Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Salary
In Madison, WI, welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers earn $59,530 at the median, or about $28.62 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $71K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.29), that's roughly $61,188 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,168/month, or 29.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $60K get you in Madison?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Madison’s Regional Price Parity (97.29). 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.
About welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Madison
Madison sits well above the national pay line for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers, local pay runs about 11% higher than the U.S. median of $54K. Rent runs $1,168/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 97.29) 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 Madison, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $59K | $61K |
| Appleton | $59K | $64K |
| Wausau | $56K | $60K |
| Green Bay | $59K | $63K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Madison, WI
Entry-level welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $71K 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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Madison numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a welders, cutters, solderers, and brazer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Madison?
Yes — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 29.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,168/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in Madison?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,708/month. At HUD’s $1,168/month FMR, rent would take 43% 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 Madison?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $60K here vs. $54K nationally.
How does Madison compare to the national average for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers?
Madison pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $54K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.29), the purchasing-power equivalent is $61K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers make in Madison, WI?
The median is $59,530 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,140, and experienced welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers can clear $71,270. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Madison?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,980/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,168/month, which eats 29.3% 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 Madison?
Madison has a Regional Price Parity of 97.29 (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 $61,188 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.