Welder Salary

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How much does a welder make? Welders earn an average salary for their skilled services. Welding is a trade that is based on permanently joining metal parts. In this process, using heat to metal pieces, melting and fusing them forming a permanent bond. Welding provides strength in structure, and is used in aerospace applications, automobile manufacturing and repair, shipbuilding, and many other manufacturing activities. Construction is another area where welding is used to join beams in the construction of bridges, buildings, and other structures, as well as joining pipes in powerplants, pipelines, and refineries.

Welder Salary

Welder Fitter Job Duties:

Melts lead bar, wire, or scrap to add lead to joint or to extrude melted scrap into reusable form.

Installs or repairs equipment, such as lead pipes, valves, floors, and tank linings.

Welds components in flat, vertical, or overhead positions.

Cuts workpiece, using powered saws, hand shears, or chipping knife.

Ignites torch and adjusts valves, amperage, or voltage to obtain desired flame or arc.

Inspects grooves, angles, or gap allowances, using micrometer, caliper, and precision measuring instruments.

Tack-welds or welds components and assemblies, using electric, gas, arc, or other welding equipment.

Develops templates and other work aids to hold and align parts.

Removes rough spots from workpiece, using portable grinder, hand file, or scraper.

Heats, forms, and dresses metal parts, using hand tools, torch, or arc welding equipment.

Observes tests on welded surfaces, such as hydrostatic, x-ray, and dimension tolerance to evaluate weld quality and conformance to specifications.

Determines required equipment and welding method, applying knowledge of metallurgy, geometry, and welding techniques.

Lays out, positions, and secures parts and assemblies according to specifications, using straightedge, combination square, calipers, and ruler.

Analyzes engineering drawings and specifications to plan layout, assembly, and welding operations.

Welders may train for welding, soldering, and brazing for low-skilled positions from a few weeks to on-the-job training. Highly skilled welding jobs may require on-the-job training and several years of welding school. Welding training is available in vocational-technical institutes, high schools and postsecondary institutions, community colleges, and private welding, soldering, and brazing schools. The U.S. Armed Forces provide welding training in their welding and soldering schools.

Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers will experience little or no change in job growth, declining 2 percent over 2008 to 2018. Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders jobs will decline by 7 percent over 2008 to 2018.

How much does a welder make per hour?

A May 2009 Bureau of Labor Statistics report shows the median hourly wages for welders was $17.61.

Industry And Hourly Wages

Architectural and Structural Metals Manufacturing $16.03

Agriculture, Construction, and Mining

Machinery Manufacturing $17.12

Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except

Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance $17.26

Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing $17.02

Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing $16.03

How much does a welder make per year?

The median yearly salary for welders according to a May 2009 Bureau of Labor Statistics report was $36,630.