Highest Paying Cities for Welders — 2026
Urban Honolulu, Hawaii ranks first with an average Welder salary of $79,390 per year ($38.17/hr). Full ranking of 100 cities below, updated August 2026.
Methodology: Wage figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 release data vintage (survey reference period May 2025), mapped from SOC occupation 51-4121 Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers to the job title "Welder". Values are measured survey estimates for the metropolitan metropolitan statistical area (MSA) — not modeled or interpolated. Year-over-year comparisons use the May 2024 OEWS release. The year shown in page titles is the publication and update year, not the data vintage.
Ranked Cities
| City | State | Average Annual Salary | Hourly Rate | Entry Level | Senior Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu | Hawaii | $79,390 | $38.17/hr | $52,020 | $100,220 |
| Anchorage | Alaska | $74,000 | $35.58/hr | $46,680 | $96,200 |
| Baton Rouge | Louisiana | $72,430 | $34.82/hr | $49,480 | $92,270 |
| San Francisco | California | $70,680 | $33.98/hr | $48,010 | $99,930 |
| Hartford | Connecticut | $69,720 | $33.52/hr | $46,490 | $89,230 |
| Seattle | Washington | $68,440 | $32.90/hr | $50,270 | $89,630 |
| Washington | District of Columbia | $67,950 | $32.67/hr | $45,150 | $114,440 |
| Bridgeport | Connecticut | $67,800 | $32.59/hr | $41,560 | $110,640 |
| New York | New York | $67,430 | $32.42/hr | $44,890 | $95,920 |
| Boston | Massachusetts | $66,210 | $31.83/hr | $49,030 | $83,430 |
| Baltimore | Maryland | $66,190 | $31.82/hr | $43,300 | $95,280 |
| New Orleans | Louisiana | $65,370 | $31.43/hr | $45,520 | $82,600 |
| San Diego | California | $65,350 | $31.42/hr | $46,700 | $82,470 |
| Portland | Oregon | $64,170 | $30.85/hr | $48,050 | $83,940 |
| Minneapolis | Minnesota | $63,300 | $30.43/hr | $48,350 | $76,650 |
| Worcester | Massachusetts | $62,500 | $30.05/hr | $47,720 | $81,400 |
| Virginia Beach | Virginia | $62,000 | $29.81/hr | $46,510 | $78,180 |
| Denver | Colorado | $61,470 | $29.55/hr | $45,060 | $79,700 |
| Salt Lake City | Utah | $61,160 | $29.40/hr | $46,050 | $79,160 |
| Sacramento | California | $60,940 | $29.30/hr | $47,220 | $79,950 |
| Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | $60,650 | $29.16/hr | $44,430 | $79,960 |
| Ogden | Utah | $60,370 | $29.03/hr | $44,080 | $78,940 |
| Los Angeles | California | $60,120 | $28.91/hr | $44,530 | $79,870 |
| Mobile | Alabama | $59,970 | $28.83/hr | $44,360 | $74,520 |
| Phoenix | Arizona | $59,970 | $28.83/hr | $43,760 | $81,290 |
| Richmond | Virginia | $59,720 | $28.71/hr | $42,950 | $83,920 |
| Houston | Texas | $59,530 | $28.62/hr | $38,480 | $81,940 |
| Kansas City | Missouri | $59,250 | $28.49/hr | $42,850 | $78,150 |
| Colorado Springs | Colorado | $59,190 | $28.46/hr | $43,760 | $95,430 |
| Las Vegas | Nevada | $59,110 | $28.42/hr | $41,740 | $84,030 |
| Madison | Wisconsin | $58,900 | $28.32/hr | $45,140 | $71,270 |
| Providence | Rhode Island | $58,800 | $28.27/hr | $35,580 | $81,000 |
| Milwaukee | Wisconsin | $58,700 | $28.22/hr | $48,190 | $72,370 |
| Bakersfield | California | $58,650 | $28.20/hr | $38,020 | $78,710 |
| Spokane | Washington | $58,650 | $28.20/hr | $45,090 | $74,450 |
| Austin | Texas | $58,630 | $28.19/hr | $39,420 | $76,060 |
| Des Moines | Iowa | $58,610 | $28.18/hr | $47,220 | $74,850 |
| Syracuse | New York | $58,550 | $28.15/hr | $44,630 | $75,870 |
| Modesto | California | $57,620 | $27.70/hr | $42,850 | $75,670 |
| Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | $57,520 | $27.66/hr | $43,280 | $75,780 |
| Riverside | California | $57,320 | $27.56/hr | $43,970 | $76,410 |
| Provo | Utah | $57,070 | $27.44/hr | $43,220 | $76,380 |
| Charlotte | North Carolina | $56,990 | $27.40/hr | $41,060 | $75,910 |
| Stockton | California | $56,900 | $27.36/hr | $41,600 | $74,280 |
| Buffalo | New York | $56,810 | $27.31/hr | $41,880 | $74,110 |
| Allentown | Pennsylvania | $56,650 | $27.24/hr | $43,720 | $74,820 |
| Miami | Florida | $56,640 | $27.23/hr | $40,800 | $74,600 |
| Charleston | South Carolina | $56,590 | $27.21/hr | $43,050 | $73,890 |
| Albuquerque | New Mexico | $56,570 | $27.20/hr | $37,040 | $79,060 |
| Harrisburg | Pennsylvania | $56,470 | $27.15/hr | $39,780 | $74,430 |
| Chicago | Illinois | $56,180 | $27.01/hr | $39,130 | $74,450 |
| York | Pennsylvania | $56,170 | $27.00/hr | $41,600 | $73,860 |
| Lancaster | Pennsylvania | $56,020 | $26.93/hr | $41,480 | $73,900 |
| Rochester | New York | $55,910 | $26.88/hr | $38,800 | $70,520 |
| Detroit | Michigan | $55,900 | $26.87/hr | $39,000 | $75,760 |
| Dallas | Texas | $55,890 | $26.87/hr | $39,210 | $76,920 |
| Omaha | Nebraska | $55,840 | $26.85/hr | $44,770 | $70,150 |
| Tucson | Arizona | $55,820 | $26.84/hr | $38,660 | $78,090 |
| Fresno | California | $55,810 | $26.83/hr | $42,850 | $73,730 |
| Indianapolis | Indiana | $55,770 | $26.81/hr | $37,690 | $76,130 |
| Cincinnati | Ohio | $55,730 | $26.80/hr | $39,460 | $73,970 |
| Wichita | Kansas | $55,730 | $26.79/hr | $39,020 | $71,890 |
| Raleigh | North Carolina | $55,690 | $26.77/hr | $40,460 | $71,800 |
| Tulsa | Oklahoma | $55,540 | $26.70/hr | $39,960 | $72,740 |
| Akron | Ohio | $55,300 | $26.59/hr | $41,870 | $77,820 |
| Cape Coral | Florida | $55,170 | $26.53/hr | $43,040 | $71,040 |
| St Louis | Missouri | $54,840 | $26.36/hr | $38,770 | $72,140 |
| Louisville | Kentucky | $54,800 | $26.35/hr | $41,070 | $70,360 |
| Boise | Idaho | $54,780 | $26.34/hr | $40,500 | $71,930 |
| Greensboro | North Carolina | $54,700 | $26.30/hr | $40,130 | $70,550 |
| Columbus | Ohio | $54,630 | $26.26/hr | $40,100 | $70,470 |
| Jacksonville | Florida | $54,530 | $26.21/hr | $38,990 | $72,840 |
| Orlando | Florida | $54,220 | $26.07/hr | $39,520 | $68,780 |
| Scranton | Pennsylvania | $54,100 | $26.01/hr | $40,110 | $72,420 |
| Victoria | Texas | $53,940 | $25.93/hr | $38,840 | $70,730 |
| Birmingham | Alabama | $53,540 | $25.74/hr | $38,010 | $71,640 |
| Atlanta | Georgia | $53,310 | $25.63/hr | $39,100 | $69,300 |
| Tampa | Florida | $53,300 | $25.62/hr | $39,890 | $67,360 |
| San Antonio | Texas | $53,210 | $25.58/hr | $38,230 | $73,800 |
| Durham | North Carolina | $53,180 | $25.57/hr | $41,670 | $69,020 |
| Nashville | Tennessee | $53,020 | $25.49/hr | $40,220 | $68,490 |
| Jackson | Mississippi | $53,010 | $25.48/hr | $37,220 | $70,180 |
| Dayton | Ohio | $52,950 | $25.46/hr | $37,460 | $69,670 |
| Augusta | Georgia | $52,940 | $25.45/hr | $38,520 | $71,010 |
| Pensacola | Florida | $52,290 | $25.14/hr | $37,920 | $64,500 |
| Fort Wayne | Indiana | $52,210 | $25.10/hr | $38,340 | $63,730 |
| Lakeland | Florida | $52,210 | $25.10/hr | $39,480 | $67,000 |
| Oklahoma City | Oklahoma | $52,120 | $25.06/hr | $37,560 | $70,640 |
| Cleveland | Ohio | $52,080 | $25.04/hr | $39,330 | $68,640 |
| Chattanooga | Tennessee | $51,920 | $24.96/hr | $37,500 | $69,320 |
| Grand Rapids | Michigan | $51,840 | $24.92/hr | $39,540 | $63,030 |
| Palm Bay | Florida | $51,760 | $24.89/hr | $32,910 | $66,460 |
| Greenville | South Carolina | $51,570 | $24.79/hr | $39,990 | $63,340 |
| Memphis | Tennessee | $51,050 | $24.55/hr | $38,620 | $65,280 |
| Columbia | South Carolina | $50,730 | $24.39/hr | $37,000 | $62,900 |
| Toledo | Ohio | $50,650 | $24.35/hr | $37,970 | $61,750 |
| Knoxville | Tennessee | $49,530 | $23.81/hr | $38,280 | $63,980 |
| Little Rock | Arkansas | $49,180 | $23.64/hr | $38,340 | $60,250 |
| El Paso | Texas | $45,780 | $22.01/hr | $29,360 | $64,260 |
| McAllen | Texas | $43,030 | $20.69/hr | $28,160 | $62,530 |