Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Salary
In Pennsylvania, welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers earn $52,900 at the median, or about $25.43 an hour. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $55,702 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,351/month, about 38.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $53K get you in Pennsylvania?
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $53K locally vs. $54K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,351/month, which is 37.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $53K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers salary by metro in Pennsylvania
16 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $58K | +10% | 4,630 |
| York-Hanover | $55K | +4% | 730 |
| Reading | $55K | +4% | 870 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $55K | +4% | 860 |
| Lancaster | $54K | +3% | 1,270 |
| Pittsburgh | $54K | +1% | 3,600 |
| Chambersburg | $53K | +1% | 510 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $52K | -1% | 420 |
| Altoona | $52K | -3% | 170 |
| State College | $51K | -4% | 140 |
| Lebanon | $51K | -4% | 250 |
| Erie | $49K | -7% | 740 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $49K | -7% | 560 |
| Gettysburg | $49K | -7% | 110 |
| Williamsport | $48K | -9% | 160 |
| Johnstown | $47K | -12% | 170 |
Showing 1–10 of 16 metros
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a welders, cutters, solderers, and brazer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $53K, rent takes 37.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,431/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 56% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $53K locally vs. $54K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers?
Pennsylvania pays $53K median vs. the U.S. average of $54K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $52,900 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,510, and experienced welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers can clear $74,870. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $53K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,577/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 37.8% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $55,702 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.