How to hire a structural welder

How to hire a structural welder, step by step

Here's a step-by-step structural welder hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a structural welder job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new structural welder
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a structural welder do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the structural welder you need to hire. Certain structural welder roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A structural welder's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, structural welders from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of structural welder salaries for various roles:

   Type of Structural Welder	Description	Hourly rate
   Structural Welder	Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers use hand-held or remotely controlled equipment to join or cut metal parts. They also fill holes, indentations, or seams of metal products.	$14-27
   Ship Fitter	Ship fitters are civilian or enlisted people who work on materials like high yield strength steel and high-tensile steel. These people fabricate, assemble, and build structural parts of ships... Show more	$14-30
   Welder Fitter	A Welder Fitter specializes in manipulating steel, aluminum, and other materials into various industries' structural forms. The majority of a welder's responsibilities are mostly manual work, which can have risks as they use torches or lasers for their daily tasks, and there are also instances when they have to climb high structures... Show more	$13-26

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • SMAW
   • FCAW
   • MIG
   • Arc Welding
   • GMAW
   • Hand Tools
   • Carbon Steel
   • OSHA
   • Ladders
   • Safety Equipment
   • Flux Core Wire
   • Aluminum
   • Stainless Steel
   • Overhead Positions

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and run production parts through the brake.
   • Fabricate and assemble small parts and components with the GMAW, SMAW, FCAW and aluminum weld process.
   • Bound structural as well as nonstructural parts by means of welding according to drawings using MIG and TIG welding of steel.
   • Weld, and fabricate pressure vessels using GMAW process.
   • Fix various stock trailers and other equipment that come in for repairs using FCAW, and GMAW.
   • Weld separately or in combination using aluminum, stainless steel, cast iron, and other alloys.

   More structural welder duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your structural welder job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A structural welder salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, structural welders' average salary in montana is 36% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level structural welders earn 47% less than senior-level structural welders.
   • Certifications. A structural welder with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a structural welder's salary.

   Average structural welder salary

   $42,868yearly

   $20.61 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level structural welder salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 29, 2025

   Average structural welder salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Pennsylvania	$51,868	$25
   2	California	$50,224	$24
   3	Washington	$49,817	$24
   4	Virginia	$49,295	$24
   5	Tennessee	$49,119	$24
   6	Ohio	$46,640	$22
   7	Georgia	$44,178	$21
   8	Wisconsin	$43,162	$21
   9	Alabama	$42,704	$21
   10	Texas	$41,646	$20
   11	South Carolina	$41,471	$20
   12	Missouri	$40,727	$20
   13	Illinois	$40,321	$19
   14	Florida	$39,976	$19
   15	Kentucky	$38,862	$19
   16	South Dakota	$38,550	$19
   17	Oklahoma	$38,168	$18
   18	Nebraska	$37,494	$18

   Average structural welder salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Turner Construction	$57,811	$27.79
   2	Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority	$57,184	$27.49
   3	Wanzek Construction	$54,614	$26.26
   4	MasTec	$52,773	$25.37	2
   5	danos	$52,260	$25.13	7
   6	Matrix Service Company	$51,214	$24.62	23
   7	SpaceX	$51,137	$24.59	37
   8	PC Construction	$50,563	$24.31
   9	TIC Holdings Inc	$50,394	$24.23
   10	Zachry Construction	$50,375	$24.22	10
   11	Zachry Group	$50,125	$24.10	7
   12	Kiewit	$49,166	$23.64	93
   13	ESPO	$48,546	$23.34
   14	EMCOR Group	$47,932	$23.04	37
   15	Solar.com	$47,400	$22.79	2
   16	Koch Industries	$45,983	$22.11
   17	Construction Forms Inc	$45,864	$22.05
   18	HKA Enterprises	$44,072	$21.19	8
   19	Tradesmen International	$43,580	$20.95	140
   20	NANA	$43,414	$20.87	5

4. Writing a structural welder job description

   A structural welder job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a structural welder job description:

   Structural welder job description example

   State and federal contractor looking for an AWS/WABO Certified Structural Welder. Individual needs to be experienced in stick and wire feed applications. Must be able to cut and fit-up own work. Must be very comfortable working in a marine environment. Individual must be a punctual, dependable, self-motivated, team player with a strong awareness of safety. Typical work activities include welding and working in all types of marine and industrial environments such as dry docks, piers, wharfs and waterfront building structures on Naval Facilities and other state and federal sites. The initial need for this position is for ongoing projects at the various locations of Naval Base Kitsap, beginning at submarine base Bangor.
   * Current WABO Certification
   * Current AWS D1.1/D1.1M Certification
   * Valid driver license
   * Ability to pass drug screening (at time of hire and randomly while employed)
   * Ability to gain federal base access
   * Ability to lift 75 lbs. repeatedly
   * Ability to comply with safety standards
   * Ability to work in confined spaces
   * Ability to work in low lit areas
   * Ability to work in wet conditions
   * Must be willing to cross trades when applicable (Carpenter/Operator/Laborer)
   * Must have an open schedule (available early mornings, nights, weekends if project requires)
   
   TO APPLY: PLEASE VISIT WWW.TRITON-MARINE.COM
   
   FILL OUT AN APPLICATION ONLINE & ATTACH A RESUME TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION
   
   Triton Marine Construction Corp. abides by the requirements of 41 CFR §§ 60-1.4(a), 60-300.5(a) and 60-741.5(a). These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity. The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. Triton Marine Construction Corp. takes affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity, protected veteran status or disability.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find structural welders for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your structural welder job on Zippia to find and recruit structural welder candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with structural welder candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new structural welder

   Once you have selected a candidate for the structural welder position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a structural welder?