Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Moderate-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers (51-4121) work in a skilled trade where hands-on ability and technical precision are central to career success. National employment is 457,000, indicating a sizable workforce and a broad presence across industries. The national median annual salary of $51,000 places this role in a solid earnings range for a career that typically requires a high school diploma or equivalent. Projected employment growth of 2.2% and 46,000 annual openings suggest ongoing demand and regular opportunities for new entrants and experienced workers. The role draws on fine motor skills, physical strength and stamina, mechanical aptitude, and attention to detail, supported by science, mathematics, and problem-solving capabilities. Creativity and innovation can also play a role, along with comfort using computers and information technology. For individuals who enjoy practical, skill-based work with clear results and want a path that values both physical ability and technical thinking, this occupation offers a stable and structured career option with multiple regional opportunities.
The national median annual salary for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers is $51,000, with notable variation by state and metro area. Several states show higher median pay, including Washington at $63,020, Massachusetts at $62,570, New York at $59,140, Colorado at $58,590, and California at $58,060. Among metro areas, median salaries are even higher in some locations: San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $64,320, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $64,140, Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH at $63,770, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ at $61,680, and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV at $60,670. These figures show that location decisions can significantly influence earning potential. Workers willing to target higher-paying metros or states may see higher typical wages than the national median, though these opportunities may come with differences in competition, living costs, and job availability that individuals will need to evaluate for themselves.
Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers have a national employment base of 457,000 workers, reflecting a well-established occupation. Projected employment growth is 2.2%, indicating modest expansion rather than rapid change. The occupation is expected to generate 46,000 annual openings, which include opportunities created by both employment growth and turnover as people change jobs or leave the workforce. This combination suggests a consistent stream of positions for new entrants and experienced workers over time. With this level of employment and ongoing openings, individuals considering this field can expect a reasonably steady labor market. The presence of detailed opportunity scores for multiple states and metros shows that demand is distributed across different regions, allowing job seekers to explore various geographic options. For career planners, the key takeaway is that this trade offers a combination of an established employment base, moderate projected growth, and a meaningful volume of openings each year.
Geography plays a significant role in opportunities for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers. Among states, California leads in employment with 26,060 workers and offers a median salary of $58,060 with an opportunity score of 67.38. Massachusetts and New York stand out for higher pay—$62,570 and $59,140 respectively—paired with strong opportunity scores above 65. Colorado and Washington also combine mid-to-upper $50,000s to low-$60,000s median salaries with opportunity scores in the mid-50s. At the metro level, several areas show especially strong prospects. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA has an opportunity score of 77.42 and a median salary of $64,140, while New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ closely follows with a 77.27 score and $61,680 median pay. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH all offer median salaries above $60,000 and opportunity scores above 63. These differences give workers the option to prioritize higher salaries, higher opportunity scores, or larger employment bases when choosing where to focus a job search.
The typical education requirement for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers is a high school diploma or equivalent. Beyond this baseline, success in the field relies heavily on a specific mix of technical and physical skills. Fine motor abilities and physical strength and stamina are central, reflecting the hands-on, physically demanding nature of the work. Mechanical aptitude and a strong detail orientation help workers handle equipment and complete tasks accurately. Science and mathematics support understanding of materials, measurements, and processes, while critical and analytical thinking, along with problem solving and decision making, help workers respond effectively to challenges on the job. Creativity and innovation can contribute to finding better approaches within established processes. Comfort with computers and information technology is also important, as digital tools increasingly support planning, measurement, and other aspects of modern work. Together, this skill set offers a pathway into a skilled trade with a relatively accessible formal education requirement.
Use CareerGPS Pro to compare markets, understand the tradeoffs, and focus on the places with the strongest potential.
