Welders: pay and employment in every state
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers (SOC 51-4121) earned a national median of $53,750 a year in May 2025, $25.84 an hour. 416,210 people held the job. Alaska paid the most, $80,840.
National median
$53,750
$25.84 an hour
10th to 90th percentile
$39,240
to $77,530
Employed nationally
416,210
not published per 1,000 jobs
States with data
51
of 51 (50 states plus DC)
Where welders earn the most
Top five by median annual wage: Alaska ($80,840), Hawaii ($79,000), Connecticut ($64,880), Wyoming ($63,820), Washington ($63,020).
Lowest five: Arkansas ($47,970), Tennessee ($48,040), Georgia ($48,430), Alabama ($48,490), West Virginia ($48,810).
Every state, ranked by median pay
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employed | Per 1,000 jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $80,840 | $38.87 | $49,660 | $109,940 | 790 | 2.4 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $79,000 | $37.98 | $50,000 | $100,220 | 520 | 0.8 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $64,880 | $31.19 | $43,590 | $87,980 | 1,790 | 1.1 |
| 4 | Wyoming | $63,820 | $30.69 | $47,220 | $89,610 | 1,850 | 6.6 |
| 5 | Washington | $63,020 | $30.30 | $47,980 | $86,250 | 7,720 | 2.2 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $62,570 | $30.08 | $47,720 | $83,430 | 2,830 | 0.8 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $62,360 | $29.98 | $47,540 | $80,290 | 1,110 | 1.6 |
| 8 | Louisiana | $62,250 | $29.93 | $42,810 | $81,750 | 13,690 | 7.1 |
| 9 | Maine | $62,220 | $29.92 | $47,230 | $76,220 | 1,690 | 2.6 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $62,000 | $29.81 | $46,660 | $83,290 | 2,590 | 6.0 |
| 11 | Nevada | $61,520 | $29.58 | $44,530 | $95,050 | 1,600 | 1.0 |
| 12 | Vermont | $60,890 | $29.27 | $45,650 | $74,870 | 340 | 1.1 |
| 13 | Maryland | $60,310 | $29.00 | $40,590 | $95,280 | 2,850 | 1.0 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $60,280 | $28.98 | $45,690 | $75,710 | 9,270 | 3.1 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $60,180 | $28.93 | $48,400 | $75,580 | 280 | 0.4 |
| 16 | New Mexico | $59,840 | $28.77 | $36,860 | $92,760 | 2,390 | 2.7 |
| 17 | Oregon | $59,450 | $28.58 | $46,070 | $79,230 | 5,240 | 2.7 |
| 18 | New Jersey | $59,440 | $28.58 | $43,290 | $81,760 | 3,730 | 0.9 |
| 19 | Virginia | $59,180 | $28.45 | $42,520 | $79,630 | 10,100 | 2.5 |
| 20 | New York | $59,140 | $28.43 | $43,840 | $87,110 | 8,310 | 0.9 |
| 21 | Colorado | $58,590 | $28.17 | $44,100 | $79,700 | 4,970 | 1.7 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $58,410 | $28.08 | $47,060 | $70,720 | 15,320 | 5.2 |
| 23 | Utah | $58,380 | $28.07 | $43,850 | $79,520 | 4,440 | 2.6 |
| 24 | California | $58,060 | $27.91 | $44,520 | $81,940 | 26,060 | 1.4 |
| 25 | Delaware | $57,270 | $27.54 | $45,550 | $75,560 | 600 | 1.2 |
| 26 | Montana | $55,610 | $26.73 | $43,720 | $81,470 | 1,530 | 3.0 |
| 27 | Arizona | $55,600 | $26.73 | $39,970 | $81,280 | 7,270 | 2.2 |
| 28 | Iowa | $55,090 | $26.49 | $45,590 | $65,250 | 9,270 | 5.9 |
| 29 | Texas | $53,340 | $25.64 | $38,380 | $80,240 | 52,000 | 3.7 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania | $52,900 | $25.43 | $40,510 | $74,870 | 17,850 | 2.9 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $52,220 | $25.10 | $43,850 | $66,900 | 4,200 | 4.1 |
| 32 | Missouri | $51,950 | $24.98 | $38,200 | $78,150 | 10,600 | 3.6 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $51,470 | $24.74 | $39,300 | $69,010 | 6,630 | 3.3 |
| 34 | Illinois | $51,320 | $24.67 | $38,890 | $76,730 | 16,260 | 2.7 |
| 35 | Mississippi | $51,100 | $24.57 | $36,800 | $64,440 | 6,460 | 5.6 |
| 36 | Florida | $50,640 | $24.35 | $39,200 | $70,390 | 16,420 | 1.7 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $50,590 | $24.32 | $38,540 | $71,240 | 11,750 | 2.4 |
| 38 | Rhode Island | $50,580 | $24.32 | $35,560 | $81,000 | 2,300 | 4.6 |
| 39 | Idaho | $50,530 | $24.30 | $40,370 | $70,790 | 3,300 | 3.9 |
| 40 | Ohio | $50,340 | $24.20 | $38,990 | $70,510 | 20,330 | 3.7 |
| 41 | Michigan | $49,990 | $24.03 | $39,090 | $70,200 | 13,330 | 3.0 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $49,980 | $24.03 | $38,720 | $64,510 | 7,380 | 3.2 |
| 43 | Indiana | $49,730 | $23.91 | $38,410 | $74,880 | 13,280 | 4.1 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $49,720 | $23.90 | $37,860 | $70,640 | 9,960 | 5.8 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $49,440 | $23.77 | $38,100 | $63,380 | 3,250 | 7.1 |
| 46 | Kansas | $49,410 | $23.75 | $37,790 | $66,680 | 6,370 | 4.4 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $48,810 | $23.46 | $36,700 | $73,780 | 2,100 | 3.0 |
| 48 | Alabama | $48,490 | $23.31 | $36,710 | $66,820 | 12,450 | 5.9 |
| 49 | Georgia | $48,430 | $23.28 | $38,030 | $65,160 | 13,130 | 2.7 |
| 50 | Tennessee | $48,040 | $23.10 | $37,840 | $64,200 | 12,510 | 3.8 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $47,970 | $23.06 | $37,380 | $62,830 | 6,150 | 4.7 |
Per 1,000 jobs
"Per 1,000 jobs" is how concentrated the trade is in that state's workforce. A state can pay well and still have few openings; the employment column and this one together say how much of a market there is.