What are the main factors that influence a Certified Welder's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Certified Welder's salary?

A Certified Welder's salary grows with experience: a Welder I (0-1 years)earns $45,495, a Certified Welder (1-3 years)earns $56,249, a Welder III (3-5 years)earns $63,437, a Welder IV (5-7 years)earns $72,369,

What are the highest paying states for a Certified Welder?

Certified Welder salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Certified Welder roles are District of Columbia $60,977, California $60,746, Massachusetts $59,936. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Certified Welder roles make?

Salaries for Certified Welder level roles vary by specialization: Ship Welder: $57,892; Aerospace Welder: $57,560; fabrication welder: $57,385; Arc Welder: $56,843; Robotic Welder: $56,551.

How do different companies affect a Certified Welder's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Certified Welder roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Certified Welder Salary in the United States

How much does a Certified Welder make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Certified Welder in the United States is $55,073 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $26.

However, a Certified Welder's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $64,659
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $49,432 to $60,091
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $44,295

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Certified Welder Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$60,091	$5,008	$1,156	$29
Average	$55,073	$4,589	$1,059	$26
25th Percentile	$49,432	$4,119	$951	$24

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Key Factors That Influence Certified Welder Salaries

A Certified Welder's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Certified Welder Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Certified Welders. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $60,977.
California: $60,746.
Massachusetts: $59,936.

District of Columbia $60,977 California $60,746 Massachusetts $59,936 Washington $59,716 New Jersey $59,694 Alaska $59,617 Connecticut $58,857 New York $58,549

Hawaii $57,563 Rhode Island $57,100 Maryland $56,786 Minnesota $56,357 Colorado $56,191 Illinois $56,136 Oregon $55,927 Delaware $55,773

New Hampshire $55,676 Virginia $55,459 Pennsylvania $54,826 Nevada $54,506 North Dakota $54,402 Michigan $54,236 Wisconsin $54,176 Vermont $54,055

Texas $53,719 Maine $53,697 Arizona $53,664 Ohio $53,625 Georgia $53,118 Indiana $52,865 Wyoming $52,815 Utah $52,738

Iowa $52,705 Kansas $52,441 Louisiana $52,364 North Carolina $52,336 Missouri $52,325 Florida $52,110 Montana $51,995 Nebraska $51,885

Kentucky $51,824 South Carolina $51,604 Tennessee $51,466 Idaho $51,411 New Mexico $51,009 Oklahoma $50,921 Alabama $50,596 South Dakota $50,051

Arkansas $49,753 West Virginia $49,594 Mississippi $49,114

Top Paying Cities for Certified Welders

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $69,464
San Francisco: $68,704
Oakland: $67,256

San Jose, CA $69,464

San Francisco, CA $68,704

Oakland, CA $67,256

New York, NY $63,411

Paramus, NJ $62,640

Queens Village, NY $62,637

Passaic, NJ $62,585

Bergenfield, NJ $62,580

Stamford, CT $62,459

Huntington, NY $62,436

Newark, NJ $62,029

Bridgeport, CT $61,913

Vallejo, CA $61,803

New Brunswick, NJ $61,781

Petaluma, CA $61,748

Middlesex, NJ $61,644

Somerset, NJ $61,605

Santa Cruz, CA $61,534

Boston, MA $61,198

Monterey, CA $61,004

Seattle, WA $60,878

Santa Rosa, CA $60,867

Los Angeles, CA $60,851

Juneau, AK $60,707

Washington, DC $60,647

Orange, CA $60,451

Santa Ana, CA $60,305

Long Beach, CA $60,250

Anaheim, CA $60,239

Anchorage, AK $60,212

Santa Maria, CA $60,047

Everett, WA $60,036

Danbury, CT $59,842

Bremerton, WA $59,766

Tacoma, WA $59,567

New Suffolk, NY $59,566

Sacramento, CA $59,551

Santa Barbara, CA $59,490

Trenton, NJ $59,430

San Diego, CA $59,430

Brockton, MA $59,369

Fairbanks, AK $59,234

Lompoc, CA $59,094

Lowell, MA $59,049

Ventura, CA $59,039

Nashua, NH $59,028

Stockton, CA $59,022

Modesto, CA $58,620

Poughkeepsie, NY $58,499

Olympia, WA $58,394

Kennewick, WA $58,394

New Haven, CT $58,372

Lawrence, MA $58,174

Hartford, CT $58,119

Riverside, CA $58,108

New Bedford, MA $58,053

Richland, WA $58,053

Bakersfield, CA $57,976

San Bernardino, CA $57,954

New Britain, CT $57,948

Atlantic City, NJ $57,948

New London, CT $57,926

Norwich, CT $57,910

Portsmouth, NH $57,899

Boulder, CO $57,782

Portland, OR $57,706

Worcester, MA $57,700

Minneapolis, MN $57,530

Philadelphia, PA $57,453

Honolulu, HI $57,271

Saint Paul, MN $57,244

Vineland, NJ $57,232

Providence, RI $57,073

Chicago, IL $56,913

Bellingham, WA $56,847

Springfield, MA $56,803

Baltimore, MD $56,786

Chico, CA $56,648

Pittsfield, MA $56,500

Manchester, NH $56,395

Spokane, WA $56,153

Denver, CO $56,147

Albany, NY $55,888

Troy, NY $55,866

Nassau, NY $55,808

Schenectady, NY $55,751

Wilmington, DE $55,707

Burlington, VT $55,630

Salem, OR $55,608

Portland, ME $55,437

Yakima, WA $55,382

Rochester, MN $55,211

Reno, NV $55,184

Fresno, CA $55,184

Milwaukee, WI $55,134

Detroit, MI $55,079

Ann Arbor, MI $55,070

Allentown, PA $55,062

Colorado Springs, CO $54,969

Syracuse, NY $54,941

Carson City, NV $54,941

Houston, TX $54,864

Eugene, OR $54,837

Gary, IN $54,770

Springfield, OR $54,726

Bismarck, ND $54,715

Galveston, TX $54,677

Medford, OR $54,594

Fort Collins, CO $54,572

Concord, NH $54,545

Austin, TX $54,528

Mesa, AZ $54,413

Reading, PA $54,407

Phoenix, AZ $54,402

Dallas, TX $54,385

Saint Cloud, MN $54,332

Madison, WI $54,258

Utica, NY $54,110

Rochester, NY $54,021

Des Moines, IA $54,016

Raleigh, NC $54,010

Atlanta, GA $53,928

Battle Creek, MI $53,911

Salt Lake City, UT $53,895

Lancaster, PA $53,812

Harrisburg, PA $53,735

Kansas City, MO $53,680

Champaign, IL $53,669

Kansas City, KS $53,669

Fort Worth, TX $53,664

Columbus, OH $53,654

Boca Raton, FL $53,641

Pittsburgh, PA $53,619

Richmond, VA $53,597

Indianapolis, IN $53,586

Cleveland, OH $53,581

Las Vegas, NV $53,515

Cincinnati, OH $53,515

Petersburg, VA $53,432

Huntsville, AL $53,350

Lansing, MI $53,313

Lebanon, PA $53,306

Pueblo, CO $53,300

Appleton, WI $53,284

Buffalo, NY $53,261

Dayton, OH $53,245

Racine, WI $53,234

Charlotte, NC $53,228

Saint Louis, MO $53,212

York, PA $53,179

Elkhart, IN $53,179

Gastonia, NC $53,168

Billings, MT $53,155

Beaumont, TX $53,140

Lorain, OH $53,129

Benton Harbor, MI $53,118

Toledo, OH $53,107

Binghamton, NY $53,080

Rock Hill, SC $53,074

Rockford, IL $53,047

Springfield, IL $53,025

Elyria, OH $53,019

Fargo, ND $53,019

Flagstaff, AZ $52,981

Fort Lauderdale, FL $52,948

Duluth, MN $52,915

Miami, FL $52,915

Cheyenne, WY $52,876

Grand Forks, ND $52,876

Bangor, ME $52,755

Cedar Rapids, IA $52,694

Durham, NC $52,671

Louisville, KY $52,667

Grand Rapids, MI $52,656

Hialeah, FL $52,650

Casper, WY $52,573

Scranton, PA $52,507

New Orleans, LA $52,490

Virginia Beach, VA $52,485

Akron, OH $52,457

Peoria, IL $52,386

Sarasota, FL $52,375

Nashville, TN $52,336

Omaha, NE $52,336

Green Bay, WI $52,336

Baton Rouge, LA $52,309

Charleston, SC $52,298

Jamestown, NY $52,270

Davenport, IA $52,270

Tucson, AZ $52,243

Saint Petersburg, FL $52,210

Tampa, FL $52,199

Evansville, IN $52,166

Port Arthur, TX $52,166

Bradenton, FL $52,143

Santa Fe, NM $52,044

Orlando, FL $51,945

Clearwater, FL $51,929

Canton, OH $51,813

La Crosse, WI $51,813

Albuquerque, NM $51,780

Newport News, VA $51,775

High Point, NC $51,758

Ogden, UT $51,736

Corpus Christi, TX $51,692

Norfolk, VA $51,659

Laramie, WY $51,659

Rock Island, IL $51,626

Saginaw, MI $51,615

Jacksonville, FL $51,609

Salisbury, NC $51,598

Boise, ID $51,587

Moline, IL $51,560

Fort Myers, FL $51,543

Memphis, TN $51,532

Tulsa, OK $51,505

Waterloo, IA $51,472

Spartanburg, SC $51,417

Lincoln, NE $51,389

Fort Wayne, IN $51,378

Provo, UT $51,372

Cedar Falls, IA $51,306

San Antonio, TX $51,284

Greensboro, NC $51,262

South Bend, IN $51,257

Savannah, GA $51,196

Muskegon, MI $51,174

Birmingham, AL $51,169

Winston Salem, NC $51,142

Lake Charles, LA $51,009

Anderson, IN $50,998

Lexington, KY $50,981

Augusta, GA $50,965

Greenville, SC $50,965

Lima, OH $50,921

Wichita, KS $50,915

Tuscaloosa, AL $50,915

Columbia, SC $50,866

Springfield, OH $50,855

Asheville, NC $50,767

Bloomington, IN $50,728

Knoxville, TN $50,530

Shreveport, LA $50,524

Wilmington, NC $50,453

Roanoke, VA $50,453

Topeka, KS $50,354

Frankfort, KY $50,348

Oklahoma City, OK $50,310

Chillicothe, OH $50,288

Longview, TX $50,282

Melbourne, FL $50,277

Sioux Falls, SD $50,188

Mobile, AL $50,183

Terre Haute, IN $50,161

Altoona, PA $50,128

Amarillo, TX $50,089

Killeen, TX $50,073

Fayetteville, AR $50,029

Chattanooga, TN $50,012

Sioux City, IA $49,963

Idaho Falls, ID $49,952

Lynchburg, VA $49,908

Gainesville, FL $49,836

Portsmouth, OH $49,808

Little Rock, AR $49,797

Lafayette, LA $49,775

Youngstown, OH $49,775

Daytona Beach, FL $49,742

Clarksville, TN $49,737

Pensacola, FL $49,731

Temple, TX $49,727

Hopkinsville, KY $49,566

Erie, PA $49,555

Florence, SC $49,533

Charleston, WV $49,445

Great Falls, MT $49,417

Macon, GA $49,340

Tallahassee, FL $49,335

Fayetteville, NC $49,324

Waco, TX $49,313

Helena, MT $49,274

Pine Bluff, AR $49,253

Vincennes, IN $49,186

Lubbock, TX $49,164

Alamogordo, NM $49,131

Twin Falls, ID $49,081

Rapid City, SD $49,065

Jackson, MS $48,966

Huntington, WV $48,962

Greenville, MS $48,960

Parkersburg, WV $48,904

Montgomery, AL $48,894

Wichita Falls, TX $48,839

Springfield, MO $48,839

Biloxi, MS $48,812

Monroe, LA $48,756

Johnstown, PA $48,718

Sumter, SC $48,696

Columbus, GA $48,690

Pascagoula, MS $48,586

Abilene, TX $48,586

Kingsport, TN $48,443

Albany, GA $48,443

Gulfport, MS $48,426

Alexandria, LA $48,244

Fort Smith, AR $48,107

El Paso, TX $47,958

Las Cruces, NM $47,710

Harlingen, TX $47,570

Pocatello, ID $47,561

Florence, AL $47,490

Brownsville, TX $47,479

Mcallen, TX $47,363

Dothan, AL $47,286

Columbus, MS $46,959

Altus, OK $46,702

Lawton, OK $46,598

Pierre, SD $46,399

What Skills Can Increase a Certified Welder's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Leadership (Mentioned in 11.22% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
Preventative Maintenance (Mentioned in 3.11% Job Postings): Developing and implementing maintenance strategies to increase equipment life expectancy and avoid unplanned downtime.
Pneumatics (Mentioned in 1.08% Job Postings): Pneumatics (pronounced new-MATT-ix) is an aspect of physics and engineering that is concerned with using the energy in compressed gas to make something move or work.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Leadership	11.22%
Preventative Maintenance	3.11%
Pneumatics	1.08%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Certified Welder's salary.

Building Maintenance: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Custodial: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Building Maintenance	$58,929	7%
Analysis	$57,827	5%
Custodial	$57,276	4%
Coaching	$57,276	4%
Confidentiality	$57,276	4%
Scheduling	$56,726	3%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Certified Welder's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Certified Welders enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Certified Welder with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $53,222 and $56,836).

Certified Welder Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Certified Welder

No Diploma 80.8%

High School 80.8%

Associates 12.8%

Bachelors 5.1%

Masters 1.3%

Doctorate 0.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	80.8%
High School	80.8%
Associates	12.8%
Bachelors	5.1%
Masters	1.3%
Doctorate	0.0%

view as graph

Certified Welder Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Certified Welder's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on May 01, 2026

$49,432

Average $55,073/year

$60,091

$4,119

Average $4,589/month

$5,008

$951

Average $1,059/week

$1,156

$24

Average $26/hour

$29

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$60,091	$5,008	$1,156	$29
Average	$55,073	$4,589	$1,059	$26
25th Percentile	$49,432	$4,119	$951	$24

Salaries of jobs related to Certified Welder

Salary Trends for Certified Welder

Salaries for a Certified Welder can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $48,421 in 2023 to around $47,686 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Certified Welder salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Certified Welder Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$48,421

2024

$47,990

2025

$47,686

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$48,421
2024	$47,990
2025	$47,686
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Certified Welder

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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