Welder salary in Missouri
Median $24.98 an hour for 10,600 welders, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Welder pay in Missouri: the full range
Missouri ranks 32nd of 51 states for median welder pay, and 25th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $27.51). 10,600 welders work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.0× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $18.36 – $22.08 | $38,200 – $45,930 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $22.08 – $29.64 | $45,930 – $61,660 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $29.64 – $37.57 | $61,660 – $78,150 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Welder pay by metro in Missouri
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Joseph | $22.61 | $31.76 | $36.76 | $31.76 | 610 | 27% above |
| Kansas City | $20.60 | $27.58 | $29.82 | $37.57 | 2,710 | 10% above |
| Springfield | $18.36 | $26.00 | $29.35 | $29.22 | 1,060 | 4% above |
| Columbia | $19.35 | $25.34 | $28.34 | $28.38 | 200 | 1% above |
| St. Louis | $18.64 | $24.83 | $26.11 | $34.68 | 2,820 | 1% below |
| Jefferson City | $18.45 | $24.80 | $28.18 | $28.40 | 360 | 1% below |
| Cape Girardeau | $18.25 | $23.35 | $27.12 | $28.50 | 170 | 7% below |
| Joplin | $17.87 | $22.00 | $25.67 | $29.30 | 570 | 12% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Welder wages in Missouri over time
Table
| Year | Missouri $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $11.21 | $21.66 | $12.58 | 8,920 |
| 2000 | $12.74 | $23.82 | $13.13 | 9,460 |
| 2001 | $13.35 | $24.27 | $13.70 | 9,160 |
| 2002 | $13.72 | $24.55 | $14.02 | 8,940 |
| 2003 | $14.06 | $24.60 | $14.25 | 8,770 |
| 2004 | $13.34 | $22.74 | $14.72 | 8,490 |
| 2005 | $13.61 | $22.44 | $14.90 | 8,530 |
| 2006 | $14.09 | $22.50 | $15.10 | 9,910 |
| 2007 | $14.69 | $22.81 | $15.51 | 10,310 |
| 2008 | $14.75 | $22.06 | $16.13 | 9,990 |
| 2009 | $15.21 | $22.82 | $16.71 | 8,860 |
| 2010 | $15.35 | $22.66 | $17.04 | 7,450 |
| 2011 | $16.02 | $22.93 | $17.27 | 8,440 |
| 2012 | $16.39 | $22.98 | $17.45 | 7,870 |
| 2013 | $16.67 | $23.04 | $17.66 | 7,710 |
| 2014 | $17.71 | $24.08 | $17.99 | 6,850 |
| 2015 | $17.65 | $23.97 | $18.34 | 7,660 |
| 2016 | $17.52 | $23.50 | $18.94 | 8,120 |
| 2017 | $17.37 | $22.81 | $19.35 | 9,550 |
| 2018 | $18.17 | $23.30 | $19.89 | 10,210 |
| 2019 | $19.10 | $24.05 | $20.43 | 10,490 |
| 2020 | $20.03 | $24.92 | $21.25 | 10,070 |
| 2021 | $21.29 | $25.29 | $22.60 | 10,240 |
| 2022 | $21.90 | $24.09 | $22.86 | 11,300 |
| 2023 | $22.72 | $24.01 | $23.53 | 10,890 |
| 2024 | $23.78 | $24.41 | $24.52 | 10,270 |
| 2025 | $24.98 | $24.98 | $25.84 | 10,600 |
In today's dollars, the median welder wage in Missouri changed by +4.2% over the last ten years of data and by +3.9% since 2019.
Are there more welder jobs in Missouri?
Since 1999, the number of welders counted in Missouri has changed by +18.8%, against +1.5% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +1.0%.
Table
| Year | Missouri jobs | Missouri index | US index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 8,920 | 100 | 100 |
| 2000 | 9,460 | 106 | 101 |
| 2001 | 9,160 | 103 | 93 |
| 2002 | 8,940 | 100 | 88 |
| 2003 | 8,770 | 98 | 86 |
| 2004 | 8,490 | 95 | 84 |
| 2005 | 8,530 | 96 | 87 |
| 2006 | 9,910 | 111 | 92 |
| 2007 | 10,310 | 116 | 94 |
| 2008 | 9,990 | 112 | 96 |
| 2009 | 8,860 | 99 | 87 |
| 2010 | 7,450 | 84 | 77 |
| 2011 | 8,440 | 95 | 77 |
| 2012 | 7,870 | 88 | 80 |
| 2013 | 7,710 | 86 | 86 |
| 2014 | 6,850 | 77 | 90 |
| 2015 | 7,660 | 86 | 94 |
| 2016 | 8,120 | 91 | 93 |
| 2017 | 9,550 | 107 | 92 |
| 2018 | 10,210 | 114 | 95 |
| 2019 | 10,490 | 118 | 100 |
| 2020 | 10,070 | 113 | 97 |
| 2021 | 10,240 | 115 | 97 |
| 2022 | 11,300 | 127 | 100 |
| 2023 | 10,890 | 122 | 103 |
| 2024 | 10,270 | 115 | 103 |
| 2025 | 10,600 | 119 | 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 Missouri
Missouri's labor market agency projects the number of welders in the state to change by +4.4% between 2024 and 2034, from 11,650 to 12,160, with about 1,200 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +2.4% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 10,600 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Missouri labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Is construction work growing in Missouri?
Keep comparing
Welder pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Missouri
More on Missouri
Questions this page answers
How much do welders make in Missouri?
The median welder in Missouri earned $24.98 an hour ($51,950 a year) in May 2025, 3% below the national median of $25.84. The middle half earn $22.08–$29.64; the top 10% earn more than $37.57.
Where does Missouri rank for welder pay?
Missouri ranks 32nd of 51 states for welder pay, with a median of $24.98 an hour, and 25th after adjusting for Missouri's cost of living (BEA price parity 90.8, US = 100).
What is the union welder rate in Missouri?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a welder classification for most Missouri counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many welders work in Missouri?
BLS counted 10,600 welders in Missouri in May 2025, 3.6 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.35; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is welder work growing in Missouri?
The BLS employer survey count of welders in Missouri went from 7,660 in 2015 to 10,600 in 2025, +38.4%, and +1.0% since 2019. Missouri's labor market agency projects +4.4% growth for welders between 2024 and 2034, from 11,650 to 12,160 jobs.
How many welder openings a year are there in Missouri?
Missouri projects about 1,200 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, Missouri 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: Missouri labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.