Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary: $54,736 Median Pay (2026 stats)
TL;DR
About 36,290 welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders nationally earn a mean of $54,736. Employment in the series shown fell about 6% from the first to the last year; much hiring sits in manufacturing.
Key Statistics
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: what the data shows
Common questions about welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 51-4122.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 36,290 workers.
What does a welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Handling and Moving Objects, Performing General Physical Activities, Getting Information, Controlling Machines and Processes, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Processing Information, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders make?
BLS national median annual wage: $47,060 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $54,736 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,823 |
| 25th percentile | $41,675 |
| Median (50th) | $48,405 |
| 75th percentile | $57,732 |
| 90th percentile | $71,131 |
What education do you need?
For Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, O*NET incumbent surveys in our extract most often report: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).
These are education levels of current workers, not minimum legal requirements.
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Critical Thinking, Speaking, Active Listening, Monitoring, and knowledge areas including Mathematics, Mechanical, Education and Training, Production and Processing. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 0.3% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: 1.5%.
Ten-year projected employment change: 2.9%.
Current U.S. headcount: 36,290.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenderss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 36,290 | 20.4% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 36,280 | 20.4% |
| Manufacturing | 30,940 | 17.4% |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 8,770 | 4.9% |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 8,670 | 4.9% |
| Machinery Manufacturing | 5,740 | 3.2% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 31,510 | $41,600 |
| Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 159,500 | $47,590 |
| Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining | 6,130 | $68,860 |
| Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 96,950 | $49,390 |
| Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 154,820 | $41,230 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders workforce.
Employment Over Time
36,290 Workforce in 2023
The Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$54,736 Average Wage
In 2023, Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders earned an average of $54,736.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Salary distribution for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Employment Growth Projections
0.3% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
9,008 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 1.5%
9,139 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 2.9%
This occupation is projected to grow at 0.3% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Wage Trends by Industry
8.4% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- MI: 4,360 employees, $43,290 avg wage
- OH: 2,840 employees, $50,370 avg wage
- IN: 2,640 employees, $42,550 avg wage
- TX: 2,400 employees, $53,970 avg wage
- KY: 2,400 employees, $60,440 avg wage
- CA: 2,310 employees, $53,350 avg wage
- TN: 1,980 employees, $44,860 avg wage
- IA: 1,650 employees, $52,340 avg wage
- AL: 1,540 employees, $41,140 avg wage
- WI: 1,210 employees, $50,890 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI: 1,800 employees, $44,200 avg wage
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: 1,170 employees, $54,850 avg wage
- Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI: 1,050 employees, $42,220 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 830 employees, $49,460 avg wage
- Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN: 790 employees, $42,340 avg wage
- Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN: 610 employees, $48,410 avg wage
- Cleveland, OH: 550 employees, $48,250 avg wage
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 530 employees, $53,020 avg wage
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: 520 employees, $51,280 avg wage
- Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN: 460 employees, $47,560 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Diversity
Demographic information on Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in the US.
Gender and Age
The workforce of Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in 2023 was 36,290 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
Gender and age distribution for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in 2023 were Business Administration, Technical Training, Welding.
Common majors for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders workers.
Education level distribution for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Skills
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders need many skills, but most especially Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Critical Thinking, Speaking, Active Listening.
Required skills for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders include Mathematics, Mechanical, Education and Training, Production and Processing, Design.
Knowledge areas required for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders include Near Vision, Control Precision, Manual Dexterity, Problem Sensitivity, Visualization.
Required abilities for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Daily Activities
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders spend their time on activities such as Handling and Moving Objects, Performing General Physical Activities, Getting Information, Controlling Machines and Processes, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials.
Most important work activities for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
About
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
The average yearly wage for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders was $54,736 in 2023.
SOC Code
51-4122 - Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders reports an average salary of $54,736.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 36,290 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 0.3%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.