Steel welder demographics and statistics in the US
Steel welder demographics research summary. Zippia estimates steel welder demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our steel welder estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about steel welders after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 301,618 steel welders currently employed in the United States.
- 4.0% of all steel welders are women, while 96.0% are men.
- The average steel welder age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of steel welders is White (64.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (17.9%), Black or African American (9.3%) and Unknown (4.1%).
- Steel welders are most in-demand in Fergus Falls, MN.
- Bremerton, WA pays an annual average wage of $46,501, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women steel welders earned 87% of what men earned.
- Wisconsin is the best state for steel welders to live.
- Steel welders are 80% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Steel welder demographics by:
Steel welder gender statistics
4.0% of steel welders are women and 96.0% of steel welders are men.
- Male, 96.0%
- Female, 4.0%
Steel welder gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 96.0% |
| Female | 4.0% |
Steel welder gender pay gap
Women earn 87¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$35,883
Female income
$31,397
Steel welder gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in steel welder positions over time. Currently, 4.0% of steel welders are female.
Steel welder gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 95.99% | 4.01% |
| 2011 | 96.08% | 3.92% |
| 2012 | 95.42% | 4.58% |
| 2013 | 95.83% | 4.17% |
| 2014 | 95.97% | 4.03% |
| 2015 | 96.32% | 3.68% |
| 2016 | 96.20% | 3.80% |
| 2017 | 96.09% | 3.91% |
| 2018 | 95.59% | 4.41% |
| 2019 | 95.40% | 4.60% |
| 2020 | 95.43% | 4.57% |
| 2021 | 95.95% | 4.05% |
Steel welder related jobs gender ratio
We compared steel welders with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, head machinist and die repair machinist have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Special Process Person | 31% | 69% |
| Steel Welder | 96% | 4% |
| Research And Development Machinist | 99% | 1% |
| Die Repair Machinist | 99% | 1% |
| Head Machinist | 99% | 1% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Steel welder demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among steel welders is White, which makes up 64.2% of all steel welders. Comparatively, 17.9% of steel welders are Hispanic or Latino and 9.3% of steel welders are Black or African American.
- White, 64.2%
- Hispanic or Latino, 17.9%
- Black or African American, 9.3%
- Unknown, 4.1%
- Asian, 2.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%
Steel welder race
| Steel welder race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 64.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17.9% |
| Black or African American | 9.3% |
| Unknown | 4.1% |
| Asian | 2.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.6% |
Steel welder race and ethnicity over time
See how steel welder racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Steel welder race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 67.92% | 10.07% | 3.34% | 15.59% |
| 2011 | 68.46% | 9.93% | 2.82% | 15.22% |
| 2012 | 68.70% | 9.93% | 2.89% | 14.57% |
| 2013 | 68.28% | 9.90% | 2.94% | 15.75% |
| 2014 | 68.33% | 10.23% | 2.71% | 15.67% |
| 2015 | 67.56% | 9.95% | 2.72% | 16.36% |
| 2016 | 67.95% | 10.15% | 2.87% | 15.75% |
| 2017 | 68.60% | 8.85% | 2.92% | 15.89% |
| 2018 | 68.83% | 8.78% | 2.60% | 16.09% |
| 2019 | 69.13% | 8.94% | 2.91% | 15.73% |
| 2020 | 66.29% | 9.37% | 2.44% | 16.03% |
| 2021 | 64.16% | 9.26% | 2.92% | 17.87% |
Steel welder wage gap by race
According to our data, white steel welders have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american steel welders have the lowest average salary at $34,563.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $35,615 |
| White | $36,690 |
| Black or African American | $34,563 |
| Asian | $36,482 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $36,104 |
Average steel welder age
See how the average age of steel welders varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Steel welder age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 44 | 46.5 |
| Unknown | 36 | 35.5 |
| Asian | 50 | 47 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 41 | 47 |
| White | 39 | 37 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 39.5 |
Steel welder age breakdown
The average age of steel welders is 40+ years years old, representing 51% of the steel welder population.
Steel welder age breakdown
| Steel Welder Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 51% |
| 30-40 years | 25% |
| 20-30 years | 23% |
Steel welder educational attainment
The most common degree for steel welders is high school diploma, with 45% of steel welders earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 24% and associate degree degree at 14%.
- High School Diploma, 45%
- Associate, 24%
- Diploma, 14%
- Bachelor's, 8%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Steel welders by degree level
| Steel welder degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 45% |
| Associate | 24% |
| Diploma | 14% |
| Bachelor's | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Steel welder jobs you might like
Steel welder wage gap by degree level
According to the data, steel welders with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $38,170 annually. With a Associate degree, steel welders earn a median annual income of $36,900 compared to $35,988 for steel welders with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $35,988 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $38,170 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $36,900 |
Steel welder employment statistics
Most steel welders work for a private in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where steel welders work
Below, you can see the size of companies where steel welders work.
Steel welder jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 9% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 15% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 35% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 21% |
| > 10,000 employees | 12% |
Steel welder jobs by company type
Employees with the steel welder job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most steel welders prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Steel welder jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 15% |
| Private | 80% |
| Government | 4% |
Steel welder jobs by industry
The most common industries for steel welders are manufacturing, construction and professional.
Steel welder industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 27% |
| Construction | 17% |
| Professional | 14% |
| Technology | 6% |
| Transportation | 5% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Finance | 4% |
| Automotive | 4% |
| Government | 3% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Steel welder turnover and employment statistics
Steel welder unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for steel welders between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Steel welder unemployment rate by year
| Year | Steel welder unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 15.84% |
| 2011 | 12.42% |
| 2012 | 10.02% |
| 2013 | 8.95% |
| 2014 | 6.75% |
| 2015 | 6.41% |
| 2016 | 6.74% |
| 2017 | 5.37% |
| 2018 | 4.24% |
| 2019 | 4.83% |
| 2020 | 7.11% |
| 2021 | 6.82% |
Average steel welder tenure
The average steel welder stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 583 steel welders resumes in Zippia's database.
Steel welder tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 34% |
| 1-2 years | 36% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 9% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Steel welder LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of steel welders that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Steel Welder | 2.57% | - |
| Carbide Tool Maker | 2.99% | 14,296 |
| Gold Plater | 3.20% | 56 |
| Automotive Machinist | 3.26% | 42,134 |
| Wire Drawing Setter | 3.27% | 2,091 |
| Machine Set Up Operator | 5.87% | 61,986 |
| Notch Grinder | 6.48% | 646 |
Similar steel welder jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Carbide Tool Maker | 2.99% | 14,296 |
| Gold Plater | 3.20% | 56 |
| Automotive Machinist | 3.26% | 42,134 |
| Wire Drawing Setter | 3.27% | 2,091 |
| Machine Set Up Operator | 5.87% | 61,986 |
| Notch Grinder | 6.48% | 646 |
Foreign languages spoken by steel welders
The most common foreign language among steel welders is Spanish at 60.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Braille at 20.0% and Russian is the third-most popular at 20.0%.
- Spanish, 60.0%
- Braille, 20.0%
- Russian, 20.0%
Steel welder languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 60.0% |
| Braille | 20.0% |
| Russian | 20.0% |
