Welding and Brazing Machine Operators

Median Salary: $32,800

Many welding and brazing machine operators across the United States share a few key professional characteristics. For example, concern for others, integrity, and stress tolerance can be crucial for success in the industry, especially when mixed with career training. Around 41,580 individuals were employed as welding and brazing machine operators nationwide in 2009. With that much workplace competition, it's vital to hone these attributes and receive good training, particularly if you're aiming to move up in the field.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual income for welding and brazing machine operators in the U.S. was $32,800 in 2009, which works out to a median hourly wage of $15.70. Of course, income can vary with training and by locale. Below, you'll find more data about welding and brazing machine operators, including wages and job density for metro areas all over the United States.

Welding and brazing machine operators should be skilled in:

  • Manual Dexterity
  • Control Precision
  • Finger Dexterity
  • Problem Sensitivity
  • Information Ordering

Different individuals go into different careers; welding and brazing machine operators are typically:

  • Realistic
  • Conventional
  • Enterprising

Working as a welding or brazing machine operator requires knowledge in subjects like:

  • Mechanical
  • Production and Processing
  • Public Safety and Security

Related Occupations

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Below, you'll see links to more information on the top cities for this occupation (based on the number of individuals employed as welding and brazing machine operators). Note: "Job density" refers to the proportion of welding and brazing machine operators in each city as compared to the national average.

Alabama
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Birmingham 80 $33,400 $16.00 $37,200 $17.90 -48.7%
Decatur NA $30,800 $14.80 $36,600 $17.60 NA
Huntsville 70 $28,500 $13.70 $32,900 $15.80 10.7%
Mobile 80 $34,300 $16.50 $38,900 $18.70 37.7%
Montgomery 130 $30,100 $14.50 $34,300 $16.50 151.3%
Tuscaloosa 120 $31,000 $14.90 $36,300 $17.50 328.9%
Arizona
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Phoenix 210 $38,300 $18.40 $47,300 $22.70 -62.9%
Tucson NA $27,900 $13.40 $32,100 $15.40 NA
Arkansas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Fayetteville 90 $25,100 $12.10 $28,300 $13.60 44.3%
Little Rock 50 $27,100 $13.00 $31,300 $15.10 -49.1%
California
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Los Angeles (Area) 970 $27,900 $13.40 $36,500 $17.60 -41.2%
Oakland 230 $28,000 $13.50 $36,000 $17.30 -26.1%
Oxnard 40 $35,800 $17.20 $45,200 $21.70 -61.9%
Riverside 290 $32,700 $15.70 $41,200 $19.80 -23%
Sacramento 90 $32,900 $15.80 $38,400 $18.50 -67.3%
San Diego 130 $26,700 $12.80 $36,100 $17.40 -68.2%
San Francisco (Area) 230 $28,000 $13.50 $36,000 $17.30 -26.1%
San Jose 110 $37,000 $17.80 $44,000 $21.20 -61.3%
Stockton 40 $36,800 $17.70 $41,200 $19.80 -36.8%
Colorado
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Denver 130 $33,800 $16.20 $38,300 $18.40 -67.6%
Connecticut
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Hartford 230 $35,900 $17.30 $43,800 $21.10 28.3%
New Haven NA $42,400 $20.40 $47,600 $22.90 NA
Norwich 50 $41,900 $20.10 $48,200 $23.20 9.4%
District of Columbia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Washington (Area) 80 $42,600 $20.50 $49,100 $23.60 -89%
Florida
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bradenton 30 $34,900 $16.80 $42,300 $20.30 -61.6%
Cape Coral NA $38,800 $18.70 $46,100 $22.20 NA
Jacksonville NA $29,200 $14.00 $33,300 $16.00 NA
Miami (Area) 140 $34,000 $16.30 $39,700 $19.10 -76.1%
Orlando NA $31,300 $15.10 $38,200 $18.30 NA
Tampa 120 $30,500 $14.70 $36,900 $17.70 -66%
Georgia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Atlanta 510 $29,400 $14.10 $35,200 $16.90 -29.9%
Augusta 100 $25,200 $12.10 $30,800 $14.80 54.1%
Illinois
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Chicago (Area) 1,010 $31,100 $15.00 $36,200 $17.40 0.9%
Peoria 60 $30,300 $14.60 $46,100 $22.20 4.4%
Rockford 90 $30,800 $14.80 $41,800 $20.10 89.3%
Indiana
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Columbus NA $28,900 $13.90 $32,400 $15.60 NA
Elkhart 160 $29,400 $14.10 $32,900 $15.80 394.7%
Evansville 40 $42,900 $20.60 $52,000 $25.00 -22.3%
Fort Wayne 80 $34,300 $16.50 $37,900 $18.20 30.2%
Indianapolis 750 $32,700 $15.70 $37,900 $18.20 169.8%
Michigan City NA $29,900 $14.40 $32,600 $15.70 NA
South Bend 130 $28,600 $13.70 $32,500 $15.70 213.2%
Iowa
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Cedar Rapids 50 $33,900 $16.30 $37,400 $18.00 16%
Davenport NA $41,600 $20.00 $45,400 $21.80 NA
Kansas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Wichita 200 $45,900 $22.10 $50,200 $24.20 115.1%
Kentucky
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bowling Green 40 $35,200 $16.90 $37,600 $18.10 118.6%
Lexington NA $37,800 $18.20 $42,800 $20.60 NA
Louisville 210 $29,200 $14.10 $31,800 $15.30 10.4%
Louisiana
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Baton Rouge NA $28,700 $13.80 $32,100 $15.50 NA
Houma NA $19,300 $9.30 $24,700 $11.90 NA
New Orleans NA $40,300 $19.40 $46,100 $22.20 NA
Maryland
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Baltimore NA $38,900 $18.70 $43,400 $20.90 NA
Massachusetts
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Boston (Area) 480 $33,400 $16.10 $40,900 $19.70 106%
Springfield 120 $37,800 $18.20 $43,800 $21.00 31.8%
Worcester 100 $28,700 $13.80 $38,400 $18.50 26.4%
Michigan
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Detroit (Area) 750 $36,800 $17.70 $45,100 $21.70 122.6%
Grand Rapids 610 $37,000 $17.80 $40,000 $19.20 428.3%
Kalamazoo NA $37,000 $17.80 $39,900 $19.20 NA
Lansing 130 $33,700 $16.20 $39,100 $18.80 109.1%
Monroe NA $56,200 $27.00 $63,000 $30.30 NA
Muskegon 150 $43,000 $20.70 $47,500 $22.80 688.7%
Minnesota
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Minneapolis 260 $37,800 $18.20 $43,200 $20.80 -53.5%
Mississippi
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Pascagoula 30 $34,900 $16.80 $52,200 $25.10 93.7%
Missouri
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Joplin 120 $30,000 $14.40 $36,000 $17.30 378.9%
Kansas City 130 $33,000 $15.90 $37,300 $17.90 -58.5%
Springfield 50 $33,800 $16.30 $40,700 $19.60 -15.7%
St. Louis 330 $33,100 $15.90 $39,300 $18.90 -20.8%
Nebraska
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Omaha 50 $31,100 $14.90 $35,700 $17.20 -63.2%
New York
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Elmira NA $35,900 $17.30 $39,800 $19.20 NA
New York (Area) 530 $33,000 $15.90 $39,800 $19.20 -72.3%
Rochester 170 $30,400 $14.60 $37,400 $18.00 8.8%
Syracuse 30 $37,100 $17.80 $39,600 $19.10 -67.3%
North Carolina
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Asheville 40 $33,300 $16.00 $38,000 $18.30 -19.8%
Charlotte 360 $33,000 $15.90 $38,200 $18.40 36.5%
Fayetteville 30 $34,500 $16.60 $40,100 $19.30 -24.5%
Greensboro 50 $33,600 $16.10 $38,100 $18.30 -51.9%
Greenville 30 $30,200 $14.50 $32,000 $15.40 29.6%
Hickory NA $30,600 $14.70 $32,600 $15.70 NA
Raleigh 40 $34,500 $16.60 $38,400 $18.50 -77%
Ohio
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Akron 170 $31,400 $15.10 $36,200 $17.40 66.7%
Canton 210 $32,600 $15.70 $37,200 $17.90 300%
Cincinnati 1,260 $33,500 $16.10 $38,300 $18.40 298.4%
Cleveland 1,100 $32,800 $15.80 $39,100 $18.80 245.3%
Columbus 520 $32,200 $15.50 $37,900 $18.20 78.9%
Toledo 140 $29,000 $13.90 $32,800 $15.80 54.7%
Youngstown 130 $30,000 $14.40 $35,400 $17.00 83.3%
Oklahoma
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Oklahoma City 180 $32,700 $15.70 $39,200 $18.80 2.8%
Tulsa 230 $35,300 $17.00 $40,400 $19.40 67.6%
Oregon
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Eugene 30 $35,200 $16.90 $38,700 $18.60 -32.7%
Portland 210 $36,800 $17.70 $42,200 $20.30 -34.3%
Pennsylvania
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Allentown 40 $45,000 $21.60 $48,600 $23.40 -61.9%
Erie 90 $23,900 $11.50 $35,700 $17.20 119.5%
Harrisburg 40 $31,900 $15.30 $37,100 $17.80 -62.9%
Lancaster NA $30,800 $14.80 $35,600 $17.10 NA
Philadelphia (Area) 250 $32,300 $15.50 $40,600 $19.50 -56.6%
Pittsburgh 130 $30,500 $14.70 $40,500 $19.50 -61.9%
Reading 30 $37,600 $18.10 $41,200 $19.80 -40.6%
Rhode Island
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Providence 110 NA NA NA NA -35.8%
South Carolina
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Anderson 50 $27,000 $13.00 $31,800 $15.30 182.1%
Charleston 50 $30,600 $14.70 $34,900 $16.80 -39.3%
Columbia 60 $33,900 $16.30 $36,900 $17.70 -42.5%
Florence 40 $32,600 $15.70 $36,400 $17.50 53.5%
Greenville 140 $35,600 $17.10 $39,000 $18.80 52.5%
Myrtle Beach NA $31,100 $14.90 $35,100 $16.90 NA
Spartanburg NA $30,600 $14.70 $35,500 $17.10 NA
South Dakota
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Sioux Falls 90 $31,000 $14.90 $35,000 $16.80 106.3%
Tennessee
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Chattanooga 100 $37,400 $18.00 $57,700 $27.80 34.6%
Johnson City 50 $15,900 $7.70 $34,100 $16.40 96.2%
Kingsport 120 $31,100 $14.90 $34,100 $16.40 217%
Knoxville 40 $31,400 $15.10 $37,100 $17.80 -62.6%
Memphis NA $25,300 $12.10 $31,300 $15.10 NA
Nashville 160 $31,500 $15.20 $36,400 $17.50 -30.5%
Texas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Brownsville NA $31,900 $15.30 $38,500 $18.50 NA
Dallas (Area) 470 $24,900 $12.00 $30,300 $14.60 -45.6%
Houston 950 $34,000 $16.30 $40,000 $19.20 16%
Utah
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Provo NA $31,600 $15.20 $35,000 $16.80 NA
Salt Lake City 40 $30,200 $14.50 $34,800 $16.70 -78.3%
Virginia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Lynchburg 80 $39,100 $18.80 $51,500 $24.80 148.7%
Richmond 130 $34,800 $16.70 $38,900 $18.70 -28.9%
Roanoke 110 $35,200 $16.90 $39,400 $18.90 117.3%
Virginia Beach 580 $40,600 $19.50 $44,300 $21.30 148.1%
Washington
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Seattle (Area) 270 $42,500 $20.50 $46,900 $22.50 -52.8%
Spokane 90 $41,000 $19.70 $47,800 $23.00 37.1%
Yakima NA $23,700 $11.40 $28,700 $13.80 NA
West Virginia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Wheeling 30 $23,500 $11.30 $29,000 $14.00 61.9%
Wisconsin
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Appleton NA $35,300 $17.00 $39,800 $19.10 NA
Eau Claire NA $34,600 $16.60 $38,300 $18.40 NA
Fond du Lac 50 $36,400 $17.50 $39,900 $19.20 236.2%
Green Bay 40 $36,700 $17.60 $41,600 $20.00 -23.6%
Madison 160 $35,700 $17.20 $40,700 $19.60 48.7%
Milwaukee 390 $37,000 $17.80 $43,200 $20.80 48.4%
Oshkosh 350 $35,300 $17.00 $40,200 $19.30 1185.8%