Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers (SOC 51-4121) earn a median $53,750 a year ($25.84 an hour) in the United States, with 416,210 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Alaska.
What welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers do
Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers join metal pieces with heat, or cut them apart, using hand-held equipment. Welders use arc processes such as shielded metal arc and gas metal arc welding, as well as gas torches, to fuse parts in flat, vertical, and overhead positions, and cutters use flame-cutting equipment to sever metal. Solderers and brazers join metal components with hand-soldering or brazing equipment. The worker reads drawings or welding charts, picks the correct torch, tip, filler rod, and flux for the metal type and thickness, and sets up the equipment. Afterward, welds are examined for defects, and workpieces are measured against templates or straightedges. Material may be marked or tagged with job numbers and piece marks. Operating safety equipment and using safe work habits are part of the job, and faulty equipment or defective materials are reported to supervisors.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, a high school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education reported by workers in this occupation.
Also called: Acetylene Burner, Acetylene Cutter, Acetylene Operator, Acetylene Torch Burner, Acetylene Torch Operator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $18.87 | $22.50 | $25.84 | $30.29 | $37.28 | $27.29 | 416,210 |
| Annual | $39,240 | $46,790 | $53,750 | $63,010 | $77,530 | $56,760 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $23.88 | $29.46 | $38.87 | $47.36 | $52.85 | $38.51 | 790 | 2.42 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $49,660 | $61,280 | $80,840 | $98,500 | $109,940 | $80,100 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $24.04 | $30.31 | $37.98 | $43.67 | $48.18 | $37.23 | 520 | 0.83 | 0.31 |
| Annual | $50,000 | $63,030 | $79,000 | $90,830 | $100,220 | $77,430 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $20.96 | $23.68 | $31.19 | $39.23 | $42.30 | $32.12 | 1,790 | 1.05 | 0.39 |
| Annual | $43,590 | $49,240 | $64,880 | $81,590 | $87,980 | $66,800 | ||||
| Wyoming | Hourly | $22.70 | $27.11 | $30.69 | $37.93 | $43.08 | $32.69 | 1,850 | 6.58 | 2.46 |
| Annual | $47,220 | $56,380 | $63,820 | $78,890 | $89,610 | $67,990 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $23.07 | $26.32 | $30.30 | $35.41 | $41.47 | $31.89 | 7,720 | 2.17 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $47,980 | $54,740 | $63,020 | $73,650 | $86,250 | $66,340 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $18.45 | $21.99 | $25.64 | $31.14 | $38.58 | $27.37 | 52,000 | 3.70 | 1.38 |
| Annual | $38,380 | $45,750 | $53,340 | $64,770 | $80,240 | $56,940 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $21.40 | $23.31 | $27.91 | $33.85 | $39.40 | $29.38 | 26,060 | 1.43 | 0.53 |
| Annual | $44,520 | $48,480 | $58,060 | $70,400 | $81,940 | $61,120 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $18.75 | $21.99 | $24.20 | $28.61 | $33.90 | $25.66 | 20,330 | 3.66 | 1.37 |
| Annual | $38,990 | $45,750 | $50,340 | $59,510 | $70,510 | $53,370 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $19.48 | $22.71 | $25.43 | $29.77 | $35.99 | $27.07 | 17,850 | 2.94 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $40,510 | $47,240 | $52,900 | $61,920 | $74,870 | $56,300 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $18.85 | $22.34 | $24.35 | $29.14 | $33.84 | $25.98 | 16,420 | 1.65 | 0.62 |
| Annual | $39,200 | $46,460 | $50,640 | $60,600 | $70,390 | $54,030 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Lima, OH | Hourly | $21.45 | $25.81 | $41.25 | $41.25 | $41.25 | $34.10 | 470 | 9.47 | 3.54 |
| Annual | $44,610 | $53,680 | $85,790 | $85,790 | $85,790 | $70,930 | ||||
| Urban Honolulu, HI | Hourly | $25.01 | $30.84 | $39.00 | $44.56 | $48.18 | $38.17 | 430 | 0.96 | 0.36 |
| Annual | $52,020 | $64,160 | $81,120 | $92,690 | $100,220 | $79,390 | ||||
| Fairbanks-College, AK | Hourly | $27.88 | $29.17 | $38.56 | $52.85 | $52.85 | $40.05 | 70 | 2.01 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $57,980 | $60,670 | $80,210 | $109,940 | $109,940 | $83,300 | ||||
| Baton Rouge, LA | Hourly | $23.79 | $29.41 | $37.58 | $38.41 | $44.36 | $34.82 | 3,690 | 9.00 | 3.36 |
| Annual | $49,480 | $61,170 | $78,170 | $79,880 | $92,270 | $72,430 | ||||
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | Hourly | $22.35 | $27.59 | $36.08 | $37.62 | $42.90 | $33.52 | 670 | 1.12 | 0.42 |
| Annual | $46,490 | $57,400 | $75,040 | $78,250 | $89,230 | $69,720 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $18.50 | $22.34 | $27.86 | $34.36 | $39.39 | $28.62 | 15,850 | 4.82 | 1.80 |
| Annual | $38,480 | $46,470 | $57,940 | $71,460 | $81,940 | $59,530 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $18.85 | $22.20 | $24.82 | $30.13 | $36.98 | $26.87 | 10,620 | 2.62 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $39,210 | $46,180 | $51,630 | $62,670 | $76,920 | $55,890 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $18.81 | $22.24 | $25.31 | $29.69 | $35.79 | $27.01 | 9,320 | 2.07 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $39,130 | $46,270 | $52,650 | $61,750 | $74,450 | $56,180 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $21.41 | $23.04 | $27.00 | $31.16 | $38.40 | $28.91 | 7,850 | 1.25 | 0.47 |
| Annual | $44,530 | $47,910 | $56,160 | $64,800 | $79,870 | $60,120 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $21.58 | $25.38 | $29.66 | $36.50 | $46.12 | $32.42 | 5,780 | 0.61 | 0.23 |
| Annual | $44,890 | $52,790 | $61,680 | $75,930 | $95,920 | $67,430 | ||||
Top industries employing welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) employ 16.8% of welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers nationally (70,020 jobs) at a median $50,640 a year ($24.35 an hour), followed by Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) (13.6%) and Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) (6.2%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) NAICS 3320A2 | 70,020 | 16.8% | $50,640 | $24.35 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) NAICS 3330A1 | 56,750 | 13.6% | $53,680 | $25.81 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) NAICS 3320A1 | 25,910 | 6.2% | $50,870 | $24.46 |
| Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing NAICS 336200 | 22,560 | 5.4% | $49,340 | $23.72 |
| Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing NAICS 332700 | 15,760 | 3.8% | $52,280 | $25.14 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (416,210). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $47,010 for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in May 2021 and $53,750 in May 2025, with employment of 397,600 and 416,210.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $47,010 | $22.60 | 397,600 |
| May 2022 | $47,540 | $22.86 | 408,990 |
| May 2023 | $48,940 | $23.53 | 421,730 |
| May 2024 | $51,000 | $24.52 | 424,040 |
| May 2025 | $53,750 | $25.84 | 416,210 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska profile | $38.87 | $80,840 | $49,660 | $109,940 | 790 | 2.42 | 0.90 |
| 2 | Hawaii profile | $37.98 | $79,000 | $50,000 | $100,220 | 520 | 0.83 | 0.31 |
| 3 | Connecticut profile | $31.19 | $64,880 | $43,590 | $87,980 | 1,790 | 1.05 | 0.39 |
| 4 | Wyoming profile | $30.69 | $63,820 | $47,220 | $89,610 | 1,850 | 6.58 | 2.46 |
| 5 | Washington profile | $30.30 | $63,020 | $47,980 | $86,250 | 7,720 | 2.17 | 0.81 |
| 6 | Massachusetts profile | $30.08 | $62,570 | $47,720 | $83,430 | 2,830 | 0.78 | 0.29 |
| 7 | New Hampshire profile | $29.98 | $62,360 | $47,540 | $80,290 | 1,110 | 1.63 | 0.61 |
| 8 | Louisiana profile | $29.93 | $62,250 | $42,810 | $81,750 | 13,690 | 7.08 | 2.64 |
| 9 | Maine profile | $29.92 | $62,220 | $47,230 | $76,220 | 1,690 | 2.65 | 0.99 |
| 10 | North Dakota profile | $29.81 | $62,000 | $46,660 | $83,290 | 2,590 | 6.04 | 2.26 |
| 11 | Nevada profile | $29.58 | $61,520 | $44,530 | $95,050 | 1,600 | 1.03 | 0.39 |
| 12 | Vermont profile | $29.27 | $60,890 | $45,650 | $74,870 | 340 | 1.12 | 0.42 |
| 13 | Maryland profile | $29.00 | $60,310 | $40,590 | $95,280 | 2,850 | 1.03 | 0.39 |
| 14 | Minnesota profile | $28.98 | $60,280 | $45,690 | $75,710 | 9,270 | 3.14 | 1.17 |
| 15 | District of Columbia profile | $28.93 | $60,180 | $48,400 | $75,580 | 280 | 0.40 | 0.15 |
| 16 | New Mexico profile | $28.77 | $59,840 | $36,860 | $92,760 | 2,390 | 2.75 | 1.03 |
| 17 | Oregon profile | $28.58 | $59,450 | $46,070 | $79,230 | 5,240 | 2.67 | 1.00 |
| 18 | New Jersey profile | $28.58 | $59,440 | $43,290 | $81,760 | 3,730 | 0.87 | 0.33 |
| 19 | Virginia profile | $28.45 | $59,180 | $42,520 | $79,630 | 10,100 | 2.46 | 0.92 |
| 20 | New York profile | $28.43 | $59,140 | $43,840 | $87,110 | 8,310 | 0.86 | 0.32 |
| 21 | Colorado profile | $28.17 | $58,590 | $44,100 | $79,700 | 4,970 | 1.73 | 0.65 |
| 22 | Wisconsin profile | $28.08 | $58,410 | $47,060 | $70,720 | 15,320 | 5.21 | 1.95 |
| 23 | Utah profile | $28.07 | $58,380 | $43,850 | $79,520 | 4,440 | 2.56 | 0.96 |
| 24 | California profile | $27.91 | $58,060 | $44,520 | $81,940 | 26,060 | 1.43 | 0.53 |
| 25 | Delaware profile | $27.54 | $57,270 | $45,550 | $75,560 | 600 | 1.24 | 0.46 |
| 26 | Montana profile | $26.73 | $55,610 | $43,720 | $81,470 | 1,530 | 2.99 | 1.12 |
| 27 | Arizona profile | $26.73 | $55,600 | $39,970 | $81,280 | 7,270 | 2.25 | 0.84 |
| 28 | Iowa profile | $26.49 | $55,090 | $45,590 | $65,250 | 9,270 | 5.94 | 2.22 |
| 29 | Texas profile | $25.64 | $53,340 | $38,380 | $80,240 | 52,000 | 3.70 | 1.38 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania profile | $25.43 | $52,900 | $40,510 | $74,870 | 17,850 | 2.94 | 1.10 |
| 31 | Nebraska profile | $25.10 | $52,220 | $43,850 | $66,900 | 4,200 | 4.10 | 1.53 |
| 32 | Missouri profile | $24.98 | $51,950 | $38,200 | $78,150 | 10,600 | 3.61 | 1.35 |
| 33 | Kentucky profile | $24.74 | $51,470 | $39,300 | $69,010 | 6,630 | 3.32 | 1.24 |
| 34 | Illinois profile | $24.67 | $51,320 | $38,890 | $76,730 | 16,260 | 2.67 | 1.00 |
| 35 | Mississippi profile | $24.57 | $51,100 | $36,800 | $64,440 | 6,460 | 5.56 | 2.08 |
| 36 | Florida profile | $24.35 | $50,640 | $39,200 | $70,390 | 16,420 | 1.65 | 0.62 |
| 37 | North Carolina profile | $24.32 | $50,590 | $38,540 | $71,240 | 11,750 | 2.38 | 0.89 |
| 38 | Rhode Island profile | $24.32 | $50,580 | $35,560 | $81,000 | 2,300 | 4.59 | 1.71 |
| 39 | Idaho profile | $24.30 | $50,530 | $40,370 | $70,790 | 3,300 | 3.85 | 1.44 |
| 40 | Ohio profile | $24.20 | $50,340 | $38,990 | $70,510 | 20,330 | 3.66 | 1.37 |
| 41 | Michigan profile | $24.03 | $49,990 | $39,090 | $70,200 | 13,330 | 3.03 | 1.13 |
| 42 | South Carolina profile | $24.03 | $49,980 | $38,720 | $64,510 | 7,380 | 3.20 | 1.20 |
| 43 | Indiana profile | $23.91 | $49,730 | $38,410 | $74,880 | 13,280 | 4.15 | 1.55 |
| 44 | Oklahoma profile | $23.90 | $49,720 | $37,860 | $70,640 | 9,960 | 5.84 | 2.18 |
| 45 | South Dakota profile | $23.77 | $49,440 | $38,100 | $63,380 | 3,250 | 7.11 | 2.66 |
| 46 | Kansas profile | $23.75 | $49,410 | $37,790 | $66,680 | 6,370 | 4.44 | 1.66 |
| 47 | West Virginia profile | $23.46 | $48,810 | $36,700 | $73,780 | 2,100 | 3.00 | 1.12 |
| 48 | Alabama profile | $23.31 | $48,490 | $36,710 | $66,820 | 12,450 | 5.89 | 2.20 |
| 49 | Georgia profile | $23.28 | $48,430 | $38,030 | $65,160 | 13,130 | 2.69 | 1.00 |
| 50 | Tennessee profile | $23.10 | $48,040 | $37,840 | $64,200 | 12,510 | 3.82 | 1.43 |
| 51 | Arkansas profile | $23.06 | $47,970 | $37,380 | $62,830 | 6,150 | 4.72 | 1.76 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (51-4120), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Production Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 51-4121 Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 51-4121, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-4121.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.