Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Salary
In Ames, IA, welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers earn $58,560 at the median, or about $28.15 an hour. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $67K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.83), which stretches that salary to about $65,924 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,153/month, or 30% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $59K get you in Ames?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Ames’s Regional Price Parity (88.83). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
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What this looks like in Ames
Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers pay in Ames tracks closely to the national median, $59K locally vs. $54K nationwide, a 9% difference. Rent runs $1,153/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.83 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in metros near Ames, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $49K | $55K |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $60K | $65K |
| Cedar Rapids | $57K | $64K |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $51K | $59K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Ames, IA
Entry-level welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $67K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $81K | +50% | 790 |
| Hawaii | $79K | +47% | 520 |
| Connecticut | $65K | +21% | 1,790 |
| Wyoming | $64K | +19% | 1,850 |
| Washington | $63K | +17% | 7,720 |
| Massachusetts | $63K | +16% | 2,830 |
| New Hampshire | $62K | +16% | 1,110 |
| Louisiana | $62K | +16% | 13,690 |
| Maine | $62K | +16% | 1,690 |
| North Dakota | $62K | +15% | 2,590 |
| Nevada | $62K | +14% | 1,600 |
| Vermont | $61K | +13% | 340 |
| Maryland | $60K | +12% | 2,850 |
| Minnesota | $60K | +12% | 9,270 |
| District of Columbia | $60K | +12% | 280 |
| New Mexico | $60K | +11% | 2,390 |
| Oregon | $59K | +11% | 5,240 |
| New Jersey | $59K | +11% | 3,730 |
| Virginia | $59K | +10% | 10,100 |
| New York | $59K | +10% | 8,310 |
| Colorado | $59K | +9% | 4,970 |
| Wisconsin | $58K | +9% | 15,320 |
| Utah | $58K | +9% | 4,440 |
| California | $58K | +8% | 26,060 |
| Delaware | $57K | +7% | 600 |
| Montana | $56K | +3% | 1,530 |
| Arizona | $56K | +3% | 7,270 |
| Iowa | $55K | +2% | 9,270 |
| Texas | $53K | -1% | 52,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $53K | -2% | 17,850 |
| Nebraska | $52K | -3% | 4,200 |
| Missouri | $52K | -3% | 10,600 |
| Kentucky | $51K | -4% | 6,630 |
| Illinois | $51K | -5% | 16,260 |
| Mississippi | $51K | -5% | 6,460 |
| Florida | $51K | -6% | 16,420 |
| North Carolina | $51K | -6% | 11,750 |
| Rhode Island | $51K | -6% | 2,300 |
| Idaho | $51K | -6% | 3,300 |
| Ohio | $50K | -6% | 20,330 |
| Michigan | $50K | -7% | 13,330 |
| South Carolina | $50K | -7% | 7,380 |
| Indiana | $50K | -7% | 13,280 |
| Oklahoma | $50K | -7% | 9,960 |
| South Dakota | $49K | -8% | 3,250 |
| Kansas | $49K | -8% | 6,370 |
| West Virginia | $49K | -9% | 2,100 |
| Alabama | $48K | -10% | 12,450 |
| Georgia | $48K | -10% | 13,130 |
| Tennessee | $48K | -11% | 12,510 |
| Arkansas | $48K | -11% | 6,150 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a welders, cutters, solderers, and brazer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ames?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 30% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,153/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in Ames?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,437/month. At HUD’s $1,153/month FMR, rent would take 47% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is welders, cutters, solderers, and brazer a high-paying job in Ames?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $59K locally vs. $54K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Ames compare to the national average for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers?
Ames pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $54K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.83), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers make in Ames, IA?
The median is $58,560 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,620, and experienced welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers can clear $67,110. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Ames?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,848/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,153/month, which eats 30% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers salary go in Ames?
Ames has a Regional Price Parity of 88.83 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers salary is worth about $65,924 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.