What are the main factors that influence a Welding Operator's salary?

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

How does experience change A Welding Operator's salary?

A Welding Operator's salary grows with experience: a Welder I (0-1 years)earns $45,613, a Welding Operator (1-3 years)earns $56,394, a Welder III (3-5 years)earns $63,601, a Welder IV (5-7 years)earns $72,556,

What are the highest paying states for a Welding Operator?

Welding Operator salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Welding Operator roles are District of Columbia $62,005, California $61,770, Massachusetts $60,947. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Welding Operator roles make?

Salaries for Welding Operator level roles vary by specialization: Welding Manager: $146,024; Welding Engineer: $103,037; Welding Supervisor: $75,026; Welding Foreman: $70,822; Welding Instructor: $59,842.

How do different companies affect a Welding Operator's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Welding Operator 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.

Welding Operator Salary in the United States

How much does a Welding Operator make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Welding Operator in the United States is $56,002 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $27.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $65,464
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $50,346 to $60,954
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $45,196

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Welding Operator Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$60,954	$5,080	$1,172	$29
Average	$56,002	$4,667	$1,077	$27
25th Percentile	$50,346	$4,195	$968	$24

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Key Factors That Influence Welding Operator Salaries

A Welding Operator'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 Welding Operator 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 Welding Operators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $62,005.
California: $61,770.
Massachusetts: $60,947.

District of Columbia $62,005 California $61,770 Massachusetts $60,947 Washington $60,723 New Jersey $60,700 Alaska $60,622 Connecticut $59,849 New York $59,535

Hawaii $58,533 Rhode Island $58,063 Maryland $57,743 Minnesota $57,307 Colorado $57,139 Illinois $57,083 Oregon $56,870 Delaware $56,713

New Hampshire $56,614 Virginia $56,394 Pennsylvania $55,750 Nevada $55,425 North Dakota $55,318 Michigan $55,150 Wisconsin $55,089 Vermont $54,966

Texas $54,624 Maine $54,602 Arizona $54,568 Ohio $54,529 Georgia $54,014 Indiana $53,756 Wyoming $53,706 Utah $53,627

Iowa $53,594 Kansas $53,325 Louisiana $53,246 North Carolina $53,218 Missouri $53,207 Florida $52,989 Montana $52,871 Nebraska $52,759

Kentucky $52,698 South Carolina $52,474 Tennessee $52,334 Idaho $52,278 New Mexico $51,869 Oklahoma $51,779 Alabama $51,449 South Dakota $50,894

Arkansas $50,592 West Virginia $50,430 Mississippi $49,942

Top Paying Cities for Welding Operators

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: $70,635
San Francisco: $69,862
Oakland: $68,389

San Jose, CA $70,635

San Francisco, CA $69,862

Oakland, CA $68,389

New York, NY $64,480

Paramus, NJ $63,696

Queens Village, NY $63,693

Passaic, NJ $63,640

Bergenfield, NJ $63,635

Stamford, CT $63,512

Huntington, NY $63,489

Newark, NJ $63,075

Bridgeport, CT $62,957

Vallejo, CA $62,845

New Brunswick, NJ $62,823

Petaluma, CA $62,789

Middlesex, NJ $62,683

Somerset, NJ $62,644

Santa Cruz, CA $62,571

Boston, MA $62,229

Monterey, CA $62,033

Seattle, WA $61,904

Santa Rosa, CA $61,893

Los Angeles, CA $61,876

Juneau, AK $61,731

Washington, DC $61,669

Orange, CA $61,470

Santa Ana, CA $61,322

Long Beach, CA $61,266

Anaheim, CA $61,255

Anchorage, AK $61,227

Santa Maria, CA $61,059

Everett, WA $61,047

Danbury, CT $60,850

Bremerton, WA $60,773

Tacoma, WA $60,571

New Suffolk, NY $60,570

Sacramento, CA $60,555

Santa Barbara, CA $60,493

Trenton, NJ $60,431

San Diego, CA $60,431

Brockton, MA $60,370

Fairbanks, AK $60,233

Lompoc, CA $60,090

Lowell, MA $60,044

Ventura, CA $60,034

Nashua, NH $60,023

Stockton, CA $60,017

Modesto, CA $59,608

Poughkeepsie, NY $59,485

Olympia, WA $59,379

Kennewick, WA $59,379

New Haven, CT $59,356

Lawrence, MA $59,155

Hartford, CT $59,099

Riverside, CA $59,087

New Bedford, MA $59,031

Richland, WA $59,031

Bakersfield, CA $58,953

San Bernardino, CA $58,931

New Britain, CT $58,925

Atlantic City, NJ $58,925

New London, CT $58,903

Norwich, CT $58,886

Portsmouth, NH $58,875

Boulder, CO $58,756

Portland, OR $58,679

Worcester, MA $58,673

Minneapolis, MN $58,499

Philadelphia, PA $58,421

Honolulu, HI $58,236

Saint Paul, MN $58,209

Vineland, NJ $58,197

Providence, RI $58,035

Chicago, IL $57,872

Bellingham, WA $57,805

Springfield, MA $57,760

Baltimore, MD $57,743

Chico, CA $57,603

Pittsfield, MA $57,452

Manchester, NH $57,346

Spokane, WA $57,099

Denver, CO $57,094

Albany, NY $56,831

Troy, NY $56,808

Nassau, NY $56,748

Schenectady, NY $56,691

Wilmington, DE $56,646

Burlington, VT $56,567

Salem, OR $56,545

Portland, ME $56,371

Yakima, WA $56,315

Rochester, MN $56,142

Reno, NV $56,114

Fresno, CA $56,114

Milwaukee, WI $56,063

Detroit, MI $56,007

Ann Arbor, MI $55,998

Allentown, PA $55,990

Colorado Springs, CO $55,895

Syracuse, NY $55,867

Carson City, NV $55,867

Houston, TX $55,789

Eugene, OR $55,761

Gary, IN $55,694

Springfield, OR $55,649

Bismarck, ND $55,638

Galveston, TX $55,598

Medford, OR $55,514

Fort Collins, CO $55,492

Concord, NH $55,464

Austin, TX $55,447

Mesa, AZ $55,330

Reading, PA $55,324

Phoenix, AZ $55,318

Dallas, TX $55,302

Saint Cloud, MN $55,248

Madison, WI $55,173

Utica, NY $55,022

Rochester, NY $54,932

Des Moines, IA $54,926

Raleigh, NC $54,921

Atlanta, GA $54,837

Battle Creek, MI $54,820

Salt Lake City, UT $54,803

Lancaster, PA $54,719

Harrisburg, PA $54,641

Kansas City, MO $54,585

Champaign, IL $54,574

Kansas City, KS $54,574

Fort Worth, TX $54,568

Columbus, OH $54,559

Boca Raton, FL $54,546

Pittsburgh, PA $54,523

Richmond, VA $54,501

Indianapolis, IN $54,490

Cleveland, OH $54,484

Las Vegas, NV $54,417

Cincinnati, OH $54,417

Petersburg, VA $54,333

Huntsville, AL $54,249

Lansing, MI $54,211

Lebanon, PA $54,204

Pueblo, CO $54,198

Appleton, WI $54,182

Buffalo, NY $54,159

Dayton, OH $54,142

Racine, WI $54,131

Charlotte, NC $54,126

Saint Louis, MO $54,109

York, PA $54,075

Elkhart, IN $54,075

Gastonia, NC $54,065

Billings, MT $54,051

Beaumont, TX $54,036

Lorain, OH $54,025

Benton Harbor, MI $54,014

Toledo, OH $54,002

Binghamton, NY $53,974

Rock Hill, SC $53,969

Rockford, IL $53,941

Springfield, IL $53,918

Elyria, OH $53,913

Fargo, ND $53,913

Flagstaff, AZ $53,874

Fort Lauderdale, FL $53,840

Duluth, MN $53,806

Miami, FL $53,806

Cheyenne, WY $53,767

Grand Forks, ND $53,767

Bangor, ME $53,644

Cedar Rapids, IA $53,582

Durham, NC $53,559

Louisville, KY $53,554

Grand Rapids, MI $53,543

Hialeah, FL $53,538

Casper, WY $53,459

Scranton, PA $53,392

New Orleans, LA $53,375

Virginia Beach, VA $53,370

Akron, OH $53,342

Peoria, IL $53,269

Sarasota, FL $53,258

Nashville, TN $53,218

Omaha, NE $53,218

Green Bay, WI $53,218

Baton Rouge, LA $53,190

Charleston, SC $53,179

Jamestown, NY $53,151

Davenport, IA $53,151

Tucson, AZ $53,123

Saint Petersburg, FL $53,090

Tampa, FL $53,078

Evansville, IN $53,045

Port Arthur, TX $53,045

Bradenton, FL $53,022

Santa Fe, NM $52,922

Orlando, FL $52,821

Clearwater, FL $52,804

Canton, OH $52,686

La Crosse, WI $52,686

Albuquerque, NM $52,653

Newport News, VA $52,647

High Point, NC $52,630

Ogden, UT $52,608

Corpus Christi, TX $52,563

Norfolk, VA $52,530

Laramie, WY $52,530

Rock Island, IL $52,496

Saginaw, MI $52,485

Jacksonville, FL $52,479

Salisbury, NC $52,468

Boise, ID $52,457

Moline, IL $52,429

Fort Myers, FL $52,412

Memphis, TN $52,401

Tulsa, OK $52,373

Waterloo, IA $52,339

Spartanburg, SC $52,283

Lincoln, NE $52,255

Fort Wayne, IN $52,244

Provo, UT $52,238

Cedar Falls, IA $52,171

San Antonio, TX $52,149

Greensboro, NC $52,126

South Bend, IN $52,121

Savannah, GA $52,059

Muskegon, MI $52,037

Birmingham, AL $52,031

Winston Salem, NC $52,004

Lake Charles, LA $51,869

Anderson, IN $51,858

Lexington, KY $51,841

Augusta, GA $51,824

Greenville, SC $51,824

Lima, OH $51,779

Wichita, KS $51,774

Tuscaloosa, AL $51,774

Columbia, SC $51,723

Springfield, OH $51,712

Asheville, NC $51,622

Bloomington, IN $51,583

Knoxville, TN $51,382

Shreveport, LA $51,376

Wilmington, NC $51,303

Roanoke, VA $51,303

Topeka, KS $51,202

Frankfort, KY $51,196

Oklahoma City, OK $51,158

Chillicothe, OH $51,135

Longview, TX $51,130

Melbourne, FL $51,124

Sioux Falls, SD $51,034

Mobile, AL $51,029

Terre Haute, IN $51,006

Altoona, PA $50,973

Amarillo, TX $50,934

Killeen, TX $50,917

Fayetteville, AR $50,872

Chattanooga, TN $50,855

Sioux City, IA $50,805

Idaho Falls, ID $50,794

Lynchburg, VA $50,749

Gainesville, FL $50,676

Portsmouth, OH $50,648

Little Rock, AR $50,637

Lafayette, LA $50,614

Youngstown, OH $50,614

Daytona Beach, FL $50,581

Clarksville, TN $50,575

Pensacola, FL $50,570

Temple, TX $50,566

Hopkinsville, KY $50,402

Erie, PA $50,390

Florence, SC $50,368

Charleston, WV $50,278

Great Falls, MT $50,250

Macon, GA $50,172

Tallahassee, FL $50,166

Fayetteville, NC $50,155

Waco, TX $50,144

Helena, MT $50,105

Pine Bluff, AR $50,083

Vincennes, IN $50,015

Lubbock, TX $49,993

Alamogordo, NM $49,959

Twin Falls, ID $49,909

Rapid City, SD $49,892

Jackson, MS $49,791

Huntington, WV $49,787

Greenville, MS $49,786

Parkersburg, WV $49,728

Montgomery, AL $49,718

Wichita Falls, TX $49,662

Springfield, MO $49,662

Biloxi, MS $49,634

Monroe, LA $49,578

Johnstown, PA $49,539

Sumter, SC $49,517

Columbus, GA $49,511

Pascagoula, MS $49,405

Abilene, TX $49,405

Kingsport, TN $49,259

Albany, GA $49,259

Gulfport, MS $49,242

Alexandria, LA $49,057

Fort Smith, AR $48,917

El Paso, TX $48,766

Las Cruces, NM $48,514

Harlingen, TX $48,372

Pocatello, ID $48,363

Florence, AL $48,290

Brownsville, TX $48,279

Mcallen, TX $48,161

Dothan, AL $48,083

Columbus, MS $47,750

Altus, OK $47,489

Lawton, OK $47,383

Pierre, SD $47,181

What Skills Can Increase a Welding Operator'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 Welding Operator'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	$59,922	7%
Analysis	$58,802	5%
Custodial	$58,242	4%
Coaching	$58,242	4%
Confidentiality	$58,242	4%
Scheduling	$57,682	3%

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How Education impacts a Welding Operator's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Welding Operators 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 Welding Operator with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $53,222 and $56,836).

Welding Operator Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Welding Operator

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

Welding Operator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Welding Operator'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

$50,346

Average $56,002/year

$60,954

$4,195

Average $4,667/month

$5,080

$968

Average $1,077/week

$1,172

$24

Average $27/hour

$29

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$60,954	$5,080	$1,172	$29
Average	$56,002	$4,667	$1,077	$27
25th Percentile	$50,346	$4,195	$968	$24

Salaries of jobs related to Welding Operator

Salary Trends for Welding Operator

Salaries for a Welding Operator can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $48,546 in 2023 to around $47,810 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Welding Operator salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Welding Operator Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$48,546

2024

$48,115

2025

$47,810

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$48,546
2024	$48,115
2025	$47,810
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Welding Operator

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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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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