Highest Paying States for Welders: The article highlighted an article on the jobs created in USA Today, which used Emsi data to target areas with middle skills, such as welding, that students can be prepared for through education at a community college.
The article also included an article by The Wall Street Journal about an unemployed 24-year-old Texan who earned $140,000 as a welder following graduation from Texas State Technical College.
The first version of this article proved to be extremely popular, so we made the decision to go over the information and make changes.
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Additionally, with so many people returning to college to upgrade their skills or to change their job field in light of current economic instability, It’s important to keep in mind that it’s not always necessary to have an undergraduate degree to have an attractive job and earn a steady income.
When we wrote this piece back in 2015, we were comparing the 2013 earnings of those in the 10th percentile in the top 10% of welders from between the bottom and top six states of welders.
The data also compared the median earnings for these states.
At the time that this information was collected, welders who were within the top 10 percentile had the highest earnings in Alaska at $43.83 for an hour.
Hawaii as well as North Dakota followed close behind ($39.75 and $39.05 for each).
The top-end welding salaries in these states are an average of $83,000–$91,000 annually when they work full-time (40 days per week over 52 consecutive weeks).
The top six states that had welders were:
- Alaska
- Hawaii
- North Dakota
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
- Nevada
The states with the lowest scores included:
- Tennessee
- Vermont
- Nebraska
- Arkansas
- Iowa
- South Dakota
Based on data from Q1 of 2020, the most popular states of the most popular forms are:
- Alaska
- New Mexico
- Wyoming
- West Virginia
- Hawaii
- Massachusetts
The 6 smallest are:
- Kentucky
- Nebraska
- Georgia
- Idaho
- South Dakota
- Iowa
Alaska remains at the top spot.
However, Hawaii as well as North Dakota has dropped into fifth and eighth places in the respective rankings.
New Mexico leap-frogged 4 other states to finish second.
However, there’s more to consider when we analyze the salaries of welders.
In this data collection, we also added a new layer of analysis that we called cost of living (CoL).
Welders may earn the highest amount of money in Alaska however, how much can that money take you in Alaska depending on the cost of living to reside there?
If the wages of welders are adjusted to reflect the cost of living, we get a totally different outcome.
If adjusted for costs of living information indicates how New Mexico takes the top position, with the highest 10th percentile welders earning $45.65/hour prior to CoL adjustment and $44.19 following CoL adjustment.
Although welders in Alaska could earn the most money, it has less purchasing power than other states.
This highlights the importance of taking into account the cost of living when you compare the wages of different regions.
When comparing the latest data to 2013, the most important thing to consider is “Have these jobs grown since we last covered them?” In every state, with the exception of four and in the District of Columbia, the answer is “Yes!” In 23 states, there have been over 1,000 job openings every year since the year 2013.
Opportunities for high-paying and high-skilled jobs that do not require the completion of a four-year college degree are available.
Conclusion: Highest Paying States for Welders
In conclusion, the Highest Paying States for Welders provides a promising path to financial success, but individuals should carefully consider all factors when making decisions about where to pursue their welding careers. Ultimately, the welding profession offers a diverse range of opportunities across the United States, allowing skilled welders to find rewarding and well-compensated work in various regions.