Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Salary
In Fairbanks-College, AK, welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers earn $80,210 at the median, or about $38.56 an hour. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $110K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.21), that's roughly $77,715 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,676/month, about 31.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $80K get you in Fairbanks-College?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fairbanks-College’s Regional Price Parity (103.21). 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 Fairbanks-College
Fairbanks-College sits well above the national pay line for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers, local pay runs about 49% higher than the U.S. median of $54K. Rent runs $1,676/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 103.21) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in metros near Fairbanks-College, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Anchorage | $74K | $70K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fairbanks-College, AK
Entry-level welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $110K or more, a $52K 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 Fairbanks-College?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 31% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,676/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/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 Fairbanks-College?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,479/month. At HUD’s $1,676/month FMR, rent would take 48% 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 Fairbanks-College?
Local pay is 49% above the national median — $80K here vs. $54K nationally.
How does Fairbanks-College compare to the national average for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers?
Fairbanks-College pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $54K — that’s +49%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $78K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers make in Fairbanks-College, AK?
The median is $80,210 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $57,980, and experienced welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers can clear $109,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Fairbanks-College?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,401/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,676/month, which eats 31% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers salary go in Fairbanks-College?
Fairbanks-College has a Regional Price Parity of 103.21 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers salary is worth about $77,715 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.