Highest-Paying Cities for Welders: Top 25
The 25 highest-paying US metro areas for welders, ranked by median annual wage. Wages from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.
| # | Metro | Annual median | Hourly | 90th percentile | Employment | 5-yr wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Honolulu, HI | $81,120 | $39.00/hr | $100,220 | 430 | up 25.6% |
| 2 | Baton Rouge, LA | $78,170 | $37.58/hr | $92,270 | 3,690 | up 8.4% |
| 3 | Hartford, CT | $75,040 | $36.08/hr | $89,230 | 670 | up 51.4% |
| 4 | Anchorage, AK | $74,000 | $35.58/hr | $96,200 | 250 | down 0.2% |
| 5 | Portland, ME | $66,420 | $31.93/hr | $78,830 | 1,060 | |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $66,240 | $31.85/hr | $89,630 | 3,230 | up 17.4% |
| 7 | Boulder, CO | $65,040 | $31.27/hr | $76,200 | 260 | up 37.2% |
| 8 | San Francisco, CA | $64,320 | $30.93/hr | $99,930 | 1,990 | up 15.9% |
| 9 | San Jose, CA | $64,140 | $30.84/hr | $92,310 | 1,050 | up 15.1% |
| 10 | Boston, MA | $63,770 | $30.66/hr | $83,430 | 2,210 | up 19.8% |
| 11 | Shreveport, LA | $63,610 | $30.58/hr | $79,090 | 910 | up 50.1% |
| 12 | Bridgeport, CT | $63,440 | $30.50/hr | $110,640 | 210 | |
| 13 | Gulfport, MS | $63,440 | $30.50/hr | $63,440 | 2,220 | up 11.1% |
| 14 | New Orleans, LA | $63,270 | $30.42/hr | $82,600 | 2,000 | up 25.7% |
| 15 | Virginia Beach, VA | $62,670 | $30.13/hr | $78,180 | 3,740 | up 15.8% |
| 16 | San Diego, CA | $62,560 | $30.08/hr | $82,470 | 2,940 | up 18.2% |
| 17 | Portland, OR | $62,050 | $29.83/hr | $83,940 | 3,300 | up 24.2% |
| 18 | Baltimore, MD | $61,920 | $29.77/hr | $95,280 | 1,290 | up 8.5% |
| 19 | Minneapolis, MN | $61,880 | $29.75/hr | $76,650 | 4,600 | up 22.3% |
| 20 | New York, NY | $61,680 | $29.66/hr | $95,920 | 5,780 | up 27.8% |
| 21 | New Haven, CT | $61,630 | $29.63/hr | $84,950 | 180 | |
| 22 | Mobile, AL | $61,420 | $29.53/hr | $74,520 | 1,700 | up 14.8% |
| 23 | Atlantic City, NJ | $60,880 | $29.27/hr | $90,630 | 90 | up 46.8% |
| 24 | Washington, DC | $60,670 | $29.17/hr | $114,440 | 2,000 | up 16.3% |
| 25 | Worcester, MA | $60,320 | $29.00/hr | $81,400 | 330 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2020 and May 2025.