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Welder Salary in Sacramento, CA

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

Welder pay in Sacramento, California moves with the local mix of industrial, energy, and construction work, and with how much union and shutdown work is around. Here is what the live job market is paying right 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 Sacramento moves with cost of living, union presence, and demand. The live figure above reflects what Sacramento 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 Sacramento

See Welder jobs hiring in Sacramento with pay shown upfront.

Welder pay in nearby cities

Los Angeles, CASan Diego, CASan Jose, CASan Francisco, CA

Welder pay in Sacramento: 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.