The salary for welders will vary based on the country that the welder lives in and works.
In the United States, the average salary for welders is around $43,000.
In Canada, they make slightly less earning on average $41,000 each year.
In the United Kingdom, welders do not make as much an average $33,000.
In Norway, they make $48,000 each year.
The salary is higher in Australia at $55,000 and topping at $72,000 in Switzerland.
Influences on Salary
The welder is going to make money based on the industry they are working in, their skill, and the country that they work in.
The Industry
Welders can be found working in manufacturing and construction.
Some may be members of the union and they often get a higher rate than nonunion members.
Welders that work in structural metals make around $39,000.
Those that work in the distribution of natural gas make more.
They can make as much as $71,000 a year.
Those that work in electric power generation and distribution make as much as $73,000 each year.
In the United States welders that work on the pipeline make 11 percent above the average salary.
In Canada, those that are willing to be part of the submerged arc welding make forty percent more money than the average welder.
Location
Welders working in the United States make on average just over $17 an hour.
They may get bonuses and maybe offer profit sharing.
Those on the upper scale make $64,000 annually.
Those working in Canada make up to C$85,000 0 the upper scale.
In the United Kingdom even at their pay rate welders do not make that much money.
They make at the most $38,000 pounds each year.
Australian welders who are eligible for bonuses make AU $79,000 each year.
Switzerland pays its welders pretty well.
They make CHF 115,000 which even when converted is still pretty high.
Those in Norway often get paid by the day.
Average Welder Salary by State
| State | Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $36,877 |
| Alaska | $44,396 |
| Arizona | $39,138 |
| Arkansas | $36,371 |
| California | $44,159 |
| Colorado | $39,415 |
| Connecticut | $46,150 |
| Delaware | $41,510 |
| Florida | $37,952 |
| Georgia | $38,150 |
| Hawaii | $41,628 |
| Idaho | $37,312 |
| Illinois | $40,731 |
| Indiana | $38,624 |
| Iowa | $37,754 |
| Kansas | $37,015 |
| Kentucky | $36,806 |
| Louisiana | $37,541 |
| Maine | $38,110 |
| Maryland | $41,075 |
| Massachusetts | $43,012 |
| Michigan | $39,929 |
| Minnesota | $40,324 |
| Mississippi | $34,290 |
| Missouri | $37,557 |
| Montana | $35,837 |
| Nebraska | $36,252 |
| Nevada | $40,719 |
| New Hampshire | $40,126 |
| New Jersey | $43,882 |
| New Mexico | $35,956 |
| New York | $42,419 |
| North Carolina | $37,715 |
| North Dakota | $36,766 |
| Ohio | $38,545 |
| Oklahoma | $37,161 |
| Oregon | $39,375 |
| Pennsylvania | $39,454 |
| Rhode Island | $41,668 |
| South Carolina | $36,685 |
| South Dakota | $33,722 |
| Tennessee | $35,916 |
| Texas | $38,743 |
| Utah | $37,455 |
| Vermont | $38,071 |
| Virginia | $38,984 |
| Washington | $42,299 |
| West Virginia | $34,893 |
| Wisconsin | $39,012 |
| Wyoming | $35,163 |
Experience
Experience does not have a major impact on the pay scale of the welder.
The welder may only see around a $10,000 increase from when beginning in the field to working in the field for 20 years.
In Canada, there is not much more of an increase.
In the United Kingdom, experience has even less of an impact.
There is less than a $5,000 different from entry level welders to those with over 20 years experience.
In Australia, there is also less than a $10,000 pay different from those with no experience to those that have made a career in the welding field.
Working Hours
Most welders are able to find full-time employment and the average workweek in 41.5 hours.
There are many welders that are even offered overtime with the chance to make more money.
The shifts average between 8 and 12 hours.
In some manufacturing plants, there are shifts.
Factories that are open 24 hours a day will hire welders to work various times of the day.
Evening and weekend work is common, especially in the United Kingdom.
Benefits and Bonuses
Most welders are available for bonuses.
The average bonus ranges from a couple of hundred to a couple of thousand a year.
Those that are part of a union have health benefits and retirement.
Welders that live in Switzerland, Australia, and Norway often get annual leave and their employer puts money into a pension fund.
Those that work in Switzerland are part of the three tear retirement system.
The employer will put Old Age Survivor/ Disability Insurance and will cover 60 percent of their retirement.
An employer does not have to contribute money but they are eligible to add to their own fund.
Career Outlook
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be a five percent increase in jobs for welders by 2026.
According to the American Welding Society projects, there is a shortage of 290,000 welders as of 2020.
With the improvement in infrastructures, there is a higher demand for skilled welders.
Welders will be needed to replace aging water, sewer, and gas lines, roads, and utility plants.
There is a decrease for welders in the construction field but they are needed in other areas.
In Norway, welders will need to work on drill platforms.
There is a big demand all over the world for skilled welders.
Many experts feel if the pay for welders does not improve there will continue to be a shortage of qualified welders to meet the demand.
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