Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Salary
In Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA, welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers earn $64,470 at the median, or about $30.99 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $85K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.13), which stretches that salary to about $70,745 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,261/month, or 29.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $64K get you in Staunton-Stuarts Draft?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Staunton-Stuarts Draft’s Regional Price Parity (91.13). 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
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What this looks like in Staunton-Stuarts Draft
Staunton-Stuarts Draft sits well above the national pay line for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers, local pay runs about 20% higher than the U.S. median of $54K. Rent runs $1,261/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.13 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. 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 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $63K | $64K |
| Richmond | $58K | $59K |
| Roanoke | $56K | $60K |
| Lynchburg | $52K | $58K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA
Entry-level welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $85K or more, a $41K 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 Staunton-Stuarts Draft?
Yes — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 29.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,261/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in Staunton-Stuarts Draft?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,692/month. At HUD’s $1,261/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Staunton-Stuarts Draft?
Local pay is 20% above the national median — $64K here vs. $54K nationally.
How does Staunton-Stuarts Draft compare to the national average for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers?
Staunton-Stuarts Draft pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $54K — that’s +20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.13), the purchasing-power equivalent is $71K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers make in Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA?
The median is $64,470 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,860, and experienced welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers can clear $85,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Staunton-Stuarts Draft?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,213/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,261/month, which eats 29.9% 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 Staunton-Stuarts Draft?
Staunton-Stuarts Draft has a Regional Price Parity of 91.13 (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 $70,745 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.