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Welder Salary in Durham, NC

U.S. median $51,000/yr ($24.52/hr)

Welders in Durham, North Carolina tend to track the national median, but industrial demand, overtime, and per diem can push real take-home well above it. See the local jobs hiring now.

Checking live local pay...

National benchmarks

Median$51,000/yr ($24.52/hr)
Hourly range$18 to $37/hr
Bottom 10%under $38,130/yr
Top 10%over $75,850/yr

Local pay in Durham moves with cost of living, union presence, and demand. The live figure above reflects what Durham employers are posting right now.

Pay by experience

Apprentice / entry-level (0-2 yrs)New welders and helpers start near the BLS bottom 10 percent of $38,130. Pay climbs fast once you can run clean beads unsupervised and pass a basic weld test.$38,000 to $46,000/yr ($18 to $22/hr)
Journeyman / mid-level (3-7 yrs)This is where the national median of $51,000 sits. A steady, certified MIG/stick welder in production or fab work lands here. Multi-process skill and reliability move you up the range.$46,000 to $60,000/yr ($22 to $29/hr)
Experienced / certified code welder (8+ yrs)Certified combo and TIG welders, 6G pipe welders, and code welders in industrial, energy, and aerospace shops reach the BLS top 10 percent above $75,850.$60,000 to $76,000+/yr ($29 to $37/hr)
Specialty / traveling welder (pipeline, dive, rig)Pipeline welders on union scale, underwater welders, and shutdown travelers stack base pay, overtime, and per diem. Top earners exceed $150,000 in a strong year.$80,000 to $120,000+/yr

Welder jobs in Durham

See Welder jobs hiring in Durham with pay shown upfront.

Welder pay in nearby cities

Charlotte, NCRaleigh, NCGreensboro, NCWinston-Salem, NC

Welder pay in Durham: FAQs

How much do welders make?

The median welder wage was $51,000 a year, or $24.52 an hour, as of May 2024 per the BLS. The bottom 10 percent earned under $38,130 and the top 10 percent earned over $75,850.

Do welders make good money?

Yes, especially once certified. The median of $51,000 beats many trades with no college, and industrial, pipeline, and union welders regularly pass $75,000 to $100,000 with overtime and per diem.

What is the highest paying welding job?

Underwater and commercial dive welding pays the most, often $80,000 and up. Pipeline welding on union scale is close behind, with base pay plus per diem pushing many past $100,000.

How much do welders make an hour?

The median is $24.52 an hour as of May 2024. Most welders fall between about $18 and $37 an hour, with certified pipe and combo welders at the high end.

Can you make $100k as a welder?

Yes. It usually takes a high-paying niche like pipeline, underwater, or shutdown travel work, where base pay, per diem, and heavy overtime combine. Union pipeline welders often clear $100,000 in a busy year.