Welder vs electrician: who earns more
Pay, range, growth and a state map of which trade earns more, from BLS May 2025 data.
Welder vs electrician: the numbers
| Welder | Electrician | |
|---|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $25.84 | $30.38 |
| Median annual pay | $53,750 | $63,190 |
| 10th percentile (entry) | $18.87 | $20.50 |
| 90th percentile (top) | $37.28 | $52.17 |
| Jobs nationwide | 416,210 | 757,220 |
| Projected growth 2025-35 | +2.4% | +9.2% |
| Openings per year | 40,300 | 72,700 |
| 10-year real wage change | +3.7% | -10.3% |
| States where this trade pays more | 1 | 48 |
| States about even (within $0.50) | 2 | 2 |
Which pays more where you live
| State | Welder $/hr | Electrician $/hr | Pays more, by how much |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $24.67 | $47.87 | Electrician +$23.20 |
| Oregon | $28.58 | $48.71 | Electrician +$20.13 |
| Washington | $30.30 | $45.78 | Electrician +$15.48 |
| Michigan | $24.03 | $36.67 | Electrician +$12.64 |
| Rhode Island | $24.32 | $35.62 | Electrician +$11.30 |
| Montana | $26.73 | $36.90 | Electrician +$10.17 |
| New York | $28.43 | $37.86 | Electrician +$9.43 |
| District of Columbia | $28.93 | $37.97 | Electrician +$9.04 |
| Indiana | $23.91 | $32.93 | Electrician +$9.02 |
| Wisconsin | $28.08 | $36.80 | Electrician +$8.72 |
| California | $27.91 | $36.62 | Electrician +$8.71 |
| Minnesota | $28.98 | $37.58 | Electrician +$8.60 |
| New Jersey | $28.58 | $37.14 | Electrician +$8.56 |
| Hawaii | $37.98 | $46.38 | Electrician +$8.40 |
| Massachusetts | $30.08 | $38.18 | Electrician +$8.10 |
| Kansas | $23.75 | $31.66 | Electrician +$7.91 |
| West Virginia | $23.46 | $31.16 | Electrician +$7.70 |
| Pennsylvania | $25.43 | $32.50 | Electrician +$7.07 |
| Ohio | $24.20 | $31.11 | Electrician +$6.91 |
| Missouri | $24.98 | $31.45 | Electrician +$6.47 |
| Maryland | $29.00 | $35.33 | Electrician +$6.33 |
| Maine | $29.92 | $36.24 | Electrician +$6.32 |
| Tennessee | $23.10 | $29.37 | Electrician +$6.27 |
| Connecticut | $31.19 | $37.28 | Electrician +$6.09 |
| Idaho | $24.30 | $30.29 | Electrician +$5.99 |
| Wyoming | $30.69 | $36.59 | Electrician +$5.90 |
| Nevada | $29.58 | $35.37 | Electrician +$5.79 |
| South Dakota | $23.77 | $29.51 | Electrician +$5.74 |
| Oklahoma | $23.90 | $29.33 | Electrician +$5.43 |
| Georgia | $23.28 | $28.04 | Electrician +$4.76 |
| Mississippi | $24.57 | $29.26 | Electrician +$4.69 |
| South Carolina | $24.03 | $28.24 | Electrician +$4.21 |
| Nebraska | $25.10 | $29.24 | Electrician +$4.14 |
| Alaska | $38.87 | $43.00 | Electrician +$4.13 |
| Kentucky | $24.74 | $28.71 | Electrician +$3.97 |
| Alabama | $23.31 | $26.78 | Electrician +$3.47 |
| Florida | $24.35 | $27.52 | Electrician +$3.17 |
| Delaware | $27.54 | $30.63 | Electrician +$3.09 |
| North Carolina | $24.32 | $27.31 | Electrician +$2.99 |
| Iowa | $26.49 | $29.26 | Electrician +$2.77 |
| Arizona | $26.73 | $29.36 | Electrician +$2.63 |
| Texas | $25.64 | $28.16 | Electrician +$2.52 |
| Virginia | $28.45 | $30.24 | Electrician +$1.79 |
| North Dakota | $29.81 | $31.59 | Electrician +$1.78 |
| Colorado | $28.17 | $29.92 | Electrician +$1.75 |
| Utah | $28.07 | $29.81 | Electrician +$1.74 |
| Vermont | $29.27 | $30.49 | Electrician +$1.22 |
| New Mexico | $28.77 | $28.07 | Welder +$0.70 |
| Arkansas | $23.06 | $23.59 | Electrician +$0.53 |
| Louisiana | $29.93 | $29.59 | About even ($0.34) |
| New Hampshire | $29.98 | $30.21 | About even ($0.23) |
Questions this page answers
Who makes more, welders or electricians?
Nationally, Electricians: a median of $30.38 an hour against $25.84 for welders, a gap of $4.54 an hour in May 2025. Welders, cutters, solderers and brazers earn more in 1 states, electricians in 48, and the two are within $0.50 an hour in 2.
Which has the better outlook, welders or electricians?
BLS projects +2.4% growth for welders and +9.2% for electricians over 2025-35, with 40,300 and 72,700 openings a year respectively.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; BLS Employment Projections; CPI-U.