Structural Welder Salary (2025)
Welding · SOC Code 51-4121 · 3-year apprenticeship
National Salary Range
Structural Welder salaries range from $46,280 to $75,858 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Structural Welder Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $75,858 | $49,166 – $112,149 | $39,925 | D | 8,157 |
| Seattle, WA | $69,920 | $44,184 – $100,890 | $46,926 | C | 5,149 |
| New York, NY | $67,193 | $40,416 – $100,960 | $35,932 | D | 11,546 |
| Boston, MA | $66,637 | $40,280 – $98,677 | $43,840 | D | 8,224 |
| Portland, OR | $63,676 | $40,831 – $96,901 | $48,982 | C | 3,731 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $60,583 | $36,254 – $92,693 | $36,496 | D | 12,213 |
| Houston, TX | $59,853 | $37,674 – $90,285 | $62,347 | C | 3,034 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $59,407 | $37,356 – $84,660 | $57,122 | C | 5,323 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $59,185 | $38,144 – $90,975 | $51,465 | C | 5,786 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $58,460 | $35,379 – $84,046 | $55,151 | C | 5,912 |
| Chicago, IL | $56,632 | $36,488 – $87,618 | $52,927 | C | 5,354 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $56,554 | $33,911 – $86,565 | $61,472 | C | 3,907 |
| Dallas, TX | $56,442 | $34,077 – $84,546 | $55,335 | C | 4,488 |
| Denver, CO | $54,961 | $34,039 – $80,461 | $42,938 | D | 4,816 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $54,771 | $33,049 – $82,591 | $52,664 | C | 3,740 |
| Detroit, MI | $54,320 | $33,697 – $77,751 | $61,034 | C | 2,982 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $53,382 | $32,859 – $77,244 | $55,606 | C | 2,919 |
| Nashville, TN | $53,129 | $32,616 – $76,527 | $51,582 | C | 4,158 |
| Columbus, OH | $52,871 | $31,564 – $77,687 | $56,851 | C | 4,138 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $52,353 | $33,556 – $75,453 | $50,828 | C | 4,769 |
| Miami, FL | $51,566 | $31,624 – $79,332 | $42,267 | D | 3,853 |
| Charlotte, NC | $51,202 | $31,902 – $77,156 | $52,247 | C | 3,387 |
| Atlanta, GA | $51,061 | $32,041 – $73,765 | $48,171 | C | 5,937 |
| Kansas City, MO | $50,519 | $32,102 – $72,412 | $53,744 | C | 4,008 |
| St. Louis, MO | $49,408 | $29,757 – $74,163 | $54,898 | C | 3,707 |
| Raleigh, NC | $48,419 | $29,351 – $69,022 | $48,419 | C | 3,850 |
| San Antonio, TX | $48,358 | $30,828 – $70,865 | $53,731 | C | 3,445 |
| New Orleans, LA | $47,775 | $28,687 – $71,524 | $50,289 | C | 3,535 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $46,601 | $29,417 – $70,687 | $51,210 | C | 3,022 |
| Tampa, FL | $46,280 | $29,801 – $68,833 | $45,822 | D | 5,613 |
About Structural Welder Pay
Structural Welders earn a national median salary of $55,913 based on 2025 BLS occupational wage data. The highest-paying city for this trade is San Francisco at $75,858 median, while Tampa offers the lowest at $46,280.
Becoming a structural welder typically requires a 3-year apprenticeship program. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) can expect around $49,166, while master-level tradespeople (90th percentile) earn $112,149 or more. With 8% wage growth over the past 5 years, this trade is growing at a steady pace.
See how this compares to other trades on our highest paying trades ranking, or browse the best cities for trade workers.
Related Welding Trades
Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for structural welders is $55,913 based on 2025 BLS data. Pay ranges from $46,280 to $75,858 depending on city, experience, and union status.
San Francisco offers the highest median pay for structural welders at $75,858. However, cost of living matters — the COL-adjusted pay may tell a different story. Check our city-by-city breakdown above.
With a Trade Pay Score of C and 8% wage growth over 5 years, structural welder offers steady career prospects. There are approximately 150,703 jobs nationwide across 30 metro areas.
Becoming a structural welder typically requires a 3-year apprenticeship program combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Entry-level pay starts around $49,166 (10th percentile).
Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2025. Trade Pay Scores are a composite of median wage vs. metro income, wage growth, job demand, and COL-adjusted pay.