Welding is a great career to get started in, and it is also easy to get started in this field. If you’re considering being a welder, you’ll want to know if this is a good career option and how much you’ll be paid.
The average salary of a pipeline welder is $54,000.
The range is between $38,000 and $70,000 per year.
That’s a major difference.
Let’s take a look at some of the other factors and highest paying cities in the United States for this career.
Is Welding a Good Career?
A pipeline welder salary is not the only consideration when going into this career path. There is a lot to think about in a welding career, but the most beneficial reason for choosing a career as a welder include:
- You don’t need a college degree to get started. You can get started with a high school diploma or equivalent. You may need a certificate or post-secondary welding training program, depending on the company you start with.
- Training is short, and you’ll be able to go from vocational school to on-the-job training.
You can start this career in as little as a few months.
One of the main benefits of being a pipeline welder is that there is a skilled labor shortage in the United States. The construction industry, in particular, is in dire need of new welders to enter the field.
What’s astonishing is that the average age of a welding operator is 57 years old.
Many of these individuals will be retiring, and there are not enough skilled welders available to fill their roles.
As a decline in the number of skilled welders increases, salaries continue to rise. Companies need welders to fill their ranks, and there simply is not enough skilled talent out there to make this happen.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics claims that there will be an additional 14,500 openings for welders in the next 10 years.
Career advancement is very important. You’ll find that there are ample positions and great opportunities for welders to advance in their careers. You can advance to become a welding instructor, welding specialist or welding inspector.
If you are a woman, there are a lot of great opportunities for women to enter the welding field. Younger women are entering the field in increasing numbers. Overall, there are more female welders than in the past.
Employers all over the country are trying to hire women who are qualified welders to fill in the skill gap that is currently plaguing the industry.
You’ll also find that as a pipeline welder, you can:
- Start your own business. A lot of people will start to pick-up part-time work and turn their skills into a full-time business. There are a lot of opportunities to contract for larger companies, and you get to make your own schedule.
- Make a lot of extra income on the side if you don’t want to start your own business. There are a lot of side gigs welders can pick up to make some nice extra money.
A career as a welder is anything but boring. There’s a lot of diversity in the field, so you’ll be able to take on different projects and enter different specialties as you advance your skills. There are a range of different fields you can enter, so you’ll never be bored.
If you’re an individual who likes to be challenged and likes diversity, you can have both as welder. And you’ll also be paid well for your experience and skill.
Pipeline Welding Pay
A pipe welder has a lot of responsibilities, so they are compensated well. Indeed.com states that the average pipe welder will earn $23.91 an hour.
Of course, there are cities in the United States that pay significantly more for pipe welders.
Highest Paying Cities for Pipeline Welders
The following are the highest paying cities for a pipeline welder, most of them in Metropolitan areas:
- Deer Park, TX where welders make $32.62 an hour
- Baton Rouge, LA where welders make $32.12 per hour
- Greenville, SC where welders make $30.51 per hour
- Salt Lake City, UT where the average welder earns $29.78 an hour
- San Diego, CA where pipe welders earn $28.79 an hour
- Houston, TX where pipe holders are in $26.53 an hour
If you look at the salary per year, you’ll see that a wide range, from $38,000 per year up to almost $70,000 per year. Experience, location and the company you work for will have a direct impact on your salary.