Welder salary in West Virginia
Median $23.46 an hour for 2,100 welders, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Welder pay in West Virginia: the full range
West Virginia ranks 47th of 51 states for median welder pay, and 38th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $26.21). 2,100 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 | $17.65 – $19.18 | $36,700 – $39,900 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $19.18 – $28.93 | $39,900 – $60,170 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $28.93 – $35.47 | $60,170 – $73,780 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Welder pay by metro in West Virginia
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington DC | $21.71 | $29.17 | $26.79 | $55.02 | 2,000 | 24% above |
| Hagerstown | $19.24 | $26.93 | $28.59 | $36.65 | 130 | 15% above |
| Weirton | $18.14 | $26.64 | $29.93 | $41.88 | 180 | 14% above |
| Winchester | $19.19 | $26.29 | $27.24 | $30.91 | 120 | 12% above |
| Wheeling | $18.11 | $24.00 | $27.18 | $50.68 | 160 | 2% above |
| Parkersburg | $17.40 | $23.72 | $27.23 | $31.98 | 90 | 1% above |
| Beckley | $16.98 | $23.54 | $26.63 | $39.26 | 120 | about the same as |
| Charleston | $17.81 | $23.08 | $26.02 | $36.26 | 190 | 2% below |
| Morgantown | $17.31 | $22.91 | $24.56 | $35.73 | 140 | 2% below |
| Huntington | $17.68 | $22.59 | $25.55 | $34.29 | 550 | 4% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Welder wages in West Virginia over time
Table
| Year | West Virginia $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $12.01 | $23.21 | $12.58 | 3,090 |
| 2000 | $12.45 | $23.28 | $13.13 | 3,030 |
| 2001 | $13.21 | $24.01 | $13.70 | 2,880 |
| 2002 | $13.63 | $24.39 | $14.02 | 2,600 |
| 2003 | $14.05 | $24.58 | $14.25 | 2,490 |
| 2004 | $13.30 | $22.67 | $14.72 | 2,530 |
| 2005 | $13.74 | $22.65 | $14.90 | 2,830 |
| 2006 | $13.93 | $22.25 | $15.10 | 3,050 |
| 2007 | $14.84 | $23.04 | $15.51 | 3,380 |
| 2008 | $15.12 | $22.61 | $16.13 | 3,120 |
| 2009 | $15.96 | $23.95 | $16.71 | 3,090 |
| 2010 | $16.42 | $24.24 | $17.04 | 2,420 |
| 2011 | $16.53 | $23.66 | $17.27 | 2,600 |
| 2012 | $17.22 | $24.15 | $17.45 | 2,650 |
| 2013 | $18.21 | $25.17 | $17.66 | 2,650 |
| 2014 | $18.90 | $25.70 | $17.99 | 2,550 |
| 2015 | $18.86 | $25.62 | $18.34 | 2,780 |
| 2016 | $18.63 | $24.99 | $18.94 | 2,430 |
| 2017 | $19.73 | $25.91 | $19.35 | 2,210 |
| 2018 | $19.96 | $25.59 | $19.89 | 2,520 |
| 2019 | $21.08 | $26.55 | $20.43 | 2,710 |
| 2020 | $21.77 | $27.08 | $21.25 | 2,370 |
| 2021 | $22.23 | $26.41 | $22.60 | 1,960 |
| 2022 | $21.33 | $23.46 | $22.86 | 2,070 |
| 2023 | $22.21 | $23.47 | $23.53 | 2,080 |
| 2024 | $22.60 | $23.19 | $24.52 | 2,280 |
| 2025 | $23.46 | $23.46 | $25.84 | 2,100 |
In today's dollars, the median welder wage in West Virginia changed by -8.4% over the last ten years of data and by -11.6% since 2019.
Are there more welder jobs in West Virginia?
BLS counted 2,100 welders in West Virginia in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 7%. 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 West Virginia
West Virginia's labor market agency projects the number of welders in the state to change by +5.1% between 2024 and 2034, from 2,190 to 2,300, with about 230 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +2.4% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 2,100 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: West Virginia labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections.
Is construction work growing in West Virginia?
Keep comparing
Welder pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in West Virginia
- Electrician
- Plumber
- HVAC technician
- Lineman
- Carpenter
- Diesel mechanic
- Crane operator
- Heavy equipment operator
More on West Virginia
Questions this page answers
How much do welders make in West Virginia?
The median welder in West Virginia earned $23.46 an hour ($48,810 a year) in May 2025, 9% below the national median of $25.84. The middle half earn $19.18–$28.93; the top 10% earn more than $35.47.
Where does West Virginia rank for welder pay?
West Virginia ranks 47th of 51 states for welder pay, with a median of $23.46 an hour, and 38th after adjusting for West Virginia's cost of living (BEA price parity 89.5, US = 100).
What is the union welder rate in West Virginia?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a welder classification for most West Virginia counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many welders work in West Virginia?
BLS counted 2,100 welders in West Virginia in May 2025, 3.0 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.12; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is welder work growing in West Virginia?
West Virginia's labor market agency projects +5.1% growth for welders between 2024 and 2034, from 2,190 to 2,300 jobs.
How many welder openings a year are there in West Virginia?
West Virginia projects about 230 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, West Virginia 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: West Virginia labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.