How much do welders make in the US in 2026?
$53,750
National median (BLS OEWS May 2025)
In 2026, welders earn the most in Washington (~$63,020) and the least in Tennessee (~$48,040), with a national median of $53,750 (BLS OEWS May 2025). Last updated June 2026.
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Which state is best for welders?
Different states win on different measures — here's the top on each. Pick the one that matters to you.
Highest median pay
Washington
$63,020
Most jobs
Texas
52,000 jobs
Across 25 states: $48,040–$63,020 (median $53,340).
53,750 reasons to know where you stand — that's the national median annual wage for welders, per BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle half of the trade earns between $46,790 (25th percentile) and $63,010 (75th percentile), which means there's real money left on the table if you don't know your market. TradesPays covers welder pay across 25 states, so whether you're running a MIG gun in a fabrication shop or burning rod in the field, you can see what the trade is actually paying in your state. Washington leads our dataset at $63,020, followed by Massachusetts at $62,570 and Louisiana at $62,250. On the lower end, Tennessee comes in at $48,040. That's a $15,000 spread from top to bottom in our set — and it's the kind of gap that should matter to you every time you consider a new job or a move.
Welder pay by state
| # | State | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $63,020 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $62,570 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $62,250 |
| 4 | Maryland | $60,310 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $60,280 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $59,440 |
| 7 | Virginia | $59,180 |
| 8 | New York | $59,140 |
| 9 | Colorado | $58,590 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $58,410 |
| 11 | California | $58,060 |
| 12 | Arizona | $55,600 |
| 13 | Texas | $53,340 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $52,900 |
| 15 | Missouri | $51,950 |
See all 25
| 16 | Illinois | $51,320 |
| 17 | Florida | $50,640 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $50,590 |
| 19 | Ohio | $50,340 |
| 20 | Michigan | $49,990 |
| 21 | South Carolina | $49,980 |
| 22 | Indiana | $49,730 |
| 23 | Alabama | $48,490 |
| 24 | Georgia | $48,430 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $48,040 |
Where is the union premium biggest for Welders?
Named locals and the premium over the BLS all-worker median.
We don't have union scale data for Welder across our states yet — these states are predominantly non-union, or we haven't added IBEW/UA data. Submitting your pay helps build complete data for Welder.
Union landscape
Straight talk: TradesPays has no union scale data for welders in the states we currently cover. That's a gap, and we'd rather say so plainly than guess or generalize. What we can tell you is that some welders are covered by a collective bargaining agreement, depending on the shop, the contractor, and the sector — structural, pipeline, manufacturing, and shipbuilding all have different labor histories. If you're covered by a CBA or considering a union position, the only reliable source for current scale rates, fringe packages, and jurisdiction rules is your local. Rates vary by local, by classification, and by the specific agreement in place, and they change when contracts are renegotiated. No website — including this one — substitutes for calling your local and asking what the current scale is for your classification and hours. If you have access to union scale data and want to help TradesPays fill this gap, see the submission section below. Verified scale data, properly cited, is exactly what we're looking to add.
What we don't track yet
A state median is a starting point, not the whole picture. Here's what TradesPays doesn't have for welders yet, so you know what to factor in on your own. Metro-level pay: The numbers on TradesPays are statewide figures from BLS OEWS. We don't currently break out pay by metro area or region within a state. That matters for welders because cost of living, industry concentration, and local demand vary a lot between a rural fab shop and a major industrial port city — even within the same state. Experience tiers: We don't have separate figures for entry-level, journeyman-level, or senior welders beyond what union scale data would provide — and as noted above, we don't have union scale for this trade yet. The BLS percentile range ($46,790–$63,010) gives you a rough proxy for the spread, but it doesn't map cleanly onto years of experience or certification level. Specialty and certification premiums: TIG, underwater welding, pipe welding, and certified weld inspector (CWI) roles often carry meaningful pay differences that state medians don't capture. If you have solid, citable data on any of these — metro figures, scale sheets, or specialty pay ranges — submit it through the TradesPays data submission form. Worker-sourced data, when verified, makes these numbers more useful for everyone in the trade.
Welder pay: FAQ
- What is the national median wage for welders?
- According to BLS OEWS May 2025 data, the national median annual wage for welders is $53,750. The 25th percentile sits at $46,790 and the 75th percentile at $63,010.
- Which states pay welders the most in the TradesPays dataset?
- Among the 25 states TradesPays covers, the top three are Washington at $63,020, Massachusetts at $62,570, and Louisiana at $62,250 — all per BLS OEWS May 2025.
- What is the lowest-paying state for welders in your dataset?
- In our current 25-state dataset, Tennessee has the lowest reported median at $48,040. Keep in mind we don't cover all 50 states yet, so this isn't a comprehensive national ranking.
- Why is there such a big pay gap between states?
- The spread from Tennessee ($48,040) to Washington ($63,020) is roughly $15,000. Industry mix plays a big role — states with heavy aerospace, shipbuilding, petrochemical, or pipeline activity tend to drive higher averages. Cost of living, union density, and local employer competition also factor in, though TradesPays doesn't model those variables directly.
- Does TradesPays have welder pay data for my city or metro area?
- Not yet. All figures on TradesPays for this trade are statewide medians from BLS OEWS. Metro-level breakdowns are something we're working toward. If you have solid local data, use the submission form to share it.
- Do these numbers include overtime or per diem?
- No. BLS OEWS figures represent straight-time hourly or annual wages. Overtime pay, travel per diem, tool allowances, and other field supplements are not included. For trades where those add-ons are routine, your actual take-home can be notably higher than what the median reflects.
- How often does TradesPays update welder wage data?
- The figures currently shown are from the BLS OEWS May 2025 release. TradesPays updates data when new BLS OEWS releases become available, typically on an annual cycle. The data release date is noted on each trade page so you know exactly how current the numbers are.
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