Pipe Welder Salary
This is the Data Center Headhunters salary guide.
BLS does not measure Pipe Welder as its own occupation, so this page uses Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers (SOC 51-4121, closest proxy). The median annual wage in the United States was $53,750 (BLS, May 2025), and the middle half earned $46,790 to $63,010.
This is what we do all day: recruit data center professionals.
Closest proxy
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers is the closest occupational proxy based on the work described, not a separate data center wage series. BLS does not distinguish this title, experience level, shift, credentials or data center employers. Confirm the actual duties before using this comparison.
National pay range
| Point | Annual wage | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $39,240 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $46,790 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median | $53,750 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $63,010 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $77,530 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $56,760 | Average wage. |
| Point | Hourly wage | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $18.87 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $22.5 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median | $25.84 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $30.29 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $37.28 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $27.29 | Average wage. |
What BLS wages cover: OEWS includes base rates, guaranteed pay, commissions and production incentives. It excludes on-call waiting or availability pay, overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits. The on-call exclusion covers time awaiting a call to work, not ordinary wages for hours actually worked. These are straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. Discuss per diem, travel and relocation separately. BLS pay-term definitions.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 51-4121 Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers, United States. Download national data (ZIP).
Pay relative to all occupations
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| This occupation, median | $53,750 |
| All occupations (SOC 00-0000), median | $50,980 |
| Relative wage | 1.05 times |
A ratio of 1.00 means the same median as all workers in the area. It is arithmetic on two BLS medians, not a BLS statistic.
Pay in industries that hire this occupation
| Industry (BLS name) | NAICS | Employment | Share of occupation | Median | P25 to P75 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | 811300 | 14,920 | 3.6% | $56,120 | $46,610 to $64,060 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | 238200 | 12,010 | 2.9% | $64,980 | $54,300 to $77,530 |
| Utility System Construction | 237100 | 10,060 | 2.4% | $79,350 | $63,530 to $88,940 |
| Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors | 238220 | 7,770 | 1.9% | $67,930 | $58,640 to $80,630 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | 236200 | 7,630 | 1.8% | $62,060 | $48,970 to $76,360 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 541300 | 2,090 | 0.5% | $64,950 | $55,630 to $78,950 |
| Engineering Services | 541330 | 1,870 | 0.4% | $64,860 | $55,560 to $79,020 |
| Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction | 237130 | 1,420 | 0.3% | $75,570 | $51,630 to $97,610 |
| Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors | 238210 | 1,400 | 0.3% | $63,140 | $48,960 to $74,550 |
| Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 335900 | 1,250 | 0.3% | $51,000 | $45,460 to $56,380 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 221100 | 1,190 | 0.3% | $102,270 | $68,200 to $114,980 |
| Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | 423400 | 270 | 0.1% | $48,860 | $39,520 to $57,020 |
| Facilities Support Services | 561200 | 210 | 0.1% | $66,760 | $56,100 to $87,910 |
| Testing Laboratories and Services | 541380 | 130 | 0.0% | $65,770 | $61,930 to $81,360 |
| Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 334100 | 120 | 0.0% | $38,490 | $37,050 to $46,430 |
These national industry rows cover privately owned establishments. Industry names are exact BLS NAICS titles. Industries overlap, so shares do not sum to 100%. An industry row does not mean the employer runs data centers.
Pay in target metros
| Metro area | Median | P25 to P75 | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $60,670 | $50,120 to $77,560 | 2,000 | 0.24 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $51,630 | $46,180 to $62,670 | 10,620 | 0.98 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $56,540 | $48,890 to $65,690 | 5,440 | 0.86 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $49,630 | $46,130 to $59,700 | 5,240 | 0.68 |
| Columbus, OH | $51,260 | $47,400 to $60,140 | 2,190 | 0.74 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $52,650 | $46,270 to $61,750 | 9,320 | 0.77 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $64,140 | $57,420 to $76,730 | 1,050 | 0.35 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $62,050 | $53,130 to $72,400 | 3,300 | 1.02 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Highest and lowest paying metros
Ranked by published median annual wage among 382 metro areas with an exact median.
| Rank | Metro area | Median | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lima, OH | $85,790 | 470 | 3.54 |
| 2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $81,120 | 430 | 0.36 |
| 3 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $80,210 | 70 | 0.75 |
| 4 | Baton Rouge, LA | $78,170 | 3,690 | 3.36 |
| 5 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $75,040 | 670 | 0.42 |
| 6 | Anchorage, AK | $74,000 | 250 | 0.53 |
| 7 | Lake Charles, LA | $72,920 | 970 | 3.55 |
| 8 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $71,720 | 740 | 2.96 |
| 9 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $67,280 | 40 | 0.22 |
| 10 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $66,420 | 1,060 | 1.37 |
| Rank | Metro area | Median | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 373 | Rome, GA | $42,280 | 160 | 1.32 |
| 374 | Gadsden, AL | $42,240 | 190 | 2.18 |
| 375 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $41,920 | 590 | 3.83 |
| 376 | Columbus, GA-AL | $40,100 | 330 | 1.05 |
| 377 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $39,710 | 350 | 0.43 |
| 378 | Ponce, PR | $31,680 | 100 | 0.61 |
| 379 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $30,390 | 1,240 | 0.67 |
| 380 | Mayaguez, PR | $30,230 | 70 | 0.48 |
| 381 | Arecibo, PR | $29,380 | 150 | 1.57 |
| 382 | Aguadilla, PR | $28,450 | 90 | 0.68 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Where pay is highest relative to local wages
This compares the occupation's median with the all-occupations median in the same metro and on the same annual basis. It does not adjust for living costs. Only exact published medians are ranked. A top-coded lower bound cannot establish an exact rank.
| Metro | Occupation median | All-occupations median | Ratio | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lima, OH | $85,790 | $47,170 | 1.82 times | 470 | 3.54 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $78,170 | $48,710 | 1.60 times | 3,690 | 3.36 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $72,920 | $45,700 | 1.60 times | 970 | 3.55 |
| Alexandria, LA | $64,490 | $40,600 | 1.59 times | 230 | 1.42 |
| Hammond, LA | $58,490 | $38,480 | 1.52 times | 60 | 0.49 |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $63,440 | $43,470 | 1.46 times | 2,220 | 5.23 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $63,610 | $44,820 | 1.42 times | 910 | 2.08 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $81,120 | $57,220 | 1.42 times | 430 | 0.36 |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | $59,820 | $42,680 | 1.40 times | 430 | 3.67 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | $66,060 | $47,350 | 1.40 times | 610 | 4.21 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $60,810 | $43,710 | 1.39 times | 330 | 1.26 |
| Lafayette, LA | $57,750 | $41,780 | 1.38 times | 1,860 | 3.88 |
| Monroe, LA | $51,870 | $38,150 | 1.36 times | 420 | 1.77 |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $64,470 | $48,040 | 1.34 times | 390 | 2.81 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $63,270 | $47,290 | 1.34 times | 2,000 | 1.68 |
| Hattiesburg, MS | $49,500 | $37,750 | 1.31 times | 160 | 0.97 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $59,450 | $45,350 | 1.31 times | 1,280 | 2.47 |
| Mobile, AL | $61,420 | $47,000 | 1.31 times | 1,700 | 3.68 |
| Odessa, TX | $63,470 | $48,590 | 1.31 times | 790 | 3.66 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | $80,210 | $61,810 | 1.30 times | 70 | 0.75 |
| El Centro, CA | $58,350 | $45,140 | 1.29 times | 70 | 0.41 |
| Pocatello, ID | $58,140 | $45,160 | 1.29 times | 180 | 1.71 |
| Casper, WY | $62,660 | $48,880 | 1.28 times | 480 | 4.51 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $60,880 | $47,520 | 1.28 times | 90 | 0.2 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $59,900 | $46,810 | 1.28 times | 660 | 4.8 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Source: BLS OEWS BLS, May 2025, SOC 51-4121 and SOC 00-0000, matching metro areas. The ratio is our arithmetic on those published medians, not a BLS statistic.
Change since the prior BLS release
| Reference period | Median |
|---|---|
| May 2024 | $51,000 |
| May 2025 | $53,750 |
| Difference | +$2,750 (+5.4%) |
Two published BLS values, shown as released. Not annualized, not adjusted for inflation, and BLS metro boundaries and survey panels can differ between releases.
Levels above and below this title
These are different jobs, not experience bands within one occupation. The figures are not a promised raise.
| Title | Relationship | BLS occupation | Median | Against Pipe Welder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Journeyman Pipefitter | Same job ladder | 47-2152 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | $63,800 | Higher by $10,050 |
| Sheet Metal Worker / Duct Installer | Same job ladder | 47-2211 Sheet Metal Workers | $61,800 | Higher by $8,050 |
| HVAC Installer | Same job ladder | 49-9021 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | $61,010 | Higher by $7,260 |
| Sheet Metal Foreman | Higher-scope title | 47-1011 First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $79,920 | Higher by $26,170 |
| Pipefitter Foreman | Higher-scope title | 47-1011 First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $79,920 | Higher by $26,170 |
What is inside the BLS pay figure
For construction and commissioning hires, separate expense reimbursements and overtime from straight-time pay. Check a project bonus on its actual terms. Guaranteed pay and production incentives count in BLS wages; discretionary nonproduction bonuses do not.
| Component | In the BLS figure? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Base rate and guaranteed pay | Included | BLS counts the "base rate" and "guaranteed pay". |
| Production and incentive pay | Included | BLS counts "incentive pay including commissions and production bonuses". |
| On-call waiting or availability pay | Left out | BLS excludes payment for time spent awaiting a call to work, not ordinary wages for hours actually worked. BLS on-call pay definition. |
| Overtime pay matters here | Left out | BLS excludes "overtime pay". Straight-time pay only. |
| Shift differentials | Left out | BLS excludes "shift differentials", so night and weekend premiums are not in the figure. |
| Project-completion and discretionary bonuses matters here | Depends on the terms | Guaranteed pay and production incentives are included. Discretionary nonproduction bonuses are excluded. Check how the payment is defined. |
| Per diem, travel and relocation matters here | Left out | BLS does not name these as wages. They are expense reimbursements and are not in the figure. |
| Benefits and employer costs | Left out | BLS excludes "employer costs for supplementary benefits". |
Recruiter's read
Qualitative, not from BLS data.
Pipe Welder candidates are usually screened on aSME Section IX qualification (6G); carbon and stainless steel; weld procedure discipline and X-ray results.
We usually find them through pipeline, refinery and power plant outage welders; mechanical contractors; welding schools. We contact working people directly rather than relying on job applications.
Questions
What is the median pay for Pipe Welder?
The BLS median annual wage for Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers nationally is $53,750 (BLS, May 2025).
What range do most Pipe Welder earn?
Per BLS, the middle half earned $46,790 to $63,010, and 10% earned less than $39,240.
Is this the exact job title?
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers is the closest occupational proxy based on the work described, not a separate data center wage series. BLS does not distinguish this title, experience level, shift, credentials or data center employers. Confirm the actual duties before using this comparison.
How many people are employed in this occupation?
BLS estimates 416,210 jobs nationally in Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers across all industries.
What do BLS wages leave out?
OEWS includes base rates, guaranteed pay, commissions and production incentives. It excludes on-call waiting or availability pay, overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits. The on-call exclusion covers time awaiting a call to work, not ordinary wages for hours actually worked. Discuss per diem, travel and relocation separately.
Hiring Market Brief
A one-page brief for Pipe Welder: BLS pay, mapping and caveats.
Hiring Pipe Welder?
Pay is one input. Scope, license and travel decide whether the person says yes.
Related
What the published rows say about Pipe Welder pay in the United States
Pipe Welder maps to Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers, SOC 51-4121. For the United States, the May 2025 OEWS annual median is $53,750; the middle half runs from $46,790 to $63,010. This is a proxy, not a separate wage estimate for this exact job. BLS does not separate seniority titles that share this row. Before setting an offer, pin down who owns the field decisions and whether the hire travels. A shared occupation median cannot price that scope for you.
The middle-half spread is $16,220: $6,960 from the 25th percentile to the median and $9,260 from the median to the 75th. The upper interval is wider. Use these points to compare an offer, not to price a junior or senior hire. Percentiles are not experience bands, and this distribution alone does not explain why individual workers earn different amounts.
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX reports a annual median of $57,940 for this occupation in May 2025. This metro is selected by published occupation employment, not geographic proximity to a national point. That is $4,190 above the United States's median.
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX reports a annual median of $51,630 for this occupation in May 2025. This metro is selected by published occupation employment, not geographic proximity to a national point. That is $2,120 below the United States's median.
The highest exact national industry medians in the loaded SOC 51-4121 rows are Air Transportation at $137,730 and Scheduled Air Transportation at $137,730. These are May 2025 national occupation estimates, not local data center pay. The loaded data has no local industry-by-occupation breakdown, so it cannot rank industries within the United States.
The matched median moved from $51,000 in May 2024 to $53,750 in May 2025: $2,750 higher. Both rows use SOC 51-4121, area 99 and the same annual basis. This is not adjusted for inflation or annualized, and it does not attribute the change to a particular employer.
OEWS includes base rates, guaranteed pay, commissions and production incentives. It excludes on-call waiting or availability pay, overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits. The on-call exclusion covers time awaiting a call to work, not ordinary wages for hours actually worked. This is neither pure base salary nor total compensation. Agree travel, per diem and relocation terms separately. No verified Pipe Welder-specific allowance is in this occupation row, so none is added to the figures.
Questions about Pipe Welder pay in the United States
Which BLS row supports Pipe Welder pay in the United States?
Pipe Welder maps to SOC 51-4121, Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers. The May 2025 annual median for the United States is $53,750. The proxy mapping is not a separate survey of this niche title.
Does the figure cover the whole offer for Pipe Welder?
OEWS includes base rates, guaranteed pay, commissions and production incentives. It excludes on-call waiting or availability pay, overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits. The on-call exclusion covers time awaiting a call to work, not ordinary wages for hours actually worked. Travel and relocation terms still need their own discussion; this row supplies no separate allowance.
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Nearest-area selection uses Census Gazetteer internal points, not road distance. Source: 2025 Census Gazetteer.