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Construction and Structural Steel
Kiewit, Turner Construction, Nucor
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers join, repair, or reshape metal parts using heat, gas, and hand tools, then clean up the finished work so it meets spec. The job stands out because precision matters as much as physical skill: a bad joint can weaken a structure, while a good one has to hold up under stress. The tradeoff is clear—there’s solid demand and no college degree requirement, but the work is hot, physically demanding, and a lot of routine welding is vulnerable to automation or shop slowdown.
Also known as Production WelderShop WelderIndustrial WelderCombo WelderWelding Technician
Median Salary
$51,000
Mean $55,100
U.S. Workforce
~424K
45.6K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+2.2%
457.3K to 467.2K
Entry Education
High school diploma or equivalent
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers sits in the Trades category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~424K workers, with a median annual pay of $51,000 and roughly 45.6K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 457.3 K in 2024 to 467.2K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with High school diploma or equivalent, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Welder Apprentice and can progress toward Lead Welder / Welding Supervisor. High-value skills usually include Quality Control Analysis, Monitoring, and Operations Monitoring, paired with soft skills such as Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision-Making, and Time Management.
Core Responsibilities
- Set up welding machines, torches, hoses, and power tools for the metal you need to join.
- Clean, grind, or scrape metal parts so rust, grease, and other debris do not ruin the weld.
- Join, cut, or braze metal pieces using the right welding method for the job.
- Adjust heat, gas flow, and machine settings when the material or job changes.
Keep exploring: more Trades careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Set up welding machines, torches, hoses, and power tools for the metal you need to join.
02 Clean, grind, or scrape metal parts so rust, grease, and other debris do not ruin the weld.
03 Join, cut, or braze metal pieces using the right welding method for the job.
04 Adjust heat, gas flow, and machine settings when the material or job changes.
05 Measure finished pieces and look for cracks, gaps, warping, or other defects.
06 Remove slag and rough edges, straighten bent metal, and keep the work area safe.
Industries That Hire
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Shipbuilding and Marine Repair
Huntington Ingalls Industries, General Dynamics NASSCO, Fincantieri Marine Group
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Automotive and Transportation Manufacturing
Ford, General Motors, Tesla
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Aerospace and Defense
Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman
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Energy and Industrial Equipment
Baker Hughes, Caterpillar, Siemens Energy
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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You can enter the field with a high school diploma and moderate training, yet the median pay is still $51K and the mean is $55.1K.
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There are about 45.6K annual openings, so employers are hiring steadily across many industries.
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The work is hands-on and concrete: you can see whether a joint is sound, a repair holds, or a part fits right.
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Skills transfer well between shops, job sites, manufacturing plants, and repair work, which gives you some mobility.
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The role has no experience requirement at the door, so it is one of the more accessible skilled trades for people who want to earn while they learn.
Challenges
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Projected growth is only 2.2% from 2024 to 2034, so this is not a fast-expanding field.
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The work is physically hard, with heat, sparks, fumes, heavy parts, and awkward positions that can wear on your body over time.
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A lot of the routine work can be automated or shifted to robotic welding, which limits long-term demand for the simplest repeat jobs.
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There is a real ceiling if you stay at the bench; moving up usually means becoming a lead hand, inspector, or supervisor rather than just welding more.
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Pay can feel tight in lower-wage shops or high-cost areas, especially when you factor in tools, protective gear, and uneven overtime.
Career Progression
Welder Apprentice
0-2 years
$34K-$42K
You learn safety, basic machine setup, and simple welds while working under more experienced tradespeople.
Welder / Cutter / Brazer
2-5 years
$45K-$60K
You handle routine fabrication and repair work, and this is the tier that matches the role’s typical pay range.
Senior Welder / Fabricator THIS ROLE
5-9 years
$61K-$76K
You take on harder joints, thicker materials, tighter tolerances, and more troubleshooting when parts do not fit cleanly.
Lead Welder / Welding Supervisor
9+ years
$77K-$98K
You assign work, check quality, solve production problems, and make sure jobs move safely and on schedule.
Education Paths
High school diploma or equivalent
The most common entry point, held by 53.55% of workers in this role, and employers usually add moderate on-the-job training after hiring.
Less than a high school diploma
A smaller group, 20.83%, starts without a high school diploma and usually learns through close supervision and hands-on shop experience.
Post-secondary welding certificate
About 11.64% of workers have a post-secondary certificate, often from a welding or metal fabrication program that speeds up training on safety, machine setup, and joint prep.
Some college coursework
Another 11.28% have some college courses, which can help with math, blueprint reading, and fabrication basics, but most employers still want real welding practice.
Key Skills
Technical
Quality Control Analysis 53%
Monitoring 50%
Operations Monitoring 44%
Operation and Control 41%
Welding Procedure Setup & Gas Flow Control 39%
Surface Preparation & Metal Cleaning 38%
Measuring Tools, Templates & Straightedges 36%
SMAW, GMAW & Oxy-Fuel Equipment 35%
Soft Skills
Critical ThinkingJudgment and Decision-MakingTime ManagementActive ListeningAttention to DetailSafety Awareness Job Outlook and Trends
+2.2%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
45.6K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 457.3K to 467.2 K over the next decade, representing 2.2% growth. Around 45.6 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.