National Salary Info » Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers

Highest Paying Industries for Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers

The top 100 highest paying industries for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $73,680, electric power generation, transmission and distribution is the highest paying industry for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers. It is followed by utilities industry (average annual salary $70,810). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 100 Highest Paying Industries for Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution	$73,680	$36,160	1,150
2	Utilities	$70,810	$38,110	2,070
3	Natural Gas Distribution	$67,000	$42,190	890
4	Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil	$66,580	$33,130	40
5	Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing	$65,980	$32,790	30
6	Other Pipeline Transportation	$61,050	$29,380	30
7	Postal Service (federal government)	$58,020	$58,010	40
8	Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills	$57,550	$34,000	90
9	Metal Ore Mining	$56,000	$31,440	410
10	Coal Mining	$55,730	$33,160	1,260
11	Paper Manufacturing	$55,500	$33,050	100
12	Federal government, including USPS	$53,570	$42,910	2,330
13	Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)	$53,330	$42,930	2,290
14	Utility System Construction	$52,940	$31,390	11,640
15	Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries	$52,830	$28,800	170
16	Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation)	$52,170	$34,700	4,450
17	Federal, State, and Local Government	$52,170	$34,700	4,450
18	Motor Vehicle Manufacturing	$51,920	$31,710	1,520
19	Public sector -- Federal, state, and local government, including government owned schools and hospit	$51,700	$33,770	4,810
20	Rail Transportation	$51,600	$27,950	3,960
21	Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation	$51,580	$36,880	120
22	Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing	$51,520	$24,980	110
23	Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$51,350	$31,970	1,730
24	Local government, including schools and hospitals	$50,080	$31,180	1,940
25	Facilities Support Services	$49,290	$30,480	140
26	Water Transportation	$49,270	$33,810	200
27	Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction	$49,200	$31,230	15,160
28	Mining (except Oil and Gas)	$49,030	$30,550	2,350
29	Other Support Services	$48,380	$31,240	70
30	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$48,190	$29,390	200
31	Scientific Research and Development Services	$48,190	$29,390	200
32	Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation	$47,760	$27,990	270
33	Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing	$46,760	$31,800	630
34	Mining	$46,460	$28,880	9,330
35	Chemical Manufacturing	$46,450	$27,410	450
36	Pipeline Transportation	$46,330	$27,560	300
37	Basic Chemical Manufacturing	$46,270	$31,310	320
38	Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors	$46,110	$31,760	4,030
39	Nonresidential Building Construction	$45,970	$28,920	8,410
40	Support Activities for Mining	$45,900	$28,500	6,560
41	Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools	$45,780	$32,240	120
42	Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors	$45,700	$27,000	590
43	Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing	$45,580	$27,720	1,390
44	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - State government owned	$45,500	$32,210	90
45	Construction of Buildings	$45,480	$28,560	8,840
46	Educational Services - State government owned	$45,440	$32,410	100
47	Inland Water Transportation	$45,280	$31,180	80
48	Other Amusement and Recreation Industries	$44,950	$26,970	100
49	Other Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing	$44,860	$30,510	160
50	Management of Companies and Enterprises	$44,350	$27,590	920
51	Transportation and Warehousing	$43,890	$26,570	8,130
52	Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing	$43,680	$27,840	2,780
53	Building Equipment Contractors	$43,480	$28,890	6,640
54	Educational Support Services	$43,460	$33,140	n/a
55	Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction	$43,350	$28,720	1,010
56	Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction	$43,240	$31,560	2,270
57	Construction	$43,240	$27,890	48,500
58	Educational Services - Privately owned	$42,950	$30,750	70
59	Educational Services	$42,890	$27,830	370
60	Ship and Boat Building	$42,780	$28,270	15,490
61	Engineering Services	$42,600	$27,420	1,520
62	Support Activities for Air Transportation	$42,410	$26,770	510
63	Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	$42,240	$27,090	1,650
64	Oil and Gas Extraction	$42,230	$28,270	420
65	State government, including schools and hospitals	$42,140	$32,060	540
66	Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction	$41,910	$28,720	1,240
67	Other Specialty Trade Contractors	$41,730	$27,480	5,250
68	Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance	$41,560	$23,690	290
69	State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$41,270	$32,060	420
70	Educational Services - Local government owned	$41,130	$25,570	200
71	Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers	$41,100	$27,040	630
72	Elementary and Secondary Schools	$41,050	$25,340	190
73	Elementary and Secondary Schools - Local government owned	$40,780	$25,260	190
74	Landscaping Services	$40,590	$22,990	60
75	Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing	$40,190	$28,290	30
76	Services to Buildings and Dwellings	$40,120	$23,070	60
77	Poured Concrete Foundation and Structure Contractors	$39,810	$25,330	140
78	Warehousing and Storage	$39,570	$26,450	160
79	Waste Treatment and Disposal	$39,520	$26,020	620
80	Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing	$39,520	$24,880	40
81	Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing	$39,410	$26,620	500
82	Specialty Trade Contractors	$39,300	$26,580	24,500
83	Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying	$39,160	$26,960	680
84	Support Activities for Water Transportation	$39,140	$25,030	970
85	Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas	$39,030	$26,480	220
86	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$38,940	$19,170	2,840
87	Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing	$38,920	$25,200	850
88	Glass and Glass Product Manufacturing	$38,800	$25,840	190
89	Food Manufacturing	$38,750	$23,770	260
90	Industrial Machinery Manufacturing	$38,600	$26,620	4,910
91	Waste Management and Remediation Services	$38,550	$25,950	2,050
92	Other Building Equipment Contractors	$38,520	$26,060	2,020
93	Remediation and Other Waste Management Services	$38,460	$27,620	210
94	Rental and Leasing Services	$38,140	$25,530	980
95	Waste Collection	$38,130	$25,700	1,220
96	Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing	$38,130	$26,240	3,310
97	Specialized Freight Trucking	$38,090	$26,440	350
98	Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$38,040	$24,440	300
99	Truck Transportation	$38,030	$25,730	760
100	General Freight Trucking	$37,980	$25,100	410