Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Salary
In Reading, PA, welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers earn $54,840 at the median, or about $26.36 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $71K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.06), that's roughly $56,501 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,575/month, about 42.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $55K get you in Reading?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Reading’s Regional Price Parity (97.06). 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 Reading
Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers pay in Reading tracks closely to the national median, $55K locally vs. $54K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,575/month, which is 42.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.06) 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 Reading, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $58K | $57K |
| Pittsburgh | $54K | $57K |
| Lancaster | $54K | $55K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $55K | $55K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Reading, PA
Entry-level welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $71K or more, a $28K 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 Reading numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a welders, cutters, solderers, and brazer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Reading?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 42.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,575/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 Reading?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,539/month. At HUD’s $1,575/month FMR, rent would take 62% 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 Reading?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $55K locally vs. $54K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Reading compare to the national average for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers?
Reading pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $54K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers make in Reading, PA?
The median is $54,840 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,320, and experienced welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers can clear $70,720. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in Reading?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,702/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,575/month, which eats 42.5% 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 Reading?
Reading has a Regional Price Parity of 97.06 (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 $56,501 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.