Welder vs diesel mechanic: who earns more
Pay, range, growth and a state map of which trade earns more, from BLS May 2025 data.
Welder vs diesel mechanic: the numbers
| Welder | Diesel mechanic | |
|---|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $25.84 | $29.70 |
| Median annual pay | $53,750 | $61,770 |
| 10th percentile (entry) | $18.87 | $21.41 |
| 90th percentile (top) | $37.28 | $42.66 |
| Jobs nationwide | 416,210 | 289,960 |
| Projected growth 2025-35 | +2.4% | +3.6% |
| Openings per year | 40,300 | 24,400 |
| 10-year real wage change | +3.7% | +2.2% |
| States where this trade pays more | 7 | 44 |
| States about even (within $0.50) | 0 | 0 |
Which pays more where you live
| State | Welder $/hr | Diesel mechanic $/hr | Pays more, by how much |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $24.32 | $32.34 | Diesel mechanic +$8.02 |
| California | $27.91 | $35.55 | Diesel mechanic +$7.64 |
| Washington | $30.30 | $37.45 | Diesel mechanic +$7.15 |
| Maryland | $29.00 | $35.96 | Diesel mechanic +$6.96 |
| Illinois | $24.67 | $30.93 | Diesel mechanic +$6.26 |
| Georgia | $23.28 | $29.50 | Diesel mechanic +$6.22 |
| New Jersey | $28.58 | $34.78 | Diesel mechanic +$6.20 |
| Colorado | $28.17 | $33.89 | Diesel mechanic +$5.72 |
| Michigan | $24.03 | $29.53 | Diesel mechanic +$5.50 |
| Tennessee | $23.10 | $28.46 | Diesel mechanic +$5.36 |
| New York | $28.43 | $33.70 | Diesel mechanic +$5.27 |
| Indiana | $23.91 | $29.14 | Diesel mechanic +$5.23 |
| Massachusetts | $30.08 | $35.23 | Diesel mechanic +$5.15 |
| Ohio | $24.20 | $29.07 | Diesel mechanic +$4.87 |
| Kansas | $23.75 | $28.59 | Diesel mechanic +$4.84 |
| Florida | $24.35 | $29.08 | Diesel mechanic +$4.73 |
| South Carolina | $24.03 | $28.53 | Diesel mechanic +$4.50 |
| New Hampshire | $29.98 | $34.32 | Diesel mechanic +$4.34 |
| Pennsylvania | $25.43 | $29.68 | Diesel mechanic +$4.25 |
| Idaho | $24.30 | $28.48 | Diesel mechanic +$4.18 |
| South Dakota | $23.77 | $27.94 | Diesel mechanic +$4.17 |
| Missouri | $24.98 | $28.54 | Diesel mechanic +$3.56 |
| Nebraska | $25.10 | $28.44 | Diesel mechanic +$3.34 |
| North Carolina | $24.32 | $27.64 | Diesel mechanic +$3.32 |
| Nevada | $29.58 | $32.89 | Diesel mechanic +$3.31 |
| Minnesota | $28.98 | $32.14 | Diesel mechanic +$3.16 |
| Delaware | $27.54 | $30.57 | Diesel mechanic +$3.03 |
| Arizona | $26.73 | $29.65 | Diesel mechanic +$2.92 |
| Utah | $28.07 | $30.94 | Diesel mechanic +$2.87 |
| Oklahoma | $23.90 | $26.61 | Diesel mechanic +$2.71 |
| Texas | $25.64 | $28.27 | Diesel mechanic +$2.63 |
| Alaska | $38.87 | $36.34 | Welder +$2.53 |
| District of Columbia | $28.93 | $31.34 | Diesel mechanic +$2.41 |
| Iowa | $26.49 | $28.69 | Diesel mechanic +$2.20 |
| Oregon | $28.58 | $30.76 | Diesel mechanic +$2.18 |
| Montana | $26.73 | $28.84 | Diesel mechanic +$2.11 |
| Arkansas | $23.06 | $25.16 | Diesel mechanic +$2.10 |
| North Dakota | $29.81 | $31.78 | Diesel mechanic +$1.97 |
| Wisconsin | $28.08 | $30.02 | Diesel mechanic +$1.94 |
| Kentucky | $24.74 | $26.67 | Diesel mechanic +$1.93 |
| New Mexico | $28.77 | $26.88 | Welder +$1.89 |
| Louisiana | $29.93 | $28.21 | Welder +$1.72 |
| Mississippi | $24.57 | $26.14 | Diesel mechanic +$1.57 |
| Connecticut | $31.19 | $32.36 | Diesel mechanic +$1.17 |
| Wyoming | $30.69 | $29.61 | Welder +$1.08 |
| West Virginia | $23.46 | $22.41 | Welder +$1.05 |
| Alabama | $23.31 | $24.26 | Diesel mechanic +$0.95 |
| Virginia | $28.45 | $29.37 | Diesel mechanic +$0.92 |
| Vermont | $29.27 | $28.55 | Welder +$0.72 |
| Maine | $29.92 | $29.26 | Welder +$0.66 |
| Hawaii | $37.98 | $38.50 | Diesel mechanic +$0.52 |
Questions this page answers
Who makes more, welders or diesel mechanics?
Nationally, Diesel mechanics: a median of $29.70 an hour against $25.84 for welders, a gap of $3.86 an hour in May 2025. Welders, cutters, solderers and brazers earn more in 7 states, diesel mechanics in 44, and the two are within $0.50 an hour in 0.
Which has the better outlook, welders or diesel mechanics?
BLS projects +2.4% growth for welders and +3.6% for diesel mechanics over 2025-35, with 40,300 and 24,400 openings a year respectively.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; BLS Employment Projections; CPI-U.