Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Salary
In St. Joseph, MO-KS, welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers earn $66,060 at the median, or about $31.76 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $66K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.38), which stretches that salary to about $76,476 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,077/month, or 24.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $66K get you in St. Joseph?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by St. Joseph’s Regional Price Parity (86.38). 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 St. Joseph
St. Joseph sits well above the national pay line for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers, local pay runs about 23% higher than the U.S. median of $54K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,077/month, 24.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 86.38 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, St. Joseph offers a genuinely strong financial position for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazerss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in metros near St. Joseph, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $52K | $54K |
| Kansas City | $57K | $62K |
| Springfield | $54K | $61K |
| Joplin | $46K | $53K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, St. Joseph, MO-KS
Entry-level welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $66K. Top earners bring in $66K or more, a $19K 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 St. Joseph?
Yes — at the median salary of $66K, rent takes 24.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,077/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in St. Joseph?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,822/month. At HUD’s $1,077/month FMR, rent would take 38% 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 St. Joseph?
Local pay is 23% above the national median — $66K here vs. $54K nationally.
How does St. Joseph compare to the national average for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers?
St. Joseph pays $66K median vs. the U.S. average of $54K — that’s +23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.38), the purchasing-power equivalent is $76K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers make in St. Joseph, MO-KS?
The median is $66,060 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,040, and experienced welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers can clear $66,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $66K enough to live in St. Joseph?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,375/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,077/month, which eats 24.6% 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 St. Joseph?
St. Joseph has a Regional Price Parity of 86.38 (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 $76,476 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.