Entry-Level Opportunities 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 |
| Seattle | Washington | $68,440 | $32.90/hr | $50,270 | $89,630 |
| Baton Rouge | Louisiana | $72,430 | $34.82/hr | $49,480 | $92,270 |
| Boston | Massachusetts | $66,210 | $31.83/hr | $49,030 | $83,430 |
| Minneapolis | Minnesota | $63,300 | $30.43/hr | $48,350 | $76,650 |
| Milwaukee | Wisconsin | $58,700 | $28.22/hr | $48,190 | $72,370 |
| Portland | Oregon | $64,170 | $30.85/hr | $48,050 | $83,940 |
| San Francisco | California | $70,680 | $33.98/hr | $48,010 | $99,930 |
| Worcester | Massachusetts | $62,500 | $30.05/hr | $47,720 | $81,400 |
| Des Moines | Iowa | $58,610 | $28.18/hr | $47,220 | $74,850 |
| Sacramento | California | $60,940 | $29.30/hr | $47,220 | $79,950 |
| San Diego | California | $65,350 | $31.42/hr | $46,700 | $82,470 |
| Anchorage | Alaska | $74,000 | $35.58/hr | $46,680 | $96,200 |
| Virginia Beach | Virginia | $62,000 | $29.81/hr | $46,510 | $78,180 |
| Hartford | Connecticut | $69,720 | $33.52/hr | $46,490 | $89,230 |
| Salt Lake City | Utah | $61,160 | $29.40/hr | $46,050 | $79,160 |
| New Orleans | Louisiana | $65,370 | $31.43/hr | $45,520 | $82,600 |
| Washington | District of Columbia | $67,950 | $32.67/hr | $45,150 | $114,440 |
| Madison | Wisconsin | $58,900 | $28.32/hr | $45,140 | $71,270 |
| Spokane | Washington | $58,650 | $28.20/hr | $45,090 | $74,450 |
| Denver | Colorado | $61,470 | $29.55/hr | $45,060 | $79,700 |
| New York | New York | $67,430 | $32.42/hr | $44,890 | $95,920 |
| Omaha | Nebraska | $55,840 | $26.85/hr | $44,770 | $70,150 |
| Syracuse | New York | $58,550 | $28.15/hr | $44,630 | $75,870 |
| Los Angeles | California | $60,120 | $28.91/hr | $44,530 | $79,870 |
| Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | $60,650 | $29.16/hr | $44,430 | $79,960 |
| Mobile | Alabama | $59,970 | $28.83/hr | $44,360 | $74,520 |
| Ogden | Utah | $60,370 | $29.03/hr | $44,080 | $78,940 |
| Riverside | California | $57,320 | $27.56/hr | $43,970 | $76,410 |
| Colorado Springs | Colorado | $59,190 | $28.46/hr | $43,760 | $95,430 |
| Phoenix | Arizona | $59,970 | $28.83/hr | $43,760 | $81,290 |
| Allentown | Pennsylvania | $56,650 | $27.24/hr | $43,720 | $74,820 |
| Baltimore | Maryland | $66,190 | $31.82/hr | $43,300 | $95,280 |
| Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | $57,520 | $27.66/hr | $43,280 | $75,780 |
| Provo | Utah | $57,070 | $27.44/hr | $43,220 | $76,380 |
| Charleston | South Carolina | $56,590 | $27.21/hr | $43,050 | $73,890 |
| Cape Coral | Florida | $55,170 | $26.53/hr | $43,040 | $71,040 |
| Richmond | Virginia | $59,720 | $28.71/hr | $42,950 | $83,920 |
| Fresno | California | $55,810 | $26.83/hr | $42,850 | $73,730 |
| Kansas City | Missouri | $59,250 | $28.49/hr | $42,850 | $78,150 |
| Modesto | California | $57,620 | $27.70/hr | $42,850 | $75,670 |
| Buffalo | New York | $56,810 | $27.31/hr | $41,880 | $74,110 |
| Akron | Ohio | $55,300 | $26.59/hr | $41,870 | $77,820 |
| Las Vegas | Nevada | $59,110 | $28.42/hr | $41,740 | $84,030 |
| Durham | North Carolina | $53,180 | $25.57/hr | $41,670 | $69,020 |
| Stockton | California | $56,900 | $27.36/hr | $41,600 | $74,280 |
| York | Pennsylvania | $56,170 | $27.00/hr | $41,600 | $73,860 |
| Bridgeport | Connecticut | $67,800 | $32.59/hr | $41,560 | $110,640 |
| Lancaster | Pennsylvania | $56,020 | $26.93/hr | $41,480 | $73,900 |
| Louisville | Kentucky | $54,800 | $26.35/hr | $41,070 | $70,360 |
| Charlotte | North Carolina | $56,990 | $27.40/hr | $41,060 | $75,910 |
| Miami | Florida | $56,640 | $27.23/hr | $40,800 | $74,600 |
| Boise | Idaho | $54,780 | $26.34/hr | $40,500 | $71,930 |
| Raleigh | North Carolina | $55,690 | $26.77/hr | $40,460 | $71,800 |
| Nashville | Tennessee | $53,020 | $25.49/hr | $40,220 | $68,490 |
| Greensboro | North Carolina | $54,700 | $26.30/hr | $40,130 | $70,550 |
| Scranton | Pennsylvania | $54,100 | $26.01/hr | $40,110 | $72,420 |
| Columbus | Ohio | $54,630 | $26.26/hr | $40,100 | $70,470 |
| Greenville | South Carolina | $51,570 | $24.79/hr | $39,990 | $63,340 |
| Tulsa | Oklahoma | $55,540 | $26.70/hr | $39,960 | $72,740 |
| Tampa | Florida | $53,300 | $25.62/hr | $39,890 | $67,360 |
| Harrisburg | Pennsylvania | $56,470 | $27.15/hr | $39,780 | $74,430 |
| Grand Rapids | Michigan | $51,840 | $24.92/hr | $39,540 | $63,030 |
| Orlando | Florida | $54,220 | $26.07/hr | $39,520 | $68,780 |
| Lakeland | Florida | $52,210 | $25.10/hr | $39,480 | $67,000 |
| Cincinnati | Ohio | $55,730 | $26.80/hr | $39,460 | $73,970 |
| Austin | Texas | $58,630 | $28.19/hr | $39,420 | $76,060 |
| Cleveland | Ohio | $52,080 | $25.04/hr | $39,330 | $68,640 |
| Dallas | Texas | $55,890 | $26.87/hr | $39,210 | $76,920 |
| Chicago | Illinois | $56,180 | $27.01/hr | $39,130 | $74,450 |
| Atlanta | Georgia | $53,310 | $25.63/hr | $39,100 | $69,300 |
| Wichita | Kansas | $55,730 | $26.79/hr | $39,020 | $71,890 |
| Detroit | Michigan | $55,900 | $26.87/hr | $39,000 | $75,760 |
| Jacksonville | Florida | $54,530 | $26.21/hr | $38,990 | $72,840 |
| Victoria | Texas | $53,940 | $25.93/hr | $38,840 | $70,730 |
| Rochester | New York | $55,910 | $26.88/hr | $38,800 | $70,520 |
| St Louis | Missouri | $54,840 | $26.36/hr | $38,770 | $72,140 |
| Tucson | Arizona | $55,820 | $26.84/hr | $38,660 | $78,090 |
| Memphis | Tennessee | $51,050 | $24.55/hr | $38,620 | $65,280 |
| Augusta | Georgia | $52,940 | $25.45/hr | $38,520 | $71,010 |
| Houston | Texas | $59,530 | $28.62/hr | $38,480 | $81,940 |
| Fort Wayne | Indiana | $52,210 | $25.10/hr | $38,340 | $63,730 |
| Little Rock | Arkansas | $49,180 | $23.64/hr | $38,340 | $60,250 |
| Knoxville | Tennessee | $49,530 | $23.81/hr | $38,280 | $63,980 |
| San Antonio | Texas | $53,210 | $25.58/hr | $38,230 | $73,800 |
| Bakersfield | California | $58,650 | $28.20/hr | $38,020 | $78,710 |
| Birmingham | Alabama | $53,540 | $25.74/hr | $38,010 | $71,640 |
| Toledo | Ohio | $50,650 | $24.35/hr | $37,970 | $61,750 |
| Pensacola | Florida | $52,290 | $25.14/hr | $37,920 | $64,500 |
| Indianapolis | Indiana | $55,770 | $26.81/hr | $37,690 | $76,130 |
| Oklahoma City | Oklahoma | $52,120 | $25.06/hr | $37,560 | $70,640 |
| Chattanooga | Tennessee | $51,920 | $24.96/hr | $37,500 | $69,320 |
| Dayton | Ohio | $52,950 | $25.46/hr | $37,460 | $69,670 |
| Jackson | Mississippi | $53,010 | $25.48/hr | $37,220 | $70,180 |
| Albuquerque | New Mexico | $56,570 | $27.20/hr | $37,040 | $79,060 |
| Columbia | South Carolina | $50,730 | $24.39/hr | $37,000 | $62,900 |
| Providence | Rhode Island | $58,800 | $28.27/hr | $35,580 | $81,000 |
| Palm Bay | Florida | $51,760 | $24.89/hr | $32,910 | $66,460 |
| El Paso | Texas | $45,780 | $22.01/hr | $29,360 | $64,260 |
| McAllen | Texas | $43,030 | $20.69/hr | $28,160 | $62,530 |