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Welders in California: what they earn
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers in California earned a median $58,060 a year in May 2025, $27.91 an hour. 26,060 people held the job, 1.4 for every 1,000 jobs in the state. That median is 8% above the national figure of $53,750, and California ranks 24 of 51 by pay for this trade.
The full wage spread in California
| Point | Hourly | Annual | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $21.40 | $44,520 | A tenth of the workforce earns less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $23.31 | $48,480 | A quarter earn less. |
| Median | $27.91 | $58,060 | Half earn less, half earn more. |
| 75th percentile | $33.85 | $70,400 | A quarter earn more. |
| 90th percentile | $39.40 | $81,940 | A tenth earn more than this. |
| Mean | $29.38 | $61,120 | The average. Pulled up by the top earners. |
Annual figures are the hourly rate times 2,080 hours, BLS's full-time year. Overtime is inside the survey's earnings but not separated out.
California against its neighbors on the pay ladder
| # | State | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Colorado | $58,590 | 4,970 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $58,410 | 15,320 |
| 23 | Utah | $58,380 | 4,440 |
| 24 | California | $58,060 | 26,060 |
| 25 | Delaware | $57,270 | 600 |
| 26 | Montana | $55,610 | 1,530 |
| 27 | Arizona | $55,600 | 7,270 |
The complete ranking is on the Welders page.
Against the national figure
| California | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $58,060 | $53,750 |
| Median hourly | $27.91 | $25.84 |
| 10th percentile, annual | $44,520 | $39,240 |
| 90th percentile, annual | $81,940 | $77,530 |
| Employed | 26,060 | 416,210 |
Other trades in California
Electricians ($76,160) · Plumbers and pipefitters ($72,830) · HVAC technicians ($72,560) · Truck drivers (CDL) ($60,230)
See all five ranked by pay in California.
Licensing requirements, apprenticeship pay and the time it takes to reach journeyman in California are being collected from the state authority and will appear here once sourced and cited. Numbers on this page are the May 2025 BLS estimates; see how the numbers are built.