Welder salary in California
Median $27.91 an hour for 26,060 welders, cutters, solderers and brazers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.
Welder pay in California: the full range
California ranks 24th of 51 states for median welder pay, and 45th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $25.21). 26,060 welders, cutters, solderers and brazers work in the state.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry | $21.40 – $23.31 | $44,520 – $48,480 | roughly the 10th–25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $23.31 – $33.85 | $48,480 – $70,400 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master / foreman / specialist | $33.85 – $39.40 | $70,400 – $81,940 | the 75th–90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Welder pay by metro in California
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $23.08 | $30.93 | $48.04 | 1,990 | 11% above |
| San Jose | $23.62 | $30.84 | $44.38 | 1,050 | 10% above |
| Vallejo | $22.38 | $30.70 | $42.18 | 280 | 10% above |
| Napa | $21.44 | $30.24 | $42.06 | 70 | 8% above |
| San Diego | $22.45 | $30.08 | $39.65 | 2,940 | 8% above |
| El Centro | $18.40 | $28.06 | $43.72 | 70 | 1% above |
| Salinas | $19.19 | $28.00 | $42.95 | 200 | about the same as |
| Bakersfield | $18.28 | $27.58 | $37.84 | 800 | 1% below |
| Sacramento | $22.70 | $27.55 | $38.44 | 1,530 | 1% below |
| Santa Rosa | $22.24 | $27.27 | $41.30 | 260 | 2% below |
| Los Angeles | $21.41 | $27.00 | $38.40 | 7,850 | 3% below |
| Oxnard | $19.56 | $26.23 | $38.52 | 580 | 6% below |
| San Luis Obispo | $20.31 | $25.62 | $38.98 | 180 | 8% below |
| Santa Maria | $19.58 | $25.39 | $38.51 | 170 | 9% below |
| Modesto | $20.60 | $25.29 | $36.38 | 450 | 9% below |
| Redding | $18.79 | $25.21 | $37.43 | 100 | 10% below |
| Riverside | $21.14 | $25.02 | $36.74 | 3,810 | 10% below |
| Stockton | $20.00 | $24.75 | $35.71 | 740 | 11% below |
| Yuba City | $18.61 | $24.54 | $45.17 | 90 | 12% below |
| Santa Cruz | $19.27 | $24.44 | $39.22 | 90 | 12% below |
| Fresno | $20.60 | $24.30 | $35.45 | 950 | 13% below |
| Merced | $20.83 | $24.20 | $30.06 | 310 | 13% below |
| Chico | $19.00 | $23.44 | $32.23 | 160 | 16% below |
| Hanford | $20.12 | $22.85 | $36.77 | 60 | 18% below |
| Visalia | $18.00 | $22.52 | $34.60 | 350 | 19% below |
Welder wages in California over time
Table
| Year | California $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $12.24 | $23.65 | $12.58 | 31,920 |
| 2000 | $12.69 | $23.73 | $13.13 | 35,810 |
| 2001 | $13.52 | $24.58 | $13.70 | 32,230 |
| 2002 | $13.84 | $24.77 | $14.02 | 30,310 |
| 2003 | $14.06 | $24.60 | $14.25 | 29,590 |
| 2004 | $14.74 | $25.12 | $14.72 | 27,980 |
| 2005 | $14.70 | $24.23 | $14.90 | 27,120 |
| 2006 | $15.16 | $24.21 | $15.10 | 28,800 |
| 2007 | $15.59 | $24.21 | $15.51 | 28,340 |
| 2008 | $16.01 | $23.94 | $16.13 | 28,340 |
| 2009 | $16.94 | $25.42 | $16.71 | 24,640 |
| 2010 | $17.45 | $25.76 | $17.04 | 21,180 |
| 2011 | $17.82 | $25.50 | $17.27 | 20,160 |
| 2012 | $18.19 | $25.51 | $17.45 | 21,410 |
| 2013 | $18.54 | $25.62 | $17.66 | 22,930 |
| 2014 | $18.44 | $25.08 | $17.99 | 25,030 |
| 2015 | $18.60 | $25.26 | $18.34 | 27,070 |
| 2016 | $19.03 | $25.53 | $18.94 | 27,440 |
| 2017 | $19.88 | $26.11 | $19.35 | 26,550 |
| 2018 | $20.56 | $26.36 | $19.89 | 26,970 |
| 2019 | $21.38 | $26.92 | $20.43 | 28,980 |
| 2020 | $22.08 | $27.47 | $21.25 | 30,050 |
| 2021 | $23.36 | $27.75 | $22.60 | 30,080 |
| 2022 | $24.54 | $27.00 | $22.86 | 31,510 |
| 2023 | $26.97 | $28.50 | $23.53 | 28,300 |
| 2024 | $27.86 | $28.59 | $24.52 | 26,100 |
| 2025 | $27.91 | $27.91 | $25.84 | 26,060 |
In today's dollars, the median welder wage in California changed by +10.5% over the last ten years of data.
Is construction work growing in California?
Keep comparing
Welder pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in California
Questions this page answers
How much do welders make in California?
The median welder in California earned $27.91 an hour ($58,060 a year) in May 2025, 8% above the national median of $25.84. The middle half earn $23.31–$33.85; the top 10% earn more than $39.40.
Where does California rank for welder pay?
California ranks 24th of 51 states for welder pay, with a median of $27.91 an hour, and 45th after adjusting for California's cost of living (BEA price parity 110.7, US = 100).
What is the union welder rate in California?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a welder classification for most California counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many welders work in California?
BLS counted 26,060 welders, cutters, solderers and brazers in California in May 2025, 1.4 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.53; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, California and metro areas, SOC 51-4121.
- BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
- BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.