You can make 100k welding by focusing on the highest paying welding jobs. Those jobs would include a nuclear welder, military support welder, and an underwater welder. Additionally, a lot of welding shops have welding business owner salaries in excess of $100,000.
Highest-paying welding jobs
- Welder helper. National average salary: $13.53 per hour.
- MIG welder. National average salary: $16.24 per hour.
- Fabricator/welder. National average salary: $17.76 per hour.
- Welder. National average salary: $17.90 per hour.
- Welder/fitter.
- Structural welder.
- Pipe welder.
It is a life-long career though, and welding as an industry is constantly changing. It's a relatively young trade, only about 100 years in it's current state. There are a lot of opportunities, but they are typically low paying low-skill or require a significant amount of time in the trade already.
Yes, welding is an excellent career because no college degree is needed and the training programs are short. But, welding can be a very lucrative profession to consider. That's especially true for those who want exposure to many opportunities for career advancement or travel.
A Career in SpaceWelders seeking out rewarding and challenging careers could have the opportunity to join NASA and help to explore the vastness of space.
Health hazards from arc welding and cutting result primarily from exposure to metal fumes and to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Overexposure of male workers to lead compounds is known to decrease the sexual drive and reduce the ability to produce healthy sperm.
Highest-paying trade careers
- Electrician.
- Landscape designer.
- Boilermaker.
- Respiratory therapist.
- Construction manager.
- Dental hygienist. National average salary: $38.10 per hour.
- Ultrasonographer. National average salary: $38.49 per hour.
- Radiation therapist. National average salary: $115,241 per year.
National AverageAs of Dec 25, 2020, the average annual pay for a Military Welder in the United States is $47,397 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $22.79 an hour. This is the equivalent of $911/week or $3,950/month.
On average, a pipeline welder can make between $36 and $52 an hour on arm pay, anywhere from $15 to $25 an hour for the truck pay, and then somewhere between $100 and $150 for the per diem.
Welders work in a variety of jobs in wide-ranging industries including (but not limited to):
- Aerospace.
- Agriculture.
- Automotive.
- Chemical processing.
- Construction.
- Manufacturing.
- Oil and gas extraction.
- Plumbing and pipe welding.
Payscale.com states that the median wage for a TIG welder is $17.00 per hour, or $44,408 per year, often with plenty of overtime opportunities.
Responsible for repairing and creating essential aircraft parts, Aircraft Metals Technology specialists act as the Air Force's machinists and welders. From troubleshooting to final fitting, these skilled professionals weld, fabricate and custom-make the metal components critical to the functioning of an aircraft.
Prolonged exposure to welding fume may cause lung damage and various types of cancer, including lung, larynx and urinary tract. Health effects from certain fumes may include metal fume fever, stomach ulcers, kidney damage and nervous system damage.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, commercial divers and underwater welders have a mean (average) hourly wage of $26.32, while the mean annual wage is approximately $54,750. Additionally, the top percentile (90%) can make approximately $93,910 or more.
United States Navy Welders earn $41,000 annually, or $20 per hour, which is 13% higher than the national average for all Welders at $36,000 annually and 47% lower than the national salary average for ?all working Americans.
Navy welders are enlisted personnel, and both men and women can qualify to be welders. After going through boot camp, Navy recruits go on to train for their military specialty – in this case, welding.
In the Marine Corps, metal workers are welders who repair a variety of equipment. It's up to them to determine what materials, tools and personnel are needed to complete a given welding job, and to map out the sequence of operations, so welding work is completed in a timely and safe manner.
For most people, welding is moderately to very difficult to learn how to do, as it's a hands-on skill that requires more than just reading. Furthermore, welding is very difficult to actually do for most people, because it takes years and years of practice, on top of learning how to do it.
Army welders help repair and maintain military equipment in the U.S. and overseas. They operate in combat to repair ships and help in other military operations, welding tunnel entrances to underground municipal water and power systems, for example.
You're almost always going to make more than minimum wage, even starting out. But the downside, economically, is that welding has a pretty low salary ceiling. Welders at the 90th percentile of income for the profession, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, earn $63,000 a year before taxes.
Funding your EducationSince 1944, the GI Bill has helped millions of Veterans pay for college, graduate school, and training programs. Learning to weld at an educational institution is a great way start your career in welding.
