Welder salary in Ohio
Median $24.20 an hour for 20,330 welders, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Welder pay in Ohio: the full range
Ohio ranks 40th of 51 states for median welder pay, and 39th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $26.08). 20,330 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 | $18.75 – $21.99 | $38,990 – $45,750 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $21.99 – $28.61 | $45,750 – $59,510 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $28.61 – $33.90 | $59,510 – $70,510 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Welder pay by metro in Ohio
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lima | $21.45 | $41.25 | $45.99 | $41.25 | 470 | 70% above |
| Weirton | $18.14 | $26.64 | $29.93 | $41.88 | 180 | 10% above |
| Cincinnati | $18.97 | $24.99 | $26.19 | $35.56 | 3,160 | 3% above |
| Columbus | $19.28 | $24.64 | $25.80 | $33.88 | 2,190 | 2% above |
| Canton | $21.37 | $24.29 | $27.17 | $33.24 | 860 | about the same as |
| Dayton | $18.01 | $24.23 | $26.14 | $33.50 | 820 | about the same as |
| Akron | $20.13 | $24.20 | $25.91 | $37.41 | 1,170 | about the same as |
| Wheeling | $18.11 | $24.00 | $27.18 | $50.68 | 160 | 1% below |
| Toledo | $18.26 | $23.62 | $25.81 | $29.69 | 960 | 2% below |
| Cleveland | $18.91 | $23.58 | $25.11 | $33.00 | 3,510 | 3% below |
| Sandusky | $18.33 | $23.03 | $25.79 | $28.86 | 200 | 5% below |
| Springfield | $18.80 | $22.97 | $25.38 | $31.96 | 220 | 5% below |
| Youngstown | $18.55 | $22.93 | $26.24 | $29.27 | 680 | 5% below |
| Huntington | $17.68 | $22.59 | $25.55 | $34.29 | 550 | 7% below |
| Mansfield | $17.46 | $20.73 | $23.32 | $29.14 | 350 | 14% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Welder wages in Ohio over time
Table
| Year | Ohio $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $12.81 | $24.75 | $12.58 | 23,220 |
| 2000 | $13.77 | $25.74 | $13.13 | 21,660 |
| 2001 | $14.20 | $25.81 | $13.70 | 20,280 |
| 2002 | $14.32 | $25.63 | $14.02 | 18,400 |
| 2003 | $14.70 | $25.72 | $14.25 | 17,560 |
| 2004 | $14.89 | $25.38 | $14.72 | 16,450 |
| 2005 | $14.83 | $24.45 | $14.90 | 17,000 |
| 2006 | $15.16 | $24.21 | $15.10 | 16,850 |
| 2007 | $15.26 | $23.69 | $15.51 | 15,710 |
| 2008 | $15.70 | $23.48 | $16.13 | 14,770 |
| 2009 | $16.17 | $24.27 | $16.71 | 13,470 |
| 2010 | $16.33 | $24.11 | $17.04 | 12,140 |
| 2011 | $16.70 | $23.90 | $17.27 | 12,340 |
| 2012 | $16.97 | $23.80 | $17.45 | 13,010 |
| 2013 | $16.99 | $23.48 | $17.66 | 14,410 |
| 2014 | $17.25 | $23.46 | $17.99 | 15,560 |
| 2015 | $17.47 | $23.73 | $18.34 | 16,340 |
| 2016 | $18.17 | $24.37 | $18.94 | 17,280 |
| 2017 | $18.58 | $24.40 | $19.35 | 17,310 |
| 2018 | $18.94 | $24.28 | $19.89 | 18,220 |
| 2019 | $19.20 | $24.18 | $20.43 | 18,500 |
| 2020 | $19.91 | $24.77 | $21.25 | 16,840 |
| 2021 | $21.64 | $25.71 | $22.60 | 17,710 |
| 2022 | $22.29 | $24.52 | $22.86 | 18,240 |
| 2023 | $22.93 | $24.23 | $23.53 | 19,750 |
| 2024 | $23.75 | $24.37 | $24.52 | 20,110 |
| 2025 | $24.20 | $24.20 | $25.84 | 20,330 |
In today's dollars, the median welder wage in Ohio changed by +2.0% over the last ten years of data and by +0.1% since 2019.
Are there more welder jobs in Ohio?
Since 1999, the number of welders counted in Ohio has changed by -12.4%, against +1.5% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +9.9%.
Table
| Year | Ohio jobs | Ohio index | US index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 23,220 | 100 | 100 |
| 2000 | 21,660 | 93 | 101 |
| 2001 | 20,280 | 87 | 93 |
| 2002 | 18,400 | 79 | 88 |
| 2003 | 17,560 | 76 | 86 |
| 2004 | 16,450 | 71 | 84 |
| 2005 | 17,000 | 73 | 87 |
| 2006 | 16,850 | 73 | 92 |
| 2007 | 15,710 | 68 | 94 |
| 2008 | 14,770 | 64 | 96 |
| 2009 | 13,470 | 58 | 87 |
| 2010 | 12,140 | 52 | 77 |
| 2011 | 12,340 | 53 | 77 |
| 2012 | 13,010 | 56 | 80 |
| 2013 | 14,410 | 62 | 86 |
| 2014 | 15,560 | 67 | 90 |
| 2015 | 16,340 | 70 | 94 |
| 2016 | 17,280 | 74 | 93 |
| 2017 | 17,310 | 74 | 92 |
| 2018 | 18,220 | 78 | 95 |
| 2019 | 18,500 | 80 | 100 |
| 2020 | 16,840 | 72 | 97 |
| 2021 | 17,710 | 76 | 97 |
| 2022 | 18,240 | 79 | 100 |
| 2023 | 19,750 | 85 | 103 |
| 2024 | 20,110 | 87 | 103 |
| 2025 | 20,330 | 88 | 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 Ohio
Ohio's labor market agency projects the number of welders in the state to change by 0.0% between 2024 and 2034, from 21,260 to 21,260, with about 2,050 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +2.4% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 20,330 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Ohio labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Is construction work growing in Ohio?
Keep comparing
Welder pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Ohio
More on Ohio
Questions this page answers
How much do welders make in Ohio?
The median welder in Ohio earned $24.20 an hour ($50,340 a year) in May 2025, 6% below the national median of $25.84. The middle half earn $21.99–$28.61; the top 10% earn more than $33.90.
Where does Ohio rank for welder pay?
Ohio ranks 40th of 51 states for welder pay, with a median of $24.20 an hour, and 39th after adjusting for Ohio's cost of living (BEA price parity 92.8, US = 100).
What is the union welder rate in Ohio?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a welder classification for most Ohio counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many welders work in Ohio?
BLS counted 20,330 welders in Ohio in May 2025, 3.7 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.37; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is welder work growing in Ohio?
The BLS employer survey count of welders in Ohio went from 16,340 in 2015 to 20,330 in 2025, +24.4%, and +9.9% since 2019. Ohio's labor market agency projects 0.0% growth for welders between 2024 and 2034, from 21,260 to 21,260 jobs.
How many welder openings a year are there in Ohio?
Ohio projects about 2,050 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, Ohio 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 2026-11-06. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
- State projection: Ohio labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.