Welder salary in Rhode Island
Median $24.32 an hour for 2,300 welders, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Welder pay in Rhode Island: the full range
Rhode Island ranks 38th of 51 states for median welder pay, and 50th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $23.77). 2,300 welders work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.3× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $17.09 – $24.32 | $35,560 – $50,580 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $24.32 – $32.82 | $50,580 – $68,260 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $32.82 – $38.94 | $68,260 – $81,000 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Welder pay by metro in Rhode Island
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence | $17.11 | $25.39 | $38.94 | 2,490 | 4% above |
Welder wages in Rhode Island over time
Table
| Year | Rhode Island $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $9.71 | $18.76 | $12.58 | 1,140 |
| 2000 | $13.16 | $24.60 | $13.13 | 1,050 |
| 2001 | $12.29 | $22.34 | $13.70 | 1,170 |
| 2002 | $12.99 | $23.25 | $14.02 | — |
| 2003 | $14.16 | $24.78 | $14.25 | 660 |
| 2004 | $13.03 | $22.21 | $14.72 | 660 |
| 2005 | $16.04 | $26.44 | $14.90 | 1,090 |
| 2006 | $17.34 | $27.69 | $15.10 | 1,200 |
| 2007 | $17.96 | $27.89 | $15.51 | 1,230 |
| 2008 | $19.00 | $28.41 | $16.13 | 1,350 |
| 2009 | $20.02 | $30.04 | $16.71 | 1,080 |
| 2010 | $20.81 | $30.72 | $17.04 | 990 |
| 2011 | $18.89 | $27.04 | $17.27 | 770 |
| 2012 | $19.85 | $27.83 | $17.45 | 670 |
| 2013 | $20.27 | $28.01 | $17.66 | 790 |
| 2014 | $19.62 | $26.68 | $17.99 | 1,210 |
| 2015 | $19.37 | $26.31 | $18.34 | 1,520 |
| 2016 | $19.49 | $26.14 | $18.94 | 1,530 |
| 2017 | $21.71 | $28.51 | $19.35 | 1,400 |
| 2018 | $23.48 | $30.10 | $19.89 | 1,410 |
| 2019 | $23.78 | $29.95 | $20.43 | 1,430 |
| 2020 | $24.51 | $30.49 | $21.25 | 1,380 |
| 2021 | $27.61 | $32.80 | $22.60 | 1,450 |
| 2022 | $28.39 | $31.23 | $22.86 | 1,850 |
| 2023 | $28.35 | $29.95 | $23.53 | 2,000 |
| 2024 | $27.40 | $28.12 | $24.52 | 2,350 |
| 2025 | $24.32 | $24.32 | $25.84 | 2,300 |
In today's dollars, the median welder wage in Rhode Island changed by -7.6% over the last ten years of data and by -18.8% since 2019.
Are there more welder jobs in Rhode Island?
BLS counted 2,300 welders in Rhode Island in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 8%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.
Outlook for welders in Rhode Island
Rhode Island's labor market agency projects the number of welders in the state to change by +27.4% between 2024 and 2034, from 3,910 to 4,980, with about 540 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +2.4% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 2,300 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Rhode Island labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Is construction work growing in Rhode Island?
Keep comparing
Welder pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Rhode Island
- Electrician
- Plumber
- HVAC technician
- Lineman
- Carpenter
- Diesel mechanic
- Crane operator
- Heavy equipment operator
More on Rhode Island
Questions this page answers
How much do welders make in Rhode Island?
The median welder in Rhode Island earned $24.32 an hour ($50,580 a year) in May 2025, 6% below the national median of $25.84. The middle half earn $24.32–$32.82; the top 10% earn more than $38.94.
Where does Rhode Island rank for welder pay?
Rhode Island ranks 38th of 51 states for welder pay, with a median of $24.32 an hour, and 50th after adjusting for Rhode Island's cost of living (BEA price parity 102.3, US = 100).
What is the union welder rate in Rhode Island?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a welder classification for most Rhode Island counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many welders work in Rhode Island?
BLS counted 2,300 welders in Rhode Island in May 2025, 4.6 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.71; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is welder work growing in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island's labor market agency projects +27.4% growth for welders between 2024 and 2034, from 3,910 to 4,980 jobs.
How many welder openings a year are there in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island projects about 540 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, Rhode Island 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: Rhode Island labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.