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.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders work in a specialized production role that combines mechanical ability with precision and physical stamina. Nationally, about 39,000 people are employed in this occupation, with a national median annual salary of $47,060. The typical entry point is a high school diploma or equivalent, making this a path that is accessible without a four-year degree. The role draws heavily on mechanical aptitude, fine motor skills, and attention to detail, along with problem solving, mathematics, and science. Leadership and creativity can also be valuable, especially in more advanced or supervisory roles. While projected employment growth is negative, there are still about 3,000 annual openings, reflecting ongoing replacement needs. For people who enjoy hands-on, mechanically oriented work and are comfortable with physically demanding environments, this occupation offers a defined, skill-based career path with clear geographic hotspots and a range of salary levels across states and metro areas.
The national median annual salary for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders is $47,060. Earnings vary by state and metro area. Among the highlighted states, median pay ranges from $48,940 in California to $58,990 in Washington, with Massachusetts, New York, and Colorado also above the national median. At the metro level, pay tends to be higher in several major areas. Median salaries include $52,800 in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, $57,900 in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, and $54,390 in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH are closer to state medians. These figures show that location has a significant impact on earnings, and some metro areas offer notably higher pay than the national median, which may appeal to workers willing to relocate or target specific regions.
National employment for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders stands at about 39,000, with projected employment growth of -9.0%. Despite this decline, there are an estimated 3,000 annual openings, which likely reflect job changes, retirements, and other replacement needs. The negative growth projection suggests that total employment in the occupation is expected to shrink over time, even though opportunities will continue to arise. This dynamic can influence job seekers’ strategies: candidates may benefit from focusing on regions with stronger opportunity scores or higher employment levels. It can also make skill development and adaptability more important, as workers may need to navigate a changing job landscape. Overall, the occupation offers ongoing openings but within a contracting employment base, so careful planning around geography, skills, and long-term goals is especially important for those considering or already working in this field.
Career prospects for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders vary meaningfully by state and metro area. Among states, California, Massachusetts, and New York stand out with higher CareerGPS opportunity scores above 65 and median salaries between $48,940 and $52,080. Washington posts the highest listed state median salary at $58,990, though with relatively low employment of 50 and a moderate opportunity score of 56.29. Colorado has a similar opportunity score to Washington and a median salary of $49,860, but with 100 employed. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ show the strongest opportunity scores, both above 77, with median salaries of $52,800 and $57,900 and employment around 400–440. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH also offer solid opportunity scores and mid-50,000 to low-50,000 median salaries. These patterns suggest that specific metros within high-scoring states can provide especially attractive combinations of pay and opportunity score.
The typical education requirement for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders is a high school diploma or equivalent, making this career accessible without a college degree. However, success in this occupation relies on a well-defined skill set. Mechanical skills and fine motor abilities are central, reflecting the need to work effectively with machines and perform precise tasks. Being detail oriented is also important, as small errors can affect quality and outcomes. Physical strength and stamina are valuable because the work can be physically demanding. Mathematics and science support accurate measurements, settings, and understanding of processes. Critical and analytical thinking, along with problem solving and decision making, help workers respond to issues on the job. Creativity and innovation, plus leadership skills, can be especially relevant for experienced workers who move into more advanced, supervisory, or process-improvement roles within the occupation or related fields.
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