Salary guide, May 2025

Welding Engineer pay, United States

Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.

This is what we do all day: recruit manufacturing professionals.

The median annual wage for Mechanical Engineers in the United States was $104,110 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $84,130 and $132,590.

Also searched as: Welding Manufacturing Engineer. These titles share this page because BLS reports them under one occupation.

Broader occupation · SOC 17-2141 Mechanical Engineers

BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title.

Mechanical Engineers in U.S.: median $104,110; published 25th to 75th percentile $84,130 to $132,590.

Annual wage percentiles, U.S.
10th	25th	Median	75th	90th
$73,990	$84,130	$104,110	$132,590	$164,340

Mechanical Engineers in U.S.: median $50.05; published 25th to 75th percentile $40.45 to $63.75.

Hourly wage percentiles, U.S.
10th	25th	Median	75th	90th
$35.57	$40.45	$50.05	$63.75	$79.01

BLS estimated 296,810 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 17-2141 Mechanical Engineers, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.

How does pay compare in the target metros?

Welding Engineer pay in target metros (May 2025)
Metro	Median	25th to 75th	Employment	Location quotient
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$99,660	$78,490 to $127,810	2,000	0.37
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	$100,290	$85,340 to $127,330	1,220	0.44
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	$103,380	$82,830 to $128,920	1,720	0.64
Raleigh-Cary, NC	$100,000	$81,420 to $124,360	1,810	1.28
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$109,990	$92,180 to $137,060	6,960	0.38
Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$109,990	$92,180 to $137,060	6,960	0.38
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$105,420	$87,200 to $132,840	5,600	0.73
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$102,070	$83,140 to $130,310	6,900	0.8

Rank every metro for Welding Engineer

What should you know about pay by manufacturing industry, United States?

Same BLS occupation, national estimates for each manufacturing industry (NAICS) BLS publishes, May 2025. Industry names are BLS labels. Nested NAICS rows overlap; they are not independent samples and must not be added together. Identical source rows repeated at different publication levels appear once.

Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing (NAICS 324000)$140,600
Apparel Manufacturing (NAICS 315000)$125,070
Chemical Manufacturing (NAICS 325000)$119,150
Paper Manufacturing (NAICS 322000)$114,990
Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing (NAICS 334000)$106,870
Food Manufacturing (NAICS 311000)$106,350
Transportation Equipment Manufacturing (NAICS 336000)$105,560
Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing (NAICS 312000)$104,820
Printing and Related Support Activities (NAICS 323000)$104,420
Miscellaneous Manufacturing (NAICS 339000)$102,200
Textile Mills (NAICS 313000)$101,990
Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing (NAICS 335000)$101,350
Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing (NAICS 327000)$100,930
Primary Metal Manufacturing (NAICS 331000)$99,680
Machinery Manufacturing (NAICS 333000)$98,620

Bars compare up to 15 non-overlapping 3-digit manufacturing subsectors with exact annual medians. More detailed scopes remain in the table, identified by code and publication level.

Welding Engineer (SOC 17-2141) by manufacturing industry, national, May 2025
NAICS / scope	Industry	Employment	25th	Median	75th
31-33 · sector	Manufacturing	130,930	$82,490	$101,570	$127,800
333000 · 3-digit	Machinery Manufacturing	41,730	$79,580	$98,620	$123,220
336000 · 3-digit	Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	31,460	$87,140	$105,560	$132,370
3330A1 · 4-digit	Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only)	29,420	$79,340	$97,620	$120,800
334000 · 3-digit	Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing	18,290	$93,970	$106,870	$134,480
332000 · 3-digit	Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing	14,590	$77,410	$94,320	$110,060
336400 · 4-digit	Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing	12,060	$99,760	$112,900	$149,430
334500 · 4-digit	Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing	10,800	$92,000	$106,210	$134,920
336300 · 4-digit	Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing	8,750	$83,290	$102,410	$126,410
335000 · 3-digit	Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing	7,160	$82,920	$101,350	$124,470
3320A1 · 4-digit	Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only)	6,820	$78,910	$97,340	$116,340
333500 · 4-digit	Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing	5,510	$76,180	$88,160	$106,140
339000 · 3-digit	Miscellaneous Manufacturing	5,080	$83,680	$102,200	$126,730
334400 · 4-digit	Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing	4,940	$97,010	$107,240	$134,140
333600 · 4-digit	Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing	4,420	$99,020	$124,400	$135,750
336100 · 4-digit	Motor Vehicle Manufacturing	4,330	$98,690	$121,670	$140,660
3320A2 · 4-digit	Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only)	3,820	$75,440	$87,120	$104,250
332700 · 4-digit	Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing	3,690	$75,800	$92,110	$110,700
335900 · 4-digit	Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing	3,220	$93,170	$106,290	$128,530
332710 · 5-digit	Machine Shops	3,190	$75,920	$92,560	$113,820
335300 · 4-digit	Electrical Equipment Manufacturing	3,170	$81,020	$96,660	$120,210
339100 · 4-digit	Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing	3,080	$85,900	$104,950	$130,830
326000 · 3-digit	Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing	3,060	$82,490	$98,120	$118,360
325000 · 3-digit	Chemical Manufacturing	2,650	$98,540	$119,150	$140,430
336600 · 4-digit	Ship and Boat Building	2,470	$82,030	$100,280	$127,540
326100 · 4-digit	Plastics Product Manufacturing	2,400	$81,470	$98,170	$120,660
333300 · 4-digit	Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing	2,380	$80,770	$97,190	$122,130
331000 · 3-digit	Primary Metal Manufacturing	2,300	$81,760	$99,680	$115,860
339900 · 4-digit	Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing	2,000	$79,470	$96,910	$119,520
336200 · 4-digit	Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing	1,980	$76,950	$84,370	$99,470
3250A1 · 4-digit	Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only)	1,890	$101,380	$124,010	$144,670
334200 · 4-digit	Communications Equipment Manufacturing	1,340	$97,710	$106,870	$134,840
336500 · 4-digit	Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing	1,180	$99,420	$115,720	$130,670
334100 · 4-digit	Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing	910	$82,750	$105,030	$133,740
311000 · 3-digit	Food Manufacturing	900	$90,680	$106,350	$131,820
322000 · 3-digit	Paper Manufacturing	870	$98,870	$114,990	$131,350
324000 · 3-digit	Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing	740	$124,430	$140,600	$165,480
324100 · 4-digit	Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing	740	$124,430	$140,600	$165,480
337000 · 3-digit	Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing	700	$72,270	$81,710	$100,270
336900 · 4-digit	Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	690	$82,260	$97,170	$125,100
3370A1 · 4-digit	Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only)	670	$70,170	$80,600	$98,420
326200 · 4-digit	Rubber Product Manufacturing	660	$82,760	$97,320	$107,020
325400 · 4-digit	Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing	620	$89,710	$103,280	$130,300
327000 · 3-digit	Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing	620	$83,200	$100,930	$118,460
331500 · 4-digit	Foundries	620	$78,590	$92,820	$105,730
331100 · 4-digit	Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing	530	$74,220	$99,990	$115,580
332720 · 5-digit	Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing	510	$75,000	$87,180	$102,840
322100 · 4-digit	Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills	480	$106,780	$124,140	$136,700
331300 · 4-digit	Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing	470	$85,520	$106,650	$128,760
322200 · 4-digit	Converted Paper Product Manufacturing	400	$83,350	$103,380	$124,700
311900 · 4-digit	Other Food Manufacturing	390	$102,020	$121,740	$144,950
335100 · 4-digit	Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing	390	$75,790	$93,380	$110,480
335200 · 4-digit	Household Appliance Manufacturing	380	$96,450	$106,660	$119,580
331200 · 4-digit	Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel	370	$84,090	$98,280	$106,450
321000 · 3-digit	Wood Product Manufacturing	310	$75,260	$90,020	$105,880
331400 · 4-digit	Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing	310	$84,800	$102,300	$114,830
334300 · 4-digit	Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing	290	$100,780	$125,380	$146,000
321900 · 4-digit	Other Wood Product Manufacturing	250	$74,530	$84,360	$104,190
332800 · 4-digit	Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities	250	$83,090	$98,010	$112,430
312000 · 3-digit	Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing	200	$93,820	$104,820	$115,760
312100 · 4-digit	Beverage Manufacturing	190	$93,950	$104,980	$115,760
3250A2 · 4-digit	Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only)	150	$85,540	$107,220	$124,050
311500 · 4-digit	Dairy Product Manufacturing	120	$81,810	$99,180	$124,630
311800 · 4-digit	Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing	110	$66,800	$74,460	$87,800
311200 · 4-digit	Grain and Oilseed Milling	100	$91,370	$96,570	$104,150
313000 · 3-digit	Textile Mills	90	$92,010	$101,990	$131,570
314000 · 3-digit	Textile Product Mills	90	$65,180	$85,590	$105,270
311300 · 4-digit	Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing	80	$103,970	$117,350	$131,040
313200 · 4-digit	Fabric Mills	70	$97,810	$105,810	$134,390
314900 · 4-digit	Other Textile Product Mills	70	$65,160	$81,410	$102,390
311600 · 4-digit	Animal Slaughtering and Processing	40	$84,990	$113,160	$140,040
321200 · 4-digit	Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing	40	$82,650	$92,230	$101,990
323000 · 3-digit	Printing and Related Support Activities	40	$82,640	$104,420	$129,120
323100 · 4-digit	Printing and Related Support Activities	40	$82,640	$104,420	$129,120
337900 · 4-digit	Other Furniture Related Product Manufacturing	40	$98,180	$111,900	$139,990
315000 · 3-digit	Apparel Manufacturing	Not published by BLS	$103,120	$125,070	$134,270

What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?

For Welding Engineer, clarify the base pay before discussing call-outs, travel or extra shifts. OEWS measures straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. It includes base rate, guaranteed pay, commissions and production bonuses. It excludes overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits.

An attendance bonus is not a production bonus; confirm its purpose and treatment rather than adding every bonus to the BLS figure. Skills-based pay steps affect the base rate when they are part of straight-time pay; BLS does not publish a separate rate for each plant's skill grade. Ask whether a tool allowance is expense reimbursement or wage pay. OEWS does not publish a separate tool-allowance component. Keep these items separate in the offer so the published wage is not mistaken for the whole package.

Pay mix here means how published medians for this one BLS occupation differ across manufacturing industries and against the all-industry median. It does not split pay into base, incentive or overtime. BLS wages are straight-time gross pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses.

What should you know about two BLS releases?

Welding Engineer in the United States, annual wages, May 2024 and May 2025
Release period	25th	Median	75th
May 2024	$81,800	$102,320	$130,290
May 2025	$84,130	$104,110	$132,590

These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.

Recruiter's read. Qualitative, not BLS data.

What should you know about credentials that matter?

AWS CWI or CWEng matters in many plants and in some customer contracts. We check what the candidate holds, when it was earned and whether they actually inspect or supervise inspection. We also ask about practical shop experience, since credentials alone do not predict floor credibility.

What should you know about questions?

Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.

What is the median pay for a Welding Engineer?

The median annual wage for Mechanical Engineers in the United States was $104,110 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $84,130 and $132,590. This is the broader occupation BLS publishes, not a figure for this exact title.

What does the 10th percentile mean here?

10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than $73,990. 90% earned less than $164,340.

Does this include overtime or bonuses?

Is this the pay for a Welding Engineer at a plant?

BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title. These are occupation estimates across all industries, not an offer for a particular manufacturing title.

How many people work in this occupation?

BLS estimated 296,810 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.

What should you know about related?

Underlying BLS figures for this role (JSON)

Reading this wage estimate

What does this data mean for your opening?

Welding Engineers oversee critical structural integrity in manufacturing environments. This role functions under the broader BLS classification for Mechanical Engineers (SOC 17-2141) as specific title-level wage data is not published. The national median for this occupation is $104,110 per year. For Welding Engineer in the United States, releases are separate survey estimates.

The May 2025 median is $104,110; the May 2024 median is $102,320. Their arithmetic difference is $1,790. They are not the same workers' raises and do not establish a pay trend or its cause. Manufacturing Headhunters monitors these figures to assist hiring managers in setting realistic salary expectations for new recruits. The middle band width for this occupation is $48,460, representing the variance between the P25 of $84,130 and the P75 of $132,590. This range highlights the pay spread caused by seniority and technical specialization.

When looking at national manufacturing industry performance, Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing reports a median of $140,600, while Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing stands at $125,380. These figures are higher than the general mechanical engineering median. It is crucial to note these are national industry rows rather than specific occupation-only wages. For Welding Engineer in the United States, OEWS measures straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. Commissions and production bonuses are included; overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits are excluded. These omitted elements often compose a large portion of an engineer's actual total earnings. The provided P25 and P75 values offer a baseline, but local competitive factors will inevitably shift hiring requirements.

For Welding Engineer in the United States, releases are separate survey estimates. The May 2025 median is $104,110; the May 2024 median is $102,320. Their arithmetic difference is $1,790. They are not the same workers' raises and do not establish a pay trend or its cause. The higher median in Los Angeles likely stems from regional cost-of-living differences rather than unique task requirements for this role. Hiring managers must remember that location quotient figures here measure occupational employment concentration rather than candidate availability or local market pay rates. The reported wage figures for Detroit and Los Angeles rely on the same broader SOC code, meaning that day-to-day work duties in these hubs still vary based on the specific manufacturing facility, process maturity, and the technical complexity of the robotic welding cells or ASME code compliance required by the firm.

Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?

Does the welding engineer salary account for AWS CWI or CWEng certification?

The BLS data does not explicitly isolate certifications like AWS CWI or CWEng in its wage reporting. For Welding Engineer in the United States, percentiles describe the wage distribution of the mapped occupation. The published middle interval is $84,130 to $132,590 annually. They do not assign pay to plant size, seniority, credentials or job complexity. Assess duties and candidate requirements separately; these rows do not measure a premium for them.

How does the national median compare to regional manufacturing hubs?

The national median for mechanical engineers is $104,110, while hubs like Los Angeles show a higher $123,900 median. This variance reflects local market economic conditions and regional industry demand.

What components are missing from these salary figures?

For Welding Engineer in the United States, OEWS measures straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. Commissions and production bonuses are included; overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits are excluded. These components are frequently vital in attracting proven engineering talent.