The salary of a Welder I in the United States varies depending on several factors, including experience, location, education level, marketing trend and company sizes.
As of April 01, 2025, the average hourly pay of Welder I in the United States is $22. While Salary.com is seeing that Welder I salary in the US can go up to $26 or down to $19, but most earn between $20 and $24. Salary.com shows the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Welder I in the United States.
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $24 | $2 | $0 | $0 |
| Average | $22 | $2 | $0 | $0 |
| 25th Percentile | $20 | $2 | $0 | $0 |
As of April 01, 2025, Salary.com is seeing that an entry-level Welder I with under 1 year experience makes about $45,090. With less than 2 years of experience, a mid-level Welder I makes around $45,466. After 2-4 years, the Welder I pay rises to about $46,406. Those senior Welder I with 5-8 years of experience earn roughly $46,594, and those Welder I having 8 years or more experience is expected to earn about $46,720 on average.
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level Welder I | $45,090 |
| Intermediate Level Welder I | $45,466 |
| Senior Level Welder I | $46,406 |
| Specialist Level Welder I | $46,594 |
| Expert Level Welder I | $46,720 |
| Entry Level | 1% |
| Mid Level | 0% |
| Senior Level | 2% |
| Top Level | 3% |
| Experienced | 3% |
Salaries in the United States can vary significantly from state to state due to a multitude of factors, including cost of living, local economic conditions, and industry presence.
For example, as of April 01, 2025, the average yearly salary of Welder I is $50,011 in California and in Massachusetts, the average annual salary goes to $49,345. While in New Jersey, a Welder I earns $49,145 per year.
What Am I Worth?
Salaries in the United States can vary significantly from city to city due to a multitude of factors, including cost of living, local economic conditions, and industry presence.
For example, as of April 01, 2025, the average yearly salary of Welder I in San Francisco, CA is $56,626 and in New York, NY, the average annual salary goes to $52,546. While a Welder I earns $50,569 per year in Boston, MA.
For those exploring the changing dynamics of Welder I salaries, Salary.com offers detailed insights through our Job Trending in CA Labor Market analysis. As of April 01, 2025, our research highlights a notable shift in Welder I compensation over the past six years. For instance, the median salary has moved from $44,286 in 2023 to about $44,413 in 2024 (for a comprehensive analysis of Welder I salary trends, click here). It's crucial to consider several elements, including geographical location, experience level, industry demand, and economic development, as they play a significant role in influencing salary variations.
Salary.com job board provides millions of Welder I information for you to search for. Click on search button below to see Welder I job openings or enter a new job title here.
Here are companies hiring for Welder I and their salaries, click below for more details.
| Core Compensation | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Base Salary | $45,341 | 66.7% | ||
| Bonus | $0 | 0.0% | ||
| Value of Benefits | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Social Security | $3,469 | 5.1% | ||
| 401K/403B | $1,904 | 2.8% | ||
| Disability | $907 | 1.3% | ||
| Healthcare | $8,352 | 12.3% | ||
| Pension | $2,448 | 3.6% | ||
| Time Off | $5,580 | 8.2% | ||
| Total Compensation | $68,002 | 100% | ||
| Degree Level | % of user with this level of education |
|---|---|
| No Diploma | 4.7% |
| High School | 72.4% |
| Associates | 15.0% |
| Bachelors | 6.3% |
| Masters | 1.6% |
What Am I Worth?
Joins, fabricates, and repairs metal and other weldable material by applying appropriate welding techniques. Interprets blueprints, specifications, diagrams or schematics to determine appropriate welding process. Inspects completed welds to determine structural soundness. Familiar with and complies with all safety requirements and protocols for working in a hazardous environment. May prepare the materials and set up for a welding device or robot. May be required to complete an apprenticeship and/or formal training in area of specialty. Typically requires a high school diploma or equivalent. Typically reports to a supervisor. Works under the close direction of senior personnel in the functional area. Possesses a moderate understanding of general aspects of the job. May require 0-1 year of general work experience.
Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.
Leadership: Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
Preventative Maintenance: Developing and implementing maintenance strategies to increase equipment life expectancy and avoid unplanned downtime.
Building Maintenance: Maintaining, restoring, and improving the functionality of the building to ensure a safe, functional, and comfortable environment.
