How much do welders make in Indiana in 2026?

The median welder in Indiana earns $49,730 a year, which works out to about $23.91 an hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That is the midpoint — half of Indiana welders earn more, half earn less. Where you fall on that range depends on your process certifications, your employer type, your location in the state, and how many hours you actually put in.

At the 25th percentile, welders earn $45,620 a year, or roughly $21.93 an hour. These are typically entry-level workers or those doing repetitive, lower-complexity work — think light fabrication shops, general manufacturing lines, or positions that rely on a single process like MIG on mild steel. If you are just coming out of a training program or switching from a different trade, expect to land somewhere in this range while you build verified hours and certifications.

The 75th percentile sits at $60,710 annually, about $29.19 an hour. Workers at this level have moved beyond basic certifications. They typically hold multiple AWS or similar credentials covering processes like TIG, stick, and flux-core. Many work in pressure vessel fabrication, structural steel, or aerospace and defense supply chain work — all of which have a significant presence in central and northern Indiana. The gap between the 25th and 75th percentile is just over $15,000 a year. That spread is real money, and most of it is explained by process skill, position certifications (think 6G pipe), and the type of material you are qualified to weld.

Indiana's manufacturing base is one of the denser ones in the Midwest. Automotive assembly and parts supply, steel production along the Lake Michigan corridor in the northwest, and a strong agricultural equipment manufacturing sector all keep demand for certified welders steady. The northwest corner of the state — Gary, Hammond, East Chicago — tends to pay at or above state median given the heavy industrial work there. Indianapolis and its surrounding counties have a mix of light and heavy fab shops, and wages there track close to the statewide median. Smaller rural markets in southern Indiana may pay closer to the 25th percentile, though cost of living differences offset some of that gap.

Overtime is a real factor in take-home pay for welders. Many fabrication shops and construction contractors run 50- to 60-hour weeks during peak production or project phases. At the median straight-time rate of $23.91, a consistent 10 hours of weekly overtime adds roughly $8,600 to $9,000 to annual earnings over a full year. The BLS figures used here reflect base wages and salary only — they do not capture overtime, shift differentials, tool allowances, or per diem payments that some traveling or plant-shutdown welders receive. Your actual gross income can be meaningfully higher than the percentile numbers suggest if you are regularly working overtime or taking shutdown work.

Certifications are the single most direct lever for moving up the pay scale. An AWS D1.1 Structural certification or a 6G pipe certification tells an employer you can handle a harder position and a higher-stakes weld. Those credentials directly justify higher pay and open doors to pipe fabrication, boiler work, and pressure vessel shops that pay above the state median. The more processes and positions you are certified on, the harder you are to replace, which gives you more room to negotiate.

Some Indiana welders work under a collective bargaining agreement. If that applies to you, your hourly rate and benefit structure are set by your local's contract — check that agreement directly for the specifics, since those terms vary and the BLS data here does not break out union versus non-union pay separately.

The numbers on this page come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, published May 2025. They represent wages for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in Indiana as a whole. They are a solid benchmark, but your actual pay will depend on your specific certifications, employer, and the work you are doing day to day.