Research Summary. Using a database of 30 million profiles, Zippia estimates demographics and statistics for welders in the United States. Our estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- 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 age of an employed welder 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.
Welder Statistics By Gender
6.1% of welders are women and 93.9% of welders are men.
- Male, 93.9%
- Female, 6.1%
Welders By Gender
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 93.9% |
| Female | 6.1% |
Gender Pay Gap For Welder
Women Earn 85ยข For Every $1 Earned By Men
Welder Gender Over Time
This data shows how men and women predominate in the welder position over time.
Welder Gender 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 Male to Female Ratio
We compared this job title with other job titles to see how gender percentages varied. As you can see, head machinist and die repair machinist have the biggest difference in gender.
| 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% |
Welder Statistics By Race
The most common ethnicity among welders is White, which makes up 63.2% of all welders. Comparatively, there are 18.0% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and 10.0% of the Black or African American ethnicity.
- 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
Using the Census Bureau data, we found out how the percentage of each ethnic category trended between 2010-2019 among welders.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Welder Race 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
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $38,986 |
| White | $40,446 |
| Black or African American | $37,568 |
| Asian | $40,162 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $39,649 |
Average Age of a Welder
We determined the average age of welders based on ethnicity and gender.
Welder Age By Race
| 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
This chart breaks down the ages of welder employees. Interestingly enough, the average age of welders is 40+ years old, which represents 51% of the population.
Welder Age
| Welder Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 51% |
| 30-40 years | 25% |
| 20-30 years | 23% |
Types of Welder Degree Levels
The most common degree for welders is high school diploma 46% of welders earn that degree. A close second is associate degree with 18% and rounding it off is diploma with 17%.
- High School Diploma, 46%
- Associate, 18%
- Diploma, 17%
- Bachelors, 6%
- Other Degrees, 13%
Welders By Education
| Welder Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 46% |
| Associate | 18% |
| Diploma | 17% |
| Bachelors | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 13% |
Welder Jobs You Might Like
Welder Wage Gap By Education
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $39,491 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $42,470 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $40,732 |
Welder Employment Statistics
This section highlights information about where welders work. We found most welders work for a private company. In addition, the industry that employs the most welders is the manufacturing industry.
Company Size
We created this chart to show you the average size of companies that typically hire welders.
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% |
The Types Of Companies Welder Work In
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% |
Top Industries Hiring Welders
Just based on the number of employees within each industry, we were able to determine the most common industries that employ welders. Those industries include 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 Bureau of Labor Statistics came in clutch when it came down to figuring out how the unemployment rate has changed over time. Between 2008 and 2018, this is how the number of welders changed.
- Unemployment rate
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% |
The Average Number of Years That Welder Stay in a Job
By looking over 154,090 welders resumes, we figured out that the average welder enjoys staying at their job for Less than 1 year for a percentage of 34%.
Welder Tenure
| Number or 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% |
Comparing The LGBT Ratio of Welders with Other Job Titles
After finding the gender ratio, we wondered if the percentages of LGBT persons were different as well. Using the data below, you can see how other job titles compare to welders.
| 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 |
Welder 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% |
