Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Salary
In Texas, welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers earn $53,340 at the median, or about $25.64 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $58,301 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,415/month, about 38.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $53K get you in Texas?
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 Texas
Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers pay in Texas tracks closely to the national median, $53K locally vs. $54K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,415/month, which is 37.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Texas
Entry-level welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $53K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $42K spread from bottom to top.
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers salary by metro in Texas
25 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odessa | $63K | +19% | 790 |
| Midland | $61K | +15% | 810 |
| Corpus Christi | $59K | +11% | 1,280 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $59K | +11% | 1,980 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $59K | +11% | 2,210 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $58K | +9% | 15,850 |
| Amarillo | $55K | +4% | 620 |
| Sherman-Denison | $55K | +3% | 290 |
| College Station-Bryan | $53K | -1% | 330 |
| Longview | $52K | -2% | 1,270 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $52K | -3% | 10,620 |
| Wichita Falls | $49K | -8% | 230 |
| Victoria | $49K | -9% | 160 |
| Killeen-Temple | $48K | -9% | 400 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $48K | -10% | 2,510 |
| Abilene | $48K | -10% | 290 |
| Lubbock | $47K | -12% | 500 |
| San Angelo | $46K | -13% | 270 |
| Waco | $46K | -13% | 630 |
| Laredo | $45K | -15% | 100 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | $45K | -16% | 650 |
| El Paso | $45K | -16% | 650 |
| Tyler | $43K | -19% | 550 |
| Texarkana | $42K | -21% | 590 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | $40K | -26% | 350 |
Showing 1–10 of 25 metros
Compare to other states
Track welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a welders, cutters, solderers, and brazer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
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 $1,415/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 Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,303/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 61% 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 Texas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $53K locally vs. $54K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Texas compare to the national average for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers?
Texas pays $53K median vs. the U.S. average of $54K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $58K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers make in Texas?
The median is $53,340 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,380, and experienced welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers can clear $80,240. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $53K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,742/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $58,301 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.