SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Set up, operate, or tend welding, soldering, or brazing machines or robots that weld, braze, solder, or heat treat metal products, components, or assemblies. Includes workers who operate laser cutters or laser-beam machines.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 51-4122.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $36,860 | $3,072 | $709 | $17.72 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $40,560 | $3,380 | $780 | $19.50 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $47,920 | $3,993 | $922 | $23.04 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $57,390 | $4,782 | $1,104 | $27.59 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $66,540 | $5,545 | $1,280 | $31.99 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is $47,920, which is 6% lower. Among the 105 occupations of the field Production, it ranks number 51 by median pay. With 31,600 jobs, it makes up about 2.0 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay by state
The highest median pay was in Arizona ($70,150), Alaska ($62,700) and Washington ($58,990). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($26,980), Montana ($35,670) and Mississippi ($37,390). The most jobs were in Michigan (3,150), Indiana (2,840) and California (2,290). The occupation is most concentrated in Indiana, where its share of all jobs is 4.4 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | 280 | $70,150 | $68,030 | $33.72 |
| Alaska | 50 | $62,700 | $70,110 | $30.14 |
| Washington | 50 | $58,990 | $60,410 | $28.36 |
| Illinois | 180 | $58,840 | $61,020 | $28.29 |
| Oregon | 250 | $58,650 | $60,220 | $28.20 |
| Wisconsin | 1,150 | $57,640 | $56,140 | $27.71 |
| Minnesota | 670 | $57,560 | $56,670 | $27.67 |
| Nebraska | 650 | $57,280 | $56,740 | $27.54 |
| Missouri | 560 | $56,210 | $55,980 | $27.02 |
| New Jersey | 510 | $53,680 | $52,310 | $25.81 |
| South Dakota | 150 | $52,520 | $51,970 | $25.25 |
| New York | 740 | $52,080 | $56,230 | $25.04 |
| Iowa | 1,310 | $51,740 | $52,530 | $24.88 |
| Texas | 1,750 | $51,310 | $52,860 | $24.67 |
| Idaho | 100 | $50,850 | $53,610 | $24.45 |
| Kentucky | 1,000 | $50,740 | $52,390 | $24.39 |
| Massachusetts | 480 | $50,480 | $51,550 | $24.27 |
| Rhode Island | 160 | $50,040 | $52,360 | $24.06 |
| Colorado | 100 | $49,860 | $51,890 | $23.97 |
| Virginia | 410 | $49,160 | $49,670 | $23.64 |
| California | 2,290 | $48,940 | $53,170 | $23.53 |
| Louisiana | 320 | $48,740 | $57,500 | $23.43 |
| Maine | 60 | $48,410 | $50,080 | $23.28 |
| Ohio | 2,190 | $48,190 | $51,130 | $23.17 |
| Connecticut | 590 | $47,900 | $53,440 | $23.03 |
| Nevada | 170 | $47,870 | $50,710 | $23.01 |
| North Carolina | 820 | $47,580 | $51,080 | $22.87 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,120 | $47,530 | $49,450 | $22.85 |
| New Hampshire | 290 | $47,500 | $49,220 | $22.84 |
| Tennessee | 1,950 | $47,180 | $46,330 | $22.68 |
| Maryland | 430 | $47,110 | $49,900 | $22.65 |
| Arkansas | 210 | $46,880 | $46,950 | $22.54 |
| Kansas | 160 | $46,710 | $50,430 | $22.46 |
| West Virginia | 120 | $46,460 | $50,820 | $22.34 |
| South Carolina | 340 | $46,260 | $49,000 | $22.24 |
| Georgia | 840 | $45,850 | $46,460 | $22.04 |
| Indiana | 2,840 | $43,960 | $47,520 | $21.14 |
| Michigan | 3,150 | $42,530 | $44,610 | $20.45 |
| Florida | 740 | $41,420 | $44,690 | $19.92 |
| Utah | 120 | $40,600 | $42,710 | $19.52 |
| Oklahoma | 460 | $40,400 | $43,860 | $19.42 |
| Alabama | 1,250 | $40,050 | $43,420 | $19.25 |
| Mississippi | 480 | $37,390 | $40,690 | $17.98 |
| Montana | not published | $35,670 | $38,430 | $17.15 |
| Puerto Rico | 90 | $26,980 | $33,090 | $12.97 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Foundry Mold and Coremakers$48,110 a year
- Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders$48,040 a year
- Medical Appliance Technicians$48,030 a year
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,720 a year
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,180 a year
- Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators$46,880 a year
Common questions
How much do Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders earn in the United States?
The median pay was $47,920 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $36,860 and the highest-paid 10% more than $66,540.
How many people work as Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders?
About 31,600 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.