First Class Welder Salary
$29.5K - $32.5K
2% of jobs
$32.5K - $35.5K
9% of jobs
$35.5K - $38.5K
13% of jobs
$38.8K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$38.5K - $41.5K
16% of jobs
The median wage is $43.4K / yr.
$41.5K - $44.5K
16% of jobs
$44.5K - $47.5K
12% of jobs
$49.3K is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$47.5K - $50.5K
12% of jobs
$50.5K - $53.5K
8% of jobs
$53.5K - $56.5K
6% of jobs
$56.5K - $59.5K
4% of jobs
$59.5K - $62.5K
2% of jobs
$29.5K
$44.5K
$64.5K
$46,302
/year
$22.26
/hour
First Class Welder Salary Comparison by Location
Nationwide
United States
$46,302
Columbus
Ohio
$44,723
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How much does a First Class Welder make?
As of Aug 23, 2026, the average annual pay for a First Class Welder in the United States is $46,302 a year.
Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $22.26 an hour. This is the equivalent of $890/week or $3,858/month.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $64,500 and as low as $29,500, the majority of First Class Welder salaries currently range between $39,000 (25th percentile) to $51,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $59,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a First Class Welder varies greatly (by as much as 12500), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.
A First Class Welder in your area makes on average $44,723 per year, or $1,579 (3.410%) less than the national average annual salary of $46,302. Ohio ranks number 43 out of 50 states nationwide for First Class Welder salaries.
To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for First Class Welder jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.
Find your next high paying job as a First Class Welder on ZipRecruiter today.
What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for First Class Welder Jobs
We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a First Class Welder job is above the national average. Topping the list is Kentville, NS, , with Whitehorse, YT, and Haines Junction, YT, close behind in the second and third positions. Haines Junction, YT, beats the national average by $17,654 (38.1%), and Kentville, NS, furthers that trend with another $18,321 (39.6%) above the $46,302 average.
With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a First Class Welder appears to be exceedingly fruitful.
Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 4% between Kentville, NS, and Eek, AK, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a First Class Welder role.
City | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Kentville, NS | $64,623 | $31.07 |
Whitehorse, YT | $64,212 | $30.87 |
Haines Junction, YT | $63,956 | $30.75 |
Oak Bay, BC | $63,407 | $30.48 |
Victoria, BC | $63,138 | $30.35 |
Alberton, PE | $62,549 | $30.07 |
Courtenay, BC | $62,380 | $29.99 |
Saint John, NB | $61,970 | $29.79 |
Kelowna, BC | $61,840 | $29.73 |
Eek, AK | $61,550 | $29.59 |
What are Top 5 Best Paying Related First Class Welder Jobs in the U.S.
We found a few related jobs that pay more than jobs in the First Class Welder category.
For example Shipyard Welder jobs pay as much as $7,532 (16.3%) more than the average First Class Welder salary of $46,302. If you're qualified, finding work as a Shipyard Welder may help you make more money than that of the average First Class Welder position.
Job Title | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Shipyard Welder | $53,834 | $25.88 |
Gas Metal Arc Welding | $53,061 | $25.51 |
Shipfitter | $52,672 | $25.32 |
Traveling Welder | $49,837 | $23.96 |
Welding Apprenticeship | $40,731 | $19.58 |
About Our Data
ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.
