Welding Machine Operator

Welding Machine Operator Salary

$11K

$30K

$46.5K

$32,500

/year

$15.62

/hour

Welding Machine Operator Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$32,500

Columbus

Ohio

$31,391

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    How much does a Welding Machine Operator make?

    As of Jul 27, 2026, the average annual pay for a Welding Machine Operator in the United States is $32,500 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $15.62 an hour. This is the equivalent of $625/week or $2,708/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $46,500 and as low as $11,000, the majority of Welding Machine Operator salaries currently range between $30,000 (25th percentile) to $32,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $45,500 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a Welding Machine Operator varies little (about 2000), which suggests that regardless of location, there are not many opportunities for increased pay or advancement, even with several years of experience.

    A Welding Machine Operator in your area makes on average $31,391 per year, or $1,109 (3.412%) less than the national average annual salary of $32,500. Ohio ranks number 30 out of 50 states nationwide for Welding Machine Operator salaries.

    To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Welding Machine Operator jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

    Find your next high paying job as a Welding Machine Operator on ZipRecruiter today.

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Welding Machine Operator Jobs

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Welding Machine Operator job is above the national average. Topping the list is Santa Clara, CA, , with Beverly, MA, and Glenwood Springs, CO, close behind in the second and third positions. Glenwood Springs, CO, beats the national average by $11,781 (36.2%), and Santa Clara, CA, furthers that trend with another $16,491 (50.7%) above the $32,500 average.

    With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Welding Machine Operator appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

    However, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies modestly at 23% between Santa Clara, CA, and Clinton, TN, , suggesting it may be difficult to see much positive wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may help determine the balance between location and salary for a Welding Machine Operator role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Santa Clara, CA

    $48,991

    $23.55

    Beverly, MA

    $45,060

    $21.66

    Glenwood Springs, CO

    $44,281

    $21.29

    Milford, CT

    $43,317

    $20.83

    Spearfish, SD

    $41,227

    $19.82

    Nome, AK

    $40,316

    $19.38

    Berkeley, CA

    $39,794

    $19.13

    Burleigh County, ND

    $39,743

    $19.11

    Sitka, AK

    $39,152

    $18.82

    Clinton, TN

    $38,729

    $18.62

    What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Welding Machine Operator Jobs in the U.S.

    We found a few related jobs that pay more than jobs in the Welding Machine Operator category.

    For example Rig Welder jobs pay as much as $64,384 (198.1%) more than the average Welding Machine Operator salary of $32,500. If you're qualified, finding work as a Rig Welder may help you make more money than that of the average Welding Machine Operator position.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Rig Welder

    $96,884

    $46.58

    Aluminum Tig Welding

    $47,972

    $23.06

    Steel Welder

    $47,069

    $22.63

    Mig Welder Fabricator

    $46,235

    $22.23

    Fabricator

    $43,134

    $20.74

    About Our Data

    ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.

    Infographic detailing Welding Machine Operator salary across the United States as of July 2026. Displays a bar chart with salary percentiles, a national average salary of $32,500 per year or $15.62 an hour, and a color-coded map showing state-by-state salary variations.