Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Career, Salary and Skills
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $53,750 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 416,210. Wage data is published for 436 locations.
Occupation description
Use hand-welding, flame-cutting, hand-soldering, or brazing equipment to weld or join metal components or to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products.
O*NET code
51-4121.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$53,750
Hourly median
$25.84
Employment
416,210
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Monitoring | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.88 | 2.62 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.88 | 2.38 |
| Time Management | 2.75 | 2.25 |
| Operations Monitoring | 2.75 | 2.50 |
| Operation and Control | 2.62 | 2.50 |
| Active Listening | 2.62 | 2.38 |
| Speaking | 2.62 | 2.00 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.50 | 2.12 |
Typical tasks
- Examine workpieces for defects and measure workpieces with straightedges or templates to ensure conformance with specifications.
- Weld components in flat, vertical, or overhead positions.
- Detect faulty operation of equipment or defective materials and notify supervisors.
- Recognize, set up, and operate hand and power tools common to the welding trade, such as shielded metal arc and gas metal arc welding equipment.
- Select and install torches, torch tips, filler rods, and flux, according to welding chart specifications or types and thicknesses of metals.
- Mark or tag material with proper job number, piece marks, and other identifying marks as required.
- Determine required equipment and welding methods, applying knowledge of metallurgy, geometry, and welding techniques.
- Operate safety equipment and use safe work habits.
Technology
- EZ Pipe
- Fred's Tip Cartridge Picker
- IBM Notes
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Windows
- OmniFleet Equipment Maintenance Management
- Oracle Database
- Recordkeeping software
- Scientific Software Group Filter Drain FD
- Value Analysis
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Salary in TXMedian $53,340 · Employment 52,000
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Salary in CAMedian $58,060 · Employment 26,060
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Salary in OHMedian $50,340 · Employment 20,330
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Salary in PAMedian $52,900 · Employment 17,850
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Salary in FLMedian $50,640 · Employment 16,420
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Salary in ILMedian $51,320 · Employment 16,260
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Salary in Houston, TXMedian $57,940 · Employment 15,850
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Salary in WIMedian $58,410 · Employment 15,320
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Salary in LAMedian $62,250 · Employment 13,690
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Salary in MIMedian $49,990 · Employment 13,330
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Salary in INMedian $49,730 · Employment 13,280
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Salary in GAMedian $48,430 · Employment 13,130
Related careers
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersNational median $46,570
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticNational median $47,180
- Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticNational median $50,620
- MachinistsNational median $58,750
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticNational median $52,800
- Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticNational median $48,750
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticNational median $46,550
- Industrial Machinery MechanicsNational median $64,520
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.