Welder salary in California
Median $27.91 an hour for 26,060 welders, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
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 work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.8× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $21.40 – $23.31 | $44,520 – $48,480 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $23.31 – $33.85 | $48,480 – $70,400 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $33.85 – $39.40 | $70,400 – $81,940 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Welder pay by metro in California
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $23.08 | $30.93 | $26.76 | $48.04 | 1,990 | 11% above |
| San Jose | $23.62 | $30.84 | $27.93 | $44.38 | 1,050 | 10% above |
| Vallejo | $22.38 | $30.70 | $28.29 | $42.18 | 280 | 10% above |
| Napa | $21.44 | $30.24 | $26.86 | $42.06 | 70 | 8% above |
| San Diego | $22.45 | $30.08 | $26.88 | $39.65 | 2,940 | 8% above |
| El Centro | $18.40 | $28.06 | $29.47 | $43.72 | 70 | 1% above |
| Salinas | $19.19 | $28.00 | $25.69 | $42.95 | 200 | about the same as |
| Bakersfield | $18.28 | $27.58 | $27.33 | $37.84 | 800 | 1% below |
| Sacramento | $22.70 | $27.55 | $25.82 | $38.44 | 1,530 | 1% below |
| Santa Rosa | $22.24 | $27.27 | $25.30 | $41.30 | 260 | 2% below |
| Los Angeles | $21.41 | $27.00 | $23.77 | $38.40 | 7,850 | 3% below |
| Oxnard | $19.56 | $26.23 | $23.74 | $38.52 | 580 | 6% below |
| San Luis Obispo | $20.31 | $25.62 | $23.59 | $38.98 | 180 | 8% below |
| Santa Maria | $19.58 | $25.39 | $23.34 | $38.51 | 170 | 9% below |
| Modesto | $20.60 | $25.29 | $24.29 | $36.38 | 450 | 9% below |
| Redding | $18.79 | $25.21 | $25.03 | $37.43 | 100 | 10% below |
| Riverside | $21.14 | $25.02 | $23.52 | $36.74 | 3,810 | 10% below |
| Stockton | $20.00 | $24.75 | $23.55 | $35.71 | 740 | 11% below |
| Yuba City | $18.61 | $24.54 | $23.55 | $45.17 | 90 | 12% below |
| Santa Cruz | $19.27 | $24.44 | $22.24 | $39.22 | 90 | 12% below |
| Fresno | $20.60 | $24.30 | $23.78 | $35.45 | 950 | 13% below |
| Merced | $20.83 | $24.20 | $24.62 | $30.06 | 310 | 13% below |
| Chico | $19.00 | $23.44 | $23.16 | $32.23 | 160 | 16% below |
| Hanford | $20.12 | $22.85 | $22.49 | $36.77 | 60 | 18% below |
| Visalia | $18.00 | $22.52 | $22.57 | $34.60 | 350 | 19% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
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 and by +3.7% since 2019.
Are there more welder jobs in California?
Since 1999, the number of welders counted in California has changed by -18.4%, against +1.5% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by -10.1%.
Table
| Year | California jobs | California index | US index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 31,920 | 100 | 100 |
| 2000 | 35,810 | 112 | 101 |
| 2001 | 32,230 | 101 | 93 |
| 2002 | 30,310 | 95 | 88 |
| 2003 | 29,590 | 93 | 86 |
| 2004 | 27,980 | 88 | 84 |
| 2005 | 27,120 | 85 | 87 |
| 2006 | 28,800 | 90 | 92 |
| 2007 | 28,340 | 89 | 94 |
| 2008 | 28,340 | 89 | 96 |
| 2009 | 24,640 | 77 | 87 |
| 2010 | 21,180 | 66 | 77 |
| 2011 | 20,160 | 63 | 77 |
| 2012 | 21,410 | 67 | 80 |
| 2013 | 22,930 | 72 | 86 |
| 2014 | 25,030 | 78 | 90 |
| 2015 | 27,070 | 85 | 94 |
| 2016 | 27,440 | 86 | 93 |
| 2017 | 26,550 | 83 | 92 |
| 2018 | 26,970 | 84 | 95 |
| 2019 | 28,980 | 91 | 100 |
| 2020 | 30,050 | 94 | 97 |
| 2021 | 30,080 | 94 | 97 |
| 2022 | 31,510 | 99 | 100 |
| 2023 | 28,300 | 89 | 103 |
| 2024 | 26,100 | 82 | 103 |
| 2025 | 26,060 | 82 | 102 |
Job counts are BLS OEWS survey estimates built from three years of samples, so moves of a few percent from one year to the next are within the survey's margin. Self-employed tradespeople are not counted. Areas with fewer than 3,000 jobs or a large sampling error are shown as a single figure rather than a trend.
Outlook for welders in California
California's labor market agency projects the number of welders in the state to change by +3.2% between 2024 and 2034, from 28,500 to 29,400, with about 2,890 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +2.4% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 26,060 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: California labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Is construction work growing in California?
Keep comparing
Welder pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in California
More on 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 in California in May 2025, 1.4 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.53; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is welder work growing in California?
The BLS employer survey count of welders in California went from 27,070 in 2015 to 26,060 in 2025, -3.7%, and -10.1% since 2019. California's labor market agency projects +3.2% growth for welders between 2024 and 2034, from 28,500 to 29,400 jobs.
How many welder openings a year are there in California?
California projects about 2,890 openings a year for welders over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 40,300 a year.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, California and metro areas, SOC 51-4121. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
- BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
- State projection: California labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.