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Steel welder salary
Average steel welder salary
$36,139
Understanding Steel Welder Salaries
Steel welders play a crucial role in various industries, and their salaries can vary widely based on factors such as experience, location, and specific job responsibilities. The average salary for a steel welder currently stands at $36,139 annually. Entry-level positions may start around $30,000 per year, while seasoned professionals can earn significantly more, particularly in high-demand areas or specialized sectors.
Salary by Experience Level
Experience greatly impacts salary potential. For instance:
- Entry-level welders: $30,000 - $35,000
- Mid-level welders: $36,000 - $45,000
- Experienced welders: $46,000+
Regional Salary Variations
Salary ranges also differ by state. States with a high concentration of manufacturing jobs, such as Texas and California, often offer higher wages. Additionally, cities known for industrial activity can provide lucrative opportunities. For example, welders in Seattle or Detroit may see salaries exceeding the national average.
Conclusion
Explore job openings and salary information on Zippia to find the best opportunities in steel welding. Understanding these dynamics can help you make informed career decisions.
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Where can a Steel Welder earn more?
Steel welder salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level steel welder | $24,700 | $11.87 |
| Mid-level steel welder | $34,500 | $16.60 |
| Senior-level steel welder | $52,800 | $25.37 |
Average steel welder salary by state
The highest-paying states for steel welders are Wyoming, Washington, and Alaska. The lowest average steel welder salary states are Nebraska, Alabama, and Kentucky.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for steel welders
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin | $41,960 | $20.17 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $43,188 | $20.76 |
| 3 | Washington | $46,223 | $22.22 |
| 4 | Oregon | $42,281 | $20.33 |
| 5 | Wyoming | $49,789 | $23.94 |
| 6 | Alaska | $44,752 | $21.52 |
| 7 | Indiana | $36,704 | $17.65 |
| 8 | Nevada | $41,389 | $19.90 |
| 9 | Delaware | $42,256 | $20.32 |
| 10 | Louisiana | $37,604 | $18.08 |
| 11 | Oklahoma | $37,230 | $17.90 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $42,749 | $20.55 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $37,853 | $18.20 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $38,363 | $18.44 |
| 15 | South Dakota | $35,417 | $17.03 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $37,166 | $17.87 |
| 17 | New Mexico | $40,498 | $19.47 |
| 18 | Arizona | $37,774 | $18.16 |
| 19 | Mississippi | $35,628 | $17.13 |
| 20 | Maryland | $42,023 | $20.20 |
| 21 | Colorado | $39,905 | $19.19 |
| 22 | Iowa | $34,221 | $16.45 |
| 23 | Kansas | $35,242 | $16.94 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $36,353 | $17.48 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $34,279 | $16.48 |
| 26 | Utah | $36,505 | $17.55 |
| 27 | Texas | $36,653 | $17.62 |
| 28 | Maine | $35,559 | $17.10 |
| 29 | Vermont | $38,030 | $18.28 |
| 30 | Missouri | $35,835 | $17.23 |
| 31 | Hawaii | $41,825 | $20.11 |
| 32 | Ohio | $34,399 | $16.54 |
| 33 | Idaho | $35,973 | $17.29 |
| 34 | Connecticut | $38,265 | $18.40 |
| 35 | Michigan | $34,312 | $16.50 |
| 36 | California | $37,844 | $18.19 |
| 37 | Illinois | $34,844 | $16.75 |
| 38 | Montana | $35,578 | $17.10 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $32,864 | $15.80 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $32,115 | $15.44 |
| 41 | District of Columbia | $37,394 | $17.98 |
| 42 | New Jersey | $36,659 | $17.62 |
| 43 | New Hampshire | $35,715 | $17.17 |
| 44 | Virginia | $34,297 | $16.49 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $33,283 | $16.00 |
| 46 | Alabama | $32,304 | $15.53 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $33,529 | $16.12 |
| 48 | New York | $34,623 | $16.65 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $31,234 | $15.02 |
| 50 | Georgia | $31,627 | $15.21 |
| 51 | Florida | $31,859 | $15.32 |
Highest paying cities for steel welders
The highest-paying cities for steel welders are Bremerton, WA, Eugene, OR, and Colorado Springs, CO.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bremerton, WA | $46,501 | $22.36 |
| 2 | Eugene, OR | $42,495 | $20.43 |
| 3 | Colorado Springs, CO | $39,918 | $19.19 |
| 4 | Fresno, CA | $38,146 | $18.34 |
| 5 | York, PA | $37,549 | $18.05 |
| 6 | White Bear Lake, MN | $37,183 | $17.88 |
| 7 | Saint Charles, MO | $35,755 | $17.19 |
| 8 | Sioux Falls, SD | $35,288 | $16.97 |
| 9 | Kansas City, KS | $35,252 | $16.95 |
| 10 | Elmhurst, IL | $34,945 | $16.80 |
| 11 | Richmond, VA | $34,195 | $16.44 |
| 12 | Clearwater, FL | $31,919 | $15.35 |
Steel welder salary details
A steel welder's salary ranges from $28,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $46,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a steel welder's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
| 75th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| Average | $36,139 | $3,012 | $17 |
| 25th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
Highest paying steel welder jobs
The highest paying types of steel welders are combo welder, pipe welder, and lead welder.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ship Fitter | $45,247 | $3,771 | $21.75 | 9,742 |
| Welder Fitter | $39,676 | $3,306 | $19.07 | 8,022 |
| Welder Helper | $29,684 | $2,474 | $14.27 | 21,605 |
| Millwright/Welder | $37,213 | $3,101 | $17.89 | 9,694 |
| Combination Welder | $45,432 | $3,786 | $21.84 | 7,117 |
| Combo Welder | $46,985 | $3,915 | $22.59 | 8,266 |
Top companies hiring steel welders now:
Which companies pay steel welders the most?
Steel welder salaries at GPAC and Columbia Steel Casting Co., Inc. are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average steel welder salary at companies like Colonna's Shipyard and PDS Tech are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GPAC | $44,873 | $21.57 |
| 2 | Columbia Steel Casting Co., Inc. | $43,732 | $21.02 |
| 3 | Colonna's Shipyard | $37,932 | $18.24 |
| 4 | PDS Tech | $37,814 | $18.18 |
| 5 | Skyline Products | $36,151 | $17.38 |
| 6 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $36,137 | $17.37 |
| 7 | NEXTAFF | $35,710 | $17.17 |
| 8 | HireLevel | $35,212 | $16.93 |
| 9 | Aerotek | $35,211 | $16.93 |
| 10 | Kinsley Power Systems | $34,602 | $16.64 |
| 11 | PeopleReady | $34,592 | $16.63 |
| 12 | Express Employment Indy South | $34,479 | $16.58 |
| 13 | Automation Personnel Services | $34,039 | $16.36 |
| 14 | R.M. Schulte & Associates | $32,623 | $15.68 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Steel Welder salary by industry
The average steel welder salary varies across industries:
- The average steel welder salary in the automotive industry is $41,290, the highest of any industry.
- The average steel welder salary in the finance industry is $39,946.
- Steel welders in the professional industry earn an average salary of $37,037, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for steel welders
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Automotive | $41,290 | $19.85 |
| 2 | Transportation | $39,946 | $19.20 |
| 3 | Construction | $39,305 | $18.90 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $38,034 | $18.29 |
| 5 | Professional | $37,037 | $17.81 |
High paying steel welder jobs
Steel welder salary trends
The average steel welder salary has risen by $6,763 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average steel welder earned $29,376 annually, but today, they earn $36,139 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for steel welders over the last decade.
Compare steel welder salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average steel welder salary over time
Compare steel welder salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Steel welder salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $36,100 | $17.37 | +3.8% |
| 2024 | $34,700 | $16.71 | +2.6% |
| 2023 | $33,800 | $16.27 | +2.8% |
| 2022 | $32,900 | $15.82 | +2.1% |
| 2021 | $32,200 | $15.49 | +3.1% |
Recently added steel welder salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerotek | Steel Welder/Fabricator-1St. Shift | Grand Rapids, MI | 06/28/2025 | $37,566 |
| Pierce Manufacturing | Welder-Steel/Aluminum-2Nd & 3Rd Shift | Kewaunee, WI | 06/28/2025 | $54,158 |
| Aerotek | Welder-MIG On Stainless Steel | Farmington, MN | 06/27/2025 | $41,740 |
| Container Research Corporation | Steel Welder | Aston, PA | 06/27/2025 | $52,175 |
| Trucent | TIG/MIG/Steel Welder | Noblesville, IN | 06/25/2025 | $41,740 |
| Oshkosh Corp | Welder-Steel/Aluminum-2Nd & 3Rd Shift | Kewaunee, WI | 06/04/2025 | $54,158 |
| Pierce Manufacturing | Welder-Steel/Aluminum-2Nd & 3Rd Shift | Kewaunee, WI | 05/27/2025 | $52,530 |
| Cannonball Recruiting | Structural Steel Welder | Cocoa, FL | 05/25/2025 | $37,566 |
| Cannonball Recruiting | Structural Steel Welder | York, PA | 05/05/2025 | $37,566 |
| Kewaunee Fabrications | Welder-Steel/Aluminum-2Nd & 3Rd Shift | Kewaunee, WI | 05/04/2025 | $52,530 |
Steel welder salary FAQs
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