Welder Salary by Metro Area (2025 BLS Data)
Quick answer: Welders earn a national median of $53,750 per year ($25.84 per hour), with about 416,210 employed nationwide (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The highest-paying metro area is Lima, OH at a median of $85,790.
This page ranks U.S. metropolitan areas and states by median annual wage for welders (Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers, SOC 51-4121). All figures come directly from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program (OEWS, May 2025); nothing is estimated or modeled.
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Welders
The top 25 U.S. metropolitan areas by median annual wage for this occupation, sorted highest first. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
| # | Metro Area | Median Annual | Median Hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lima, OH | $85,790 | $41.25 | 470 |
| 2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $81,120 | $39.00 | 430 |
| 3 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $80,210 | $38.56 | 70 |
| 4 | Baton Rouge, LA | $78,170 | $37.58 | 3,690 |
| 5 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $75,040 | $36.08 | 670 |
| 6 | Anchorage, AK | $74,000 | $35.58 | 250 |
| 7 | Lake Charles, LA | $72,920 | $35.06 | 970 |
| 8 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $71,720 | $34.48 | 740 |
| 9 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $67,280 | $32.35 | 40 |
| 10 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $66,420 | $31.93 | 1,060 |
| 11 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $66,240 | $31.85 | 3,230 |
| 12 | St. Joseph, MO-KS | $66,060 | $31.76 | 610 |
| 13 | Boulder, CO | $65,040 | $31.27 | 260 |
| 14 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $64,720 | $31.12 | 260 |
| 15 | Alexandria, LA | $64,490 | $31.00 | 230 |
| 16 | Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $64,470 | $30.99 | 390 |
| 17 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $64,320 | $30.93 | 1,990 |
| 18 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $64,140 | $30.84 | 1,050 |
| 19 | Vallejo, CA | $63,860 | $30.70 | 280 |
| 20 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $63,770 | $30.66 | 2,210 |
| 21 | Bellingham, WA | $63,720 | $30.64 | 320 |
| 22 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $63,610 | $30.58 | 910 |
| 23 | Odessa, TX | $63,470 | $30.51 | 790 |
| 24 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $63,460 | $30.51 | 140 |
| 25 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $63,440 | $30.50 | 210 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) data. Wages reflect all workers in this occupation regardless of experience level or specialty.
Welder Salary by State
| State | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $80840 |
| Hawaii | $79000 |
| Connecticut | $64880 |
| Wyoming | $63820 |
| Washington | $63020 |
| Massachusetts | $62570 |
| New Hampshire | $62360 |
| Louisiana | $62250 |
| Maine | $62220 |
| North Dakota | $62000 |
About this data
Wages are median annual figures for Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers (SOC 51-4121) from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 release. Metro areas use the U.S. Office of Management and Budget metropolitan statistical area definitions. Median means half of workers earned more and half earned less. Figures reflect all workers in the occupation, not just program graduates.
Related
- How to Become a Welder: training paths, licensing, and certification.
- Trade Salary Data hub: pay data for more skilled trades.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-2034
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade career guide using BLS, DOL, and state licensing data. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.