Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers salary
Skilled trades · OCC code 51-4121 · gross annual wage · BLS OEWS May 2024
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers in the US earn a median of $51,000 per year (mean $55,100) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey — that is +3.0% versus the $49,500 median for all US jobs, close to the US median wage for all jobs. The middle half earn between $45,580 and $61,610; the top 10% earn $75,850 or more. The median hourly wage is $24.52. About 424,040 are employed nationally. The highest-paying state is Hawaii ($76,970). Wages are gross (pre-tax) and vary by employer, experience and location.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers pay range (national percentiles)
What welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers earn across the pay distribution, nationally (BLS OEWS, May 2024):
| Pay level | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-paid 10%) | $38,130 |
| 25th percentile | $45,580 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $51,000 |
| Mean (average) | $55,100 |
| 75th percentile | $61,610 |
| 90th percentile (highest-paid 10%) | $75,850 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
A dash (—) means BLS did not release that figure; a plus (+) means the wage is at or above the BLS top code of $239,200/yr. See what wage percentiles mean or check where your salary ranks.
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers salary by state
Median and mean wage for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in each of the 51 states with published data, highest median first. The national median is $51,000.
| # | State | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $76,970 | $75,510 | 570 |
| 2 | Alaska | $75,140 | $76,370 | 650 |
| 3 | Wyoming | $66,070 | $68,540 | 1,900 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $64,520 | $66,330 | 2,030 |
| 5 | Washington | $61,730 | $64,730 | 7,680 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $61,710 | $64,380 | 3,080 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $60,270 | $62,700 | 2,720 |
| 8 | Louisiana | $59,860 | $62,290 | 12,360 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $59,630 | $64,500 | 3,300 |
| 10 | Nevada | $59,370 | $62,300 | 2,080 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $58,730 | $59,220 | 9,420 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $58,700 | $66,140 | 330 |
| 13 | Oregon | $58,590 | $59,550 | 4,870 |
| 14 | Maine | $58,340 | $58,680 | 1,950 |
| 15 | California | $57,940 | $61,980 | 26,100 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $57,700 | $60,080 | 1,040 |
| 17 | Vermont | $57,520 | $56,560 | 340 |
| 18 | Virginia | $57,350 | $58,250 | 10,690 |
| 19 | New York | $57,230 | $60,700 | 7,810 |
| 20 | Colorado | $57,200 | $59,190 | 4,470 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $57,000 | $61,480 | 2,350 |
| 22 | Delaware | $56,510 | $61,310 | 510 |
| 23 | Maryland | $56,420 | $59,800 | 3,190 |
| 24 | Utah | $56,050 | $57,200 | 4,230 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $55,630 | $55,660 | 16,820 |
| 26 | Arizona | $53,770 | $58,390 | 7,630 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $52,460 | $60,390 | 2,350 |
| 28 | Montana | $51,280 | $56,310 | 1,340 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $50,860 | $53,210 | 16,060 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $50,550 | $53,060 | 3,990 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $49,860 | $53,340 | 12,020 |
| 32 | Texas | $49,830 | $54,380 | 56,650 |
| 33 | Illinois | $49,730 | $53,630 | 17,340 |
| 34 | Mississippi | $49,490 | $51,360 | 6,570 |
| 35 | Missouri | $49,460 | $53,100 | 10,270 |
| 36 | Iowa | $49,450 | $52,280 | 9,250 |
| 37 | Florida | $49,430 | $52,570 | 16,390 |
| 38 | Ohio | $49,410 | $52,210 | 20,110 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $49,260 | $51,320 | 7,360 |
| 40 | Idaho | $49,190 | $51,670 | 3,300 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $49,120 | $50,900 | 7,600 |
| 42 | Kansas | $49,040 | $52,360 | 6,310 |
| 43 | Michigan | $48,930 | $52,780 | 13,640 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $48,490 | $50,820 | 9,780 |
| 45 | Indiana | $48,460 | $53,020 | 13,260 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $48,340 | $49,280 | 3,480 |
| 47 | Georgia | $48,000 | $49,960 | 14,030 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $47,280 | $49,420 | 12,610 |
| 49 | Alabama | $47,170 | $49,440 | 12,570 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $47,100 | $48,970 | 7,240 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $47,000 | $52,720 | 2,280 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Highest median: Hawaii ($76,970). Lowest: West Virginia ($47,000).
Similar-paying jobs
| Occupation | Median wage | Mean wage | vs US median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers (this job) | $51,000 | $55,100 | +3.0% |
| Roofers | $50,970 | $57,090 | +3.0% |
| Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics | $49,670 | $55,260 | +0.3% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | $49,210 | $52,020 | -0.6% |
| Painters, Construction and Maintenance | $48,660 | $53,710 | -1.7% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | $48,620 | $52,430 | -1.8% |
Roofers · Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics · Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks · Painters, Construction and Maintenance · Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
Frequently asked questions
How much do welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers make?
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers earn a national median of $51,000 per year (mean $55,100) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey. The middle half earn between $45,580 (25th percentile) and $61,610 (75th percentile); the top 10% earn $75,850 or more and the bottom 10% earn under $38,130. These are gross, pre-tax wages.
What is the hourly wage for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers?
The median hourly wage is $24.52 and the mean is $26.49 (BLS OEWS, May 2024). BLS reports some occupations only as annual wages, in which case hourly figures are shown as a dash.
Which state pays welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers the most?
Hawaii has the highest median wage for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers at $76,970, versus a national median of $51,000. State pay reflects local cost of living, demand and industry mix. See the full state table on this page.
How many welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers are there in the US?
BLS estimates about 424,040 welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers are employed in the US (OEWS, May 2024). Among the 124 occupations tracked here, this job ranks #94 of 124 by median pay.
Keep exploring
Sources & accuracy
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 (OCC 51-4121), gross annual wages, U.S. public domain, retrieved June 2026. OEWS figures are survey estimates and reflect pay before tax. Your actual pay depends on employer, experience, certifications, industry and location. This is information, not financial or career advice — see our methodology and disclaimer.
Last updated: 2026-06-20