Is Welding a Good Career: 5 Reasons to Choose Welding Career Option

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Welding is an excellent occupation for people who love working with their hands. Welders are creative and passionate about their jobs because they love building things to solve problems.

If you’re considering starting a career path or changing to one that allows you to stand on your fit, we have explained 5 reasons why welding might be right for you.

But before jumping to that, let’s show you just one thing you should know before you become a welder. We also have a quick video of welding career advice from an old guy down in the last part. We hope this article is helpful to you.

What Should I Know Before You Becoming a Welder?

Many young people want to get into welding. And it’s a good thing because welding is an honest and profitable business.

One important thing you should know before going to welding school is that you need to pre-plan. It is necessary always to plan before and after going to welding school. Pre-planning helps you define what you want clearly and all you need to do to achieve your goal.

The tutors at welding schools are there to teach you how to weld. However, deciding where your welding skills will take you depends on you.

One critical question to ask yourself is – “what do I want to do with welding?” This is important because you need to do what makes you happy, something that excites you and you are passionate about.

With this in place, you’ll be able to choose what you want to do after learning. Welding is a skill you’ll need to apply in the long run; where you want it to take you depends on you.

One good place to start is to ask yourself, “what do I want to build?” – aircraft, houses or commercial structures, pipelines, bridges, or automobiles.

As a notable welder once said, “Find the job and then learn the skill that fits the job.” Please don’t make the mistake of learning a skill and then trying to figure out what to do with it.

It is better to decide on the path you want to follow and gain the specific skill(s) that will take you to your dream.

Is Welding a Good Career?

Welding is an excellent career for people who love to work with their hands and build things used in homes, manufacturing, and government.

Welders can work in housing or commercial structures, pipelines, aircraft, bridges, automobiles, and more, which are in demand in these areas.

In addition, welding is a trade job that does not require a college degree. You can become a welder with a high school diploma and welding certification.

The pay for welders has increased over the years, and the mean wage, according to resources from the government, is about $47,010.

Now let’s show you the specific reasons why welding might be a good career for you.

5 Reasons Why You Should Become a Welder

#1. Low Entry Educational Requirement

A high school diploma is the most educational job requirement for most welding positions. This means you do not need a bachelor’s degree to apply for a welding job or even to start a welding business.

So, you can land a welding job with a high school degree and welding certificate. According to the BLS, welders typically need a high school diploma or equivalent, combined with technical and on-the-job training, to enter the occupation.

#2. Growing Compensation

Research says that welders’ remuneration is increasing by the year. In 2020, the USA Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics stated that welders earned around $29,080 per year.

However, in 2020, Welders made up to$46,280 per year. Further, The median annual wage for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers was $47,010 in May 2021.

Further, BLS statistics show that Alaska leads the top-paying state for welders with an annual mean wage of $71,860.

In second and third places are Hawaii and the District of Columbia, with $65,560 and $64,650, respectively. Below you can find the list of top-paying states for welders in the United States;

Top-Paying States for Welders in the United States

State	Annual Mean Wage
Alaska	$71,860
Hawaii	$65,650
District of Columbia	$64,270
Wyoming	$1910
North Dakota	$57,320

Top Paying States for Welders in the United States

#3. Ability to be Self Employed

Research from the government also notes that welders can be self-employed. About 5% of welders are self-employed.

This gives them the ability to make more money. If you work for yourself as a welder, you’ll enjoy independence, control, and freedom from routine.

In addition, there are lots of Things to Weld and Sell for Profit in 2023 when you’re not working on a specific customer’s project.

#4. Ability to Work with Your Hand

Most welders are handy. And welding gives them the ability to work with their hands. This would be great for anyone who dislikes sitting behind a desk.

If that describes you, you might consider welding because you can never be bored on this job.

Once you become great at it, you’ll get an opportunity to work on different projects from time to time. For example, you could work on a rail car one day, then move to a pipeline or even off-shore the next.

You will be called to handle whatever metal object needs to be welded.

#5. Availability Of Jobs

Despite the BLS projections we saw earlier, welding is a career that will always provide in-demand jobs.

This is because welders will always be in demand as long as there are metals to join in building construction, vessel building, car making, and many other welding activities.

How to Become a Welder in 2023: Education, Jobs, and Salary

Now that you know a little more about welding, do you still want to become a welder? If your answer is yes, then let’s show you what you need to become one.

According to the BLS, welders typically need a high school diploma or equivalent, combined with technical and on-the-job training, to enter the occupation. So, you’ll need to go to a welding school (trade school) to get the skill and the certification.

Now, about welding jobs, there are about 47,600 openings for welders, cutters, solders, and brazers projected each year, on average, over the decade from 2021 to 2031 in the United States.

However, according to the BLS, this is slower than the average for all occupations. But welders are expected to experience a 3% growth over the projected period.

You might also like to know that occupations experiencing massive growth are solar panel installers and wind turbine technicians. The projected growth for these occupations within the above period is %51 and %61 respectively. However, these occupations are smaller compared to welding.

Most employed welders are in Texas, California, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. However, you can check out real-time estimate job opportunities on sites like Upwork, Indeed, and LinkedIn.

Finally, in this segment, let’s look at welders’ salaries. The median annual wage for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers was $47,010 in May 2021.

In addition, data from indeed.com shows that the average salary for a welder is $20.87 per hour in the United States. This is based on 31k salaries reported and updated on indeed.com on January 8, 2023.

WELDING CAREER ADVICE

Conclusion

Welding is a profitable business, and you can make a decent living off of it, depending on your type of welding and location. If you’re planning on going to a welding school, map out a plan first, then learn a skill to apply the plan.

Decide what you want to do with your welding skills after training before you even start. Think and reason, and look at things holistically before you make a decision. Focus on something other than your desire to make money out of welding.

Is Welding a Good Career in 2023: Frequently Asked Questions

Is Welding a Good Long-Term Career?

It also creates a path for growth in careers such as engineering, robotics, inspection, project management, motorsports, and underwater welding.

Is Welding a Stressful Job?

Though welding is a fascinating work of art, many welders have said it can be stressful and tiring.

The stress welders experience can come from being in the same position for an extended period, measuring their materials, ensuring precision, and facing flash and its effects. However, with passion and love for what they do, welders enjoy their work.

What is the Highest-Paying Welding Career?

Rig welders are the highest-paying welding career in the United States, receiving about $68,501 to $95,901 per year in the United according to salary.com.

Highest-paying welding careers include:

Welding Engineer: $83,000 (average per year)
Oil rig welder: $77,000 (average per year)
Nuclear Industry Welder: $67,000 (average per year)
Industrial pipeline welder: $63,000 (average per year)
Combo Welder: $59,000 (average per year)
Certified Welding Inspector: $57,000 (average per year)
Certified Welding Supervisor: $56,000 (average per year)
Underwater Welder: 54,000 (average per year)
Military Support Welder: $48,000 (average per year)
Aerospace welder: $45,000 (average per year)

Can You Make a Good Living as a Welder?

Welders can earn up to $68,501 to $95,901 per year in the United States. Entry-level positions can be around $33,239 as of January 2023. Some welders make much more than that.

So, depending on the type of welding, you can live off of welding.

Does Welding have a Future?

Projections show that welding and related careers would continue to grow annually by 3%. However, so long as there are things to weld, wending has a future.

FAQs

Is welding a good long term career?

Welding offers excellent pay and steady job opportunities for people without college degrees. It is one of the highest-paying trades jobs in the United States, with an average mean salary of $47,010 per year. It also creates a path for growth in careers such as engineering, robotics, inspection, project management, motorsports, and underwater welding.

Is welding a stressful job?

Though welding is a fascinating work of art, many welders have said it can be stressful and tiring.

What is the highest paying welding career?

Rig welders are the highest-paying welding career in the United States, receiving about $68,501 to $95,901 per year in the United according to salary.com.

Can you make a good living as a welder?

Welders can earn up to $68,501 to $95,901 per year in the United States. Entry-level positions can be around $33,239 as of January 2023.

Some welders make much more than that. So, depending on your welding type, you can live off of welding.

Does welding have a future?

Projections show that welding and related careers would continue to grow annually by 3%. However, so long as there are things to weld, wending has a future.