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%