Welder demographics and statistics in the US
Welder demographics research summary. Zippia estimates welder demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our 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 welders after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 402,333 welders currently employed in the United States.
- 6.1% of all welders are women, while 93.9% are men.
- The average welder age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of welders is White (63.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.0%), Black or African American (10.0%) and Unknown (4.1%).
- Welders are most in-demand in Houston, TX.
- The automotive industry is the highest-paying for welders.
- 3% of all welders are LGBT.
On this page
Welder demographics by:
Welder gender statistics
6.1% of welders are women and 93.9% of welders are men.
- Male, 93.9%
- Female, 6.1%
Welder gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 93.9% |
| Female | 6.1% |
Welder gender pay gap
Women earn 85¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$39,349
Female income
$33,363
Welder gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in welder positions over time. Currently, 6.1% of welders are female.
Welder gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 93.96% | 6.04% |
| 2011 | 94.10% | 5.90% |
| 2012 | 93.12% | 6.88% |
| 2013 | 93.72% | 6.28% |
| 2014 | 93.93% | 6.07% |
| 2015 | 94.45% | 5.55% |
| 2016 | 94.27% | 5.73% |
| 2017 | 94.10% | 5.90% |
| 2018 | 93.37% | 6.63% |
| 2019 | 93.10% | 6.90% |
| 2020 | 93.14% | 6.86% |
| 2021 | 93.91% | 6.09% |
Welder related jobs gender ratio
We compared 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% |
| Welder | 94% | 6% |
| 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%
Welder demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among welders is White, which makes up 63.2% of all welders. Comparatively, 18.0% of welders are Hispanic or Latino and 10.0% of welders are Black or African American.
- White, 63.2%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.0%
- Black or African American, 10.0%
- Unknown, 4.1%
- Asian, 3.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7%
Welder race
| Welder race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 63.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.0% |
| Black or African American | 10.0% |
| Unknown | 4.1% |
| Asian | 3.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.7% |
Welder race and ethnicity over time
See how welder racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Welder race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.91% | 10.85% | 3.41% | 15.69% |
| 2011 | 67.45% | 10.71% | 2.89% | 15.32% |
| 2012 | 67.70% | 10.71% | 2.97% | 14.67% |
| 2013 | 67.27% | 10.68% | 3.01% | 15.84% |
| 2014 | 67.32% | 11.01% | 2.78% | 15.77% |
| 2015 | 66.55% | 10.73% | 2.80% | 16.45% |
| 2016 | 66.95% | 10.93% | 2.94% | 15.84% |
| 2017 | 67.59% | 9.63% | 2.99% | 15.99% |
| 2018 | 67.82% | 9.57% | 2.68% | 16.18% |
| 2019 | 68.13% | 9.72% | 2.98% | 15.82% |
| 2020 | 65.28% | 10.15% | 2.52% | 16.13% |
| 2021 | 63.15% | 10.04% | 2.99% | 17.97% |
Welder wage gap by race
According to our data, white welders have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american welders have the lowest average salary at $37,568.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $38,986 |
| White | $40,446 |
| Black or African American | $37,568 |
| Asian | $40,162 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $39,649 |
Average welder age
See how the average age of welders varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
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 |
Welder age breakdown
The average age of welders is 40+ years years old, representing 51% of the welder population.
Welder age breakdown
| Welder Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 51% |
| 30-40 years | 25% |
| 20-30 years | 23% |
Welder educational attainment
The most common degree for welders is high school diploma, with 46% of welders earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 18% and associate degree degree at 17%.
- High School Diploma, 46%
- Associate, 18%
- Diploma, 17%
- Bachelor's, 6%
- Other Degrees, 13%
Welders by degree level
| Welder degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 46% |
| Associate | 18% |
| Diploma | 17% |
| Bachelor's | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 13% |
Welder jobs you might like
Welder wage gap by degree level
According to the data, welders with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $42,470 annually. With a Associate degree, welders earn a median annual income of $40,732 compared to $39,491 for welders with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $39,491 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $42,470 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $40,732 |
Welder employment statistics
Most welders work for a private in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where welders work
Below, you can see the size of companies where welders work.
Welder jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 10% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 24% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 13% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 31% |
| > 10,000 employees | 17% |
Welder jobs by company type
Employees with the welder job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most welders prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Welder jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 24% |
| Private | 73% |
| Government | 1% |
Welder jobs by industry
The most common industries for welders are manufacturing, professional and construction.
Welder industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 31% |
| Professional | 14% |
| Construction | 10% |
| Transportation | 9% |
| Automotive | 7% |
| Fortune 500 | 7% |
| Technology | 5% |
| Energy | 4% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Media | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
Welder turnover and employment statistics
Welder unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for welders between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Welder unemployment rate by year
| Year | 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 welder tenure
The average welder stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 154,090 welders resumes in Zippia's database.
Welder tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 34% |
| 1-2 years | 32% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 12% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 6% |
Welder LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Welder | 2.57% | - |
| Plastic Tool Maker | 2.99% | 14,497 |
| Induction Heat Treater | 3.20% | 196 |
| Computer Numerical Controller Machinist | 3.26% | 32,345 |
| Buckshot Swage Operator | 3.27% | 26,104 |
| Router Machine Operator | 5.87% | 56,628 |
| Drill Grinder | 6.48% | 870 |
Similar welder jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Plastic Tool Maker | 2.99% | 14,497 |
| Induction Heat Treater | 3.20% | 196 |
| Computer Numerical Controller Machinist | 3.26% | 32,345 |
| Buckshot Swage Operator | 3.27% | 26,104 |
| Router Machine Operator | 5.87% | 56,628 |
| Drill Grinder | 6.48% | 870 |
Foreign languages spoken by welders
The most common foreign language among welders is Spanish at 75.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 3.4% and Polish is the third-most popular at 3.2%.
- Spanish, 75.8%
- French, 3.4%
- Polish, 3.2%
- Carrier, 2.3%
- Russian, 2.3%
- Other, 13.0%
Welder languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 75.8% |
| French | 3.4% |
| Polish | 3.2% |
| Carrier | 2.3% |
| Russian | 2.3% |
| Other | 13.0% |
