The average salary for a welder in California is around $48,590 per year.
Avg Salary
Welders earn an average yearly salary of $48,590.
Wages typically start from $36,560 and go up to $75,730.
33% below national average Updated in 2021
Welder earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level welder earnings begin at:
$36.41 per hour
$75,730 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level welder earnings begin at:
$29.13 per hour
$60,590 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level welder earnings begin at:
$23.36 per hour
$48,590 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level welder earnings begin at:
$18.64 per hour
$38,760 per year
10th percentile
Starting level welder earnings begin at:
$17.58 per hour
$36,560 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Welder salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $75,940 |
| District of Columbia | $65,810 |
| Hawaii | $63,120 |
| Wyoming | $60,800 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $60,410 |
| North Dakota | $59,770 |
| Rhode Island | $57,420 |
| Washington | $55,300 |
| Connecticut | $49,480 |
| Massachusetts | $49,480 |
| New Jersey | $49,480 |
| Virginia | $49,200 |
| Louisiana | $48,750 |
| New Hampshire | $48,620 |
| New Mexico | $48,600 |
| California | $48,590 |
| Maryland | $48,340 |
| Delaware | $48,210 |
| New York | $48,140 |
| Maine | $47,940 |
| Wisconsin | $47,940 |
| Minnesota | $47,840 |
| Oregon | $47,840 |
| Nevada | $47,830 |
| Texas | $47,820 |
| Colorado | $47,740 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,130 |
| Arizona | $46,970 |
| Utah | $46,910 |
| Vermont | $46,910 |
| Iowa | $46,640 |
| Idaho | $46,640 |
| Indiana | $46,640 |
| Montana | $46,640 |
| Nebraska | $46,640 |
| North Carolina | $46,450 |
| Mississippi | $46,420 |
| Oklahoma | $46,420 |
| Alabama | $46,320 |
| West Virginia | $46,240 |
| Kansas | $45,600 |
| Ohio | $45,010 |
| Tennessee | $44,830 |
| Illinois | $44,590 |
| Missouri | $44,280 |
| Florida | $44,260 |
| Kentucky | $43,440 |
| South Dakota | $39,300 |
| Michigan | $38,870 |
| South Carolina | $38,860 |
| Georgia | $38,520 |
| Guam | $38,050 |
| Arkansas | $37,760 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,710 |
How do welder salaries compare to similar careers?
Welders earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than hazardous materials removal workers but more than gem workers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Hazardous materials removal worker salary | $49K |
| Highway maintenance worker salary | $48K |
| Recreational vehicle service technician salary | $58K |
| Locksmith salary | $48K |
| Construction worker salary | $47K |
| Welder salary | $49K |
| Machinist salary | $48K |
| Jeweler salary | $49K |
| Precious metal worker salary | $49K |
| Gem worker salary | $49K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)