Trade · ONET 51-4121.00
Welder
Joins and cuts metal using arc, MIG, TIG, stick, and oxy-fuel processes.
What the work looks like
Welders work in shops, on construction sites, in shipyards, on pipelines, and in manufacturing plants. Structural welders run beads on beams and plate; pipe welders work on process lines, power generation, and pipelines; fabrication welders build tanks, trailers, and machinery. A typical day involves setup, tack welds, full passes, grinding, and inspection against a welding procedure specification (WPS). Titles shift with experience and certification: helper, apprentice/fitter-welder, journey welder, lead welder, foreman, and on the inspection side the Certified Welding Inspector (CWI). Shops that work to ASME or API codes also run qualification tests at hire; welders typically carry a binder of current procedure and performance qualifications.
Physical demands
- Sustained positional work (overhead, vertical, horizontal, 6G on pipe)
- Heat, smoke, and UV exposure (leathers, hood, respirator where required)
- Lifting and positioning heavy stock, sometimes with rigging
- Working at heights on structural jobs and in confined spaces on tanks and vessels
- Eye and lung health management across a full career (fume extraction, respirators, proper shade lenses)
- Standing on steel or concrete for full shifts with full leathers in hot conditions
Common tools
- MIG, TIG, and stick welding machines
- Plasma cutter and oxy-fuel torch
- 4 and 7 inch grinders
- Chipping hammer, wire brush, file
- Magnetic squares, clamps, and fit-up tools
- AWS-spec filler metal per project
- Auto-darkening hood, leathers, and fume respirator
- Temperature crayons (tempilstiks) for preheat and interpass checks
Union and non-union paths
Welders in shipyards, refineries, and pipeline work are often represented by the Boilermakers, Pipefitters (UA), Ironworkers, or Sheet Metal Workers unions. Shop welders and small-fabrication welders are usually non-union. Certification (AWS D1.1 for structural steel, ASME Section IX for pressure vessels, API 1104 for pipelines) matters more than licensure in most hiring decisions because most states do not license welders directly. Union wage schedules are public; open-shop wages are set per contractor, so ask for the schedule and test requirements in writing before signing on.
How to enter
Most welders enter through a trade school or community college welding program, followed by a certification test at the employer's spec. Some employers hire helpers and train them on the job. Recognized credentials include the AWS Certified Welder program and the NCCER welding curriculum. Registered apprenticeships exist through Boilermakers, Pipefitters, Ironworkers, and Sheet Metal locals in many regions, typically running 3 to 5 years depending on the classification. Military welder ratings (Navy HT, Army allied MOS) often crosswalk into civilian work with advanced standing at many locals and shops.
Specialty paths in this trade
Most states license one welder classification, but the work splits into distinct paths with different schedules, tools, and wage schedules. Read before choosing a program.
Structural Welder (AWS D1.1)
Steel erection, bridges, commercial buildings, and heavy industrial structures. AWS D1.1 is the structural steel welding code and governs most buildings and bridges in the United States.
Typical scope
- Beams, columns, moment connections, and base plates
- Plate girders and bridge assemblies
- Shear studs, stairs, and miscellaneous steel
- Field welding on erection sites with Ironworkers or shop welding in fab shops
Entry: Ironworkers registered apprenticeship (welding endorsement) or fabrication-shop entry with an AWS D1.1 qualification test. Typical position tests are 3G and 4G plate with the process the shop runs (FCAW or SMAW most often).
Wage note: Schedule depends on employer and local. Union structural rates are on the Ironworkers local schedule; shop rates are set per contractor. Check the schedule in writing before signing on.
Pipe / Process Welder (ASME IX, API 1104)
Process piping in refineries, chemical plants, power generation, and pipelines. Works to ASME Section IX performance qualifications for process piping and pressure work, or API 1104 for cross-country and gathering pipelines.
Typical scope
- 6G position pipe welds on carbon and stainless process lines
- TIG root plus stick or flux-core fill and cap on process work
- Pipeline stringer, firing-line, and tie-in welds under API 1104
- Hydro-test and radiographic (RT) inspection coordination
Entry: Pipefitters (UA) registered apprenticeship with a welding endorsement, or non-union entry via a pipe-welding school followed by a shop qualification test. Most pipe jobs require a current ASME IX or API 1104 qualification paper on file.
Wage note: Schedule depends on employer, local, and per-diem structure. Pipeline and turnaround work often pays per-diem on top of the hourly rate; ask for the full package in writing.
Pressure-Vessel Welder (NBIC R-stamp and ASME shops)
ASME Section VIII and Section I work on boilers, heat exchangers, and pressure vessels in code shops that carry U, S, or R stamps from the National Board. Repair work on installed pressure equipment runs under the NBIC (National Board Inspection Code).
Typical scope
- Shop fabrication of pressure vessels to ASME Section VIII
- Boiler tube welding under ASME Section I
- In-service vessel repair in R-stamp shops under NBIC rules
- Working from a WPS with interpass temperature and PWHT requirements
Entry: Boilermakers apprenticeship for field boiler and vessel work, or shop entry with ASME IX qualifications. Code shops typically run their own re-qualification test at hire and audit qualifications annually.
Wage note: Schedule depends on shop classification (U-stamp, S-stamp, R-stamp) and the code the work is being performed to. Boilermaker outage work runs on a local schedule with shift differentials; ask for the schedule in writing.
Underwater / Commercial-Diver Welder
Wet and dry (habitat) welding on offshore platforms, inland marine, and harbor infrastructure. A small specialty that requires commercial dive certification in addition to welding qualifications. Work is governed by AWS D3.6M for underwater welding.
Typical scope
- Inland marine repair on barges, docks, and bridge piers
- Offshore structural repair and pipeline tie-ins
- Wet stick welding and dry habitat (hyperbaric) welding
- Underwater cutting with exothermic torches
Entry: Commercial dive school (ADCI-recognized program) plus welding qualifications, typically followed by a tender role before solo welding assignments. Physical screening and dive medical are required at entry and annually.
Wage note: Schedule depends on employer, depth, and offshore-vs-inland classification. Offshore saturation work carries significant differentials; inland marine pays on a different schedule. Ask for the schedule and dive-pay structure in writing.
Residential, commercial, industrial
Welding work splits more naturally along scope than along residential-versus-commercial lines. The three working categories most welders move between are fab-shop work, structural-and-field work, and pipe-and-pressure work. The same welder may hold qualifications across multiple categories over a career.
Residential
Fab-shop work. Trailers, gates, railings, light structural, and small-run manufacturing. Smaller crews, indoor shop conditions, and typically lighter-gauge material. Schedules are more predictable; overtime depends on order backlog. Wage schedule is set per shop.
Commercial
Structural and field work. Commercial buildings, bridges, and heavy miscellaneous steel under AWS D1.1. Larger crews, outdoor and at-heights work, and coordination with Ironworkers. Overtime on schedule-driven phases is common. Union rates run on the Ironworkers or Boilermakers local schedule; open-shop rates are set per contractor.
Industrial
Pipe, pressure, and process work. Refineries, chemical plants, power generation, pipelines, and shipyards. ASME Section IX or API 1104 qualifications required. Shutdown and turnaround schedules can mean long OT stretches followed by slower periods, often with per-diem. Pay commonly sits at the top of the regional schedule for welders who hold current code qualifications.
Certifications that unlock premium work
Credentials beyond the state license. Each one opens a specific segment of work where the qualified pool is smaller.
AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) ↗
The AWS CWI is the widely recognized inspection credential for structural and fabrication work. Commonly required on public-works and large commercial contracts that specify third-party weld inspection. A common second-career move for journey welders moving off the hood.
Issuer: American Welding Society (AWS)
AWS D1.1 Structural Welder Qualification ↗
Performance qualification to the AWS D1.1 structural steel welding code. Most structural steel employers require a current D1.1 qualification on the process and positions the shop runs. Qualification is job-specific and typically re-tested at each employer.
Issuer: American Welding Society (AWS) / qualified test facility
ASME Section IX Welding Performance Qualification ↗
The ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section IX governs welder performance qualification for pressure-containing work. Process piping, pressure vessels, and boiler work typically require a current Section IX qualification on the specific process, position, and material.
Issuer: ASME (administered by the employer or qualified test facility)
API 1104 Pipeline Welder Qualification ↗
API 1104 is the welding standard for cross-country and gathering pipelines in the United States. Pipeline contractors typically require a current API 1104 qualification on the process and pipe diameter the job calls for. Re-qualification is common at each spread.
Issuer: American Petroleum Institute (API)
AMPP (NACE) Coating Inspector ↗
The Association for Materials Protection and Performance (formed from NACE and SSPC) issues the recognized coating-inspection credentials for pipeline and industrial coating work. Useful for welders moving into pipeline integrity or coating QA roles.
Issuer: AMPP (NACE / SSPC)
CWB Canadian Welder Certification ↗
The Canadian Welding Bureau administers welder qualification under CSA W47.1 for structural work in Canada. Useful for welders working on cross-border projects or pursuing work with Canadian fabricators.
Issuer: Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB)
NCCER Welding Credentials ↗
The NCCER welding curriculum and performance tests are accepted by many industrial contractors (especially ABC-affiliated shops) as a portable credential. Commonly paired with AWS D1.1 or ASME IX qualification for specific jobs.
Issuer: National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER)
Tool and equipment investment
Apprentice, year 1
$400 to $900 for personal PPE and starter tools the program or employer does not supply: auto-darkening hood, leathers (jacket, sleeves, bib, chaps), welding gloves, striker, soapstone, chipping hammer, wire brush, safety glasses, tempilstiks, and a gear bag.
Journey level
$3,000 to $10,000 over time for a full personal kit: a rig-ready MIG/TIG/stick machine if the shop or job requires owner-supplied equipment, 4 and 7 inch grinders, fit-up tools, magnetic squares, a good hood with cheater lens, a fume respirator, and specialty consumables. Most shops supply the welder machine; many pipeline and rig-welding positions require a personal rig.
Going independent
$60,000 to $150,000 for a rig welder truck or trailer setup: engine-driven welder (typical pipeline and rig-welding specs), gas bottles and cart, generator, grinders, torches, a portable shelter or lead covers, and a work truck or trailer rated for the load. Rig-welder contracts often specify minimum machine specs in writing.
Shop-supplied tools vary by employer. Pipeline and rig-welder work is the main path where a personal engine-driven machine is expected. Ask during hiring which tools the employer provides, whether a rig is required, and whether the machine spec is in the contract.
Wages
National median
$51,000
annual, all workers
National mean
$55,100
annual, all workers
By pilot state
BLS OOH covers welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers. Demand by region tracks heavy industry, pipeline activity, shipyard cycles, and the pace of infrastructure and energy-sector capital spending. Local demand varies by metro; check state workforce-board dashboards and the BLS OES area tables for your target area before relocating.
BLS OES by-state data shown on this page is statewide median and mean, all-worker, across shop, structural, pipe, and pressure welding. Major industrial metros (Houston, Baton Rouge, Beaumont, Mobile, Norfolk, Seattle/Puget Sound shipyards) and pipeline-active regions often pay above their statewide median; rural and small-metro fab-shop work often pays below. Check the BLS OES metropolitan tables for your target area before relocating. Source: BLS OES by area, https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm.