Do electricians make more than welders?

Nationally, electricians earn more: a median of $63,190 a year vs $53,750 for welders, a gap of $9,440 (about 18%) (BLS OEWS May 2025).

What is the pay range for electricians vs welders?

Electricians earn $49,430 to $83,940 a year between the 25th and 75th percentiles, with a median of $63,190. Welders earn $46,790 to $63,010, with a median of $53,750 (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Where do electricians and welders earn the most?

Among the states TradesPays covers, electricians earn the highest median in Illinois ($99,560 a year) and welders in Washington ($63,020) (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Is there a union pay scale for electricians or welders?

TradesPays has verified union journeyman scales on file for electricians; the highest is IBEW Local 3 (New York) journeyman scale at $122,720 a year (2024 CBA base scale). No public union scale for welders is on file, so that side of the comparison stays BLS-only rather than estimated.

Which trade employs more people, electricians or welders?

BLS counts 757,220 electricians nationwide vs 416,210 welders (OEWS May 2025).

Which trade pays more in my state?

It varies by state. The Electrician and Welder pay-by-state tables on TradesPays list the median in every covered state, and the compare tool at tradespays.com/compare puts both trades side by side in any state.

Electrician vs Welder: which trade pays more?

Both trades side by side on the same BLS OEWS May 2025 data: national percentiles, union scales where a local publishes one, and the metros where both are measured.

In 2026, electricians out-earn welders nationally: the median is $63,190 a year for electricians vs $53,750 for welders, a gap of $9,440 (about 18%) (BLS OEWS May 2025). Last updated June 2026.

Electrician vs Welder pay, nationally

Measure	Electrician	Welder
Median pay	$63,190/yr	$53,750/yr
25th percentile	$49,430	$46,790
75th percentile	$83,940	$63,010
Workers nationwide (BLS)	757,220	416,210
Highest-paying state	Illinois ($99,560)	Washington ($63,020)

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Wages are nominal, not cost-of-living adjusted.

Union scales, where a local publishes one

Verified journeyman base scales (2024 CBA) next to the BLS all-worker median, which blends union and non-union pay. Overtime and the benefits package sit on top of the base scale.

Electrician union scales on file

State · Local	Union scale	BLS median	Gap
New York · IBEW Local 3 (New York) journeyman scale	$122,720	$78,750	+$43,970/yr
Pennsylvania · IBEW Local 98 (Philadelphia) journeyman scale	$108,160	$67,600	+$40,560/yr
California · IBEW Local 11 (Los Angeles) journeyman scale	$107,120	$76,160	+$30,960/yr
Texas · IBEW Local 716 (Houston) journeyman scale	$83,200	$58,570	+$24,630/yr
Michigan · IBEW Local 58 (Detroit) journeyman scale	$91,520	$76,270	+$15,250/yr

No public union scale is on file for welders, so that side of the union comparison is left out rather than estimated.

Where both trades are measured: metro by metro

Metros where BLS publishes a median for both trades, ranked by combined employment. Gap is the electrician median minus the welder median: positive means electricians earn more in that metro.

Metro	Electrician	Welder	Gap
New York, NY	$79,020	$61,680	+$17,340/yr
Houston, TX	$59,180	$57,940	+$1,240/yr
Dallas, TX	$59,010	$51,630	+$7,380/yr
Los Angeles, CA	$73,810	$56,160	+$17,650/yr
Chicago, IL	$102,350	$52,650	+$49,700/yr
Phoenix, AZ	$61,210	$56,540	+$4,670/yr

Compare by state

National medians hide big state swings. Every covered state's median for each trade is on its hub, and the compare tool puts both trades side by side in any state.

Electrician pay by state →Welder pay by state →Pick a state and compare →

Electrician vs Welder: FAQ

Do electricians make more than welders?: Nationally, electricians earn more: a median of $63,190 a year vs $53,750 for welders, a gap of $9,440 (about 18%) (BLS OEWS May 2025).
What is the pay range for electricians vs welders?: Electricians earn $49,430 to $83,940 a year between the 25th and 75th percentiles, with a median of $63,190. Welders earn $46,790 to $63,010, with a median of $53,750 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Where do electricians and welders earn the most?: Among the states TradesPays covers, electricians earn the highest median in Illinois ($99,560 a year) and welders in Washington ($63,020) (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Is there a union pay scale for electricians or welders?: TradesPays has verified union journeyman scales on file for electricians; the highest is IBEW Local 3 (New York) journeyman scale at $122,720 a year (2024 CBA base scale). No public union scale for welders is on file, so that side of the comparison stays BLS-only rather than estimated.
Which trade employs more people, electricians or welders?: BLS counts 757,220 electricians nationwide vs 416,210 welders (OEWS May 2025).
Which trade pays more in my state?: It varies by state. The Electrician and Welder pay-by-state tables on TradesPays list the median in every covered state, and the compare tool at tradespays.com/compare puts both trades side by side in any state.

Already in one of these trades?

The negotiation kit is built per trade and state. Below is each trade's highest-paying covered state; for your own state, start from the pay-by-state list on the trade's page above.

Electricians earn the most in Illinois ($99,560 median).

Want the whole play, not just the number?

The full electrician kit for Illinois: pay by metro, the union scale where one is public, three ready scripts, and answers to the pushback you will hear. $19, one time.

Get the full kit for $19

Welders earn the most in Washington ($63,020 median).

Want the whole play, not just the number?

The full welder kit for Washington: pay by metro, the union scale where one is public, three ready scripts, and answers to the pushback you will hear. $19, one time.

Get the full kit for $19

Other trade matchups

The amount and bar show each matchup's national median pay gap (BLS OEWS May 2025).