.7% | 6,460 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $52,860 | $49,720 | $25 | -6.9% | 9,960 |
| 45 | Kansas | $52,780 | $49,410 | $25 | -7% | 6,370 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $52,120 | $49,980 | $25 | -8.2% | 7,380 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $51,980 | $49,440 | $25 | -8.4% | 3,250 |
| 48 | Georgia | $51,520 | $48,430 | $25 | -9.2% | 13,130 |
| 49 | Alabama | $51,120 | $48,490 | $25 | -9.9% | 12,450 |
| 50 | Tennessee | $50,450 | $48,040 | $24 | -11.1% | 12,510 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $50,020 | $47,970 | $24 | -11.9% | 6,150 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 510 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lima, OH | $85,790 | $70,930 | 470 |
| 2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $81,120 | $79,390 | 430 |
| 3 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $81,000 | $83,160 | 460 |
| 4 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $80,210 | $83,300 | 70 |
| 5 | Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area | $79,810 | $78,060 | 400 |
| 6 | Baton Rouge, LA | $78,170 | $72,430 | 3,690 |
| 7 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $75,040 | $69,720 | 670 |
| 8 | Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $74,930 | $68,700 | 1,020 |
| 9 | Anchorage, AK | $74,000 | $74,000 | 250 |
| 10 | Lake Charles, LA | $72,920 | $68,670 | 970 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing welders, cutters, solderers, and brazerss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Air Transportation | $137,730 | $117,120 | 210 |
| 2 | Scheduled Air Transportation | $137,730 | $117,930 | 200 |
| 3 | Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation | $110,400 | $104,200 | 570 |
| 4 | Nuclear Electric Power Generation | $110,270 | $103,210 | 60 |
| 5 | Other Pipeline Transportation | $106,170 | $96,850 | 70 |
| 6 | Performing Arts Companies | $104,220 | $95,730 | — |
| 7 | Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters | $104,220 | $97,130 | — |
| 8 | Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries | $104,210 | $87,200 | — |
| 9 | Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $102,270 | $94,490 | 1,190 |
| 10 | Utilities | $100,190 | $94,900 | 1,910 |
| 11 | Sector 22 - Utilities | $100,190 | $94,900 | 1,910 |
| 12 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $99,570 | $91,890 | 470 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers make in the U.S.?
The median welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers salary in the United States is $53,750 per year (mean $56,760), and about 80% earn between $39,240 and $77,530.
How much do welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers make per hour?
Roughly $27 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $56,760 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers the most?
Alaska has the highest average pay for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers at $80,100 per year (median $80,840).
What is the job outlook for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers?
Employment is projected to change +2.2% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 45,600 openings per year.