Best states for a Welder

Q: What is the best state for welders?

The best state to be a welder is Maine based on welder salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for welders?

The highest paying state for welders is Arkansas based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for welders?

The worst state for welders is Florida, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Rank 1 - 10
11 - 20
21 - 30
31 - 40
41 - 51

Job opportunities vary from state to state, and production and manufacturing careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to welder jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for welders.In fact, our research shows that Maine is the best state for welders in America. The best city in America for welders with the highest pay is Woburn, MA.

To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for welders.We found that Maine is the best state for welder jobs, whereas Florida is the worst.

If you're looking for a Welder job, here are five companies hiring now:

10 best states for welders in 2025

1. Maine
Total Welder Jobs: 28
Average Annual Salary: $47,753
Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $32,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn: $69,000
Location Quotient:
1.55
Welder Jobs in Maine
2. Alaska
Total Welder Jobs: 19
Average Annual Salary: $49,549
Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $39,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn: $62,000
Location Quotient:
1.67
Welder Jobs in Alaska
3. Rhode Island
Total Welder Jobs: 19
Average Annual Salary: $47,640
Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $31,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn: $71,000
Location Quotient:
1.15
Welder Jobs in Rhode Island
4. North Dakota
Total Welder Jobs: 17
Average Annual Salary: $42,656
Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $32,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn: $56,000
Location Quotient:
1.34
Welder Jobs in North Dakota
5. Massachusetts
Total Welder Jobs: 57
Average Annual Salary: $53,090
Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $35,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn: $79,000
Location Quotient:
0.46
Welder Jobs in Massachusetts
6. Wyoming
Total Welder Jobs: 5
Average Annual Salary: $48,842
Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $37,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn: $64,000
Location Quotient:
0.61
Welder Jobs in Wyoming
7. Louisiana
Total Welder Jobs: 53
Average Annual Salary: $43,943
Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $31,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn: $60,000
Location Quotient:
1.22
Welder Jobs in Louisiana
8. Delaware
Total Welder Jobs: 7
Average Annual Salary: $49,500
Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $32,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn: $74,000
Location Quotient:
0.41
Welder Jobs in Delaware
9. Washington
Total Welder Jobs: 113
Average Annual Salary: $44,917
Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $32,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn: $61,000
Location Quotient:
1.14
Welder Jobs in Washington
10. Oregon
Total Welder Jobs: 84
Average Annual Salary: $43,411
Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $30,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn: $60,000
Location Quotient:
1.49
Welder Jobs in Oregon

Welder JobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a welder

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a welder

Rank	State	Average Salary	Lowest 10% Earn	Population	Job Count
1	Maine	$47,753	$32,000	1,335,907	28
2	Alaska	$49,549	$39,000	739,795	19
3	Rhode Island	$47,640	$31,000	1,059,639	19
4	North Dakota	$42,656	$32,000	755,393	17
5	Massachusetts	$53,090	$35,000	6,859,819	57
6	Wyoming	$48,842	$37,000	579,315	5
7	Louisiana	$43,943	$31,000	4,684,333	53
8	Delaware	$49,500	$32,000	961,939	7
9	Washington	$44,917	$32,000	7,405,743	113
10	Oregon	$43,411	$30,000	4,142,776	84
11	Wisconsin	$41,112	$29,000	5,795,483	232
12	Vermont	$46,496	$31,000	623,657	6
13	New Jersey	$50,543	$33,000	9,005,644	38
14	Pennsylvania	$42,878	$28,000	12,805,537	160
15	Connecticut	$48,073	$31,000	3,588,184	19
16	Nevada	$43,643	$30,000	2,998,039	21
17	Minnesota	$39,960	$29,000	5,576,606	163
18	New York	$45,824	$30,000	19,849,399	86
19	Arizona	$42,066	$30,000	7,016,270	71
20	Maryland	$46,542	$31,000	6,052,177	27
21	New Hampshire	$44,265	$29,000	1,342,795	5
22	New Mexico	$42,594	$31,000	2,088,070	4
23	Mississippi	$37,679	$27,000	2,984,100	39
24	Indiana	$37,186	$26,000	6,666,818	187
25	West Virginia	$40,569	$28,000	1,815,857	9
26	Iowa	$36,252	$27,000	3,145,711	143
27	California	$44,031	$30,000	39,536,653	316
28	South Carolina	$38,314	$27,000	5,024,369	65
29	Virginia	$41,616	$28,000	8,470,020	126
30	Oklahoma	$37,279	$27,000	3,930,864	55
31	Ohio	$36,920	$25,000	11,658,609	172
32	Tennessee	$36,339	$26,000	6,715,984	101
33	Michigan	$37,290	$26,000	9,962,311	109
34	Colorado	$40,994	$30,000	5,607,154	44
35	Texas	$38,153	$27,000	28,304,596	263
36	Utah	$38,098	$27,000	3,101,833	40
37	South Dakota	$35,068	$26,000	869,666	31
38	Missouri	$36,345	$27,000	6,113,532	91
39	Illinois	$37,438	$27,000	12,802,023	178
40	North Carolina	$37,440	$26,000	10,273,419	115
41	District of Columbia	$43,056	$29,000	693,972	0
42	Kentucky	$34,707	$25,000	4,454,189	68
43	Nebraska	$34,569	$26,000	1,920,076	50
44	Kansas	$35,265	$26,000	2,913,123	49
45	Alabama	$35,546	$25,000	4,874,747	63
46	Hawaii	$37,678	$29,000	1,427,538	5
47	Montana	$35,056	$26,000	1,050,493	9
48	Georgia	$34,681	$25,000	10,429,379	112
49	Arkansas	$33,461	$24,000	3,004,279	34
50	Idaho	$35,431	$25,000	1,716,943	12
51	Florida	$34,810	$24,000	20,984,400	164

Highest paying states for welders

Rank	State	Avg. Welder Salary
1	Maine	$47,753
2	Alaska	$49,549
3	Rhode Island	$47,640
4	North Dakota	$42,656
5	Massachusetts	$53,090
6	Wyoming	$48,842
7	Louisiana	$43,943
8	Delaware	$49,500
9	Washington	$44,917
10	Oregon	$43,411
11	Wisconsin	$41,112
12	Vermont	$46,496
13	New Jersey	$50,543
14	Pennsylvania	$42,878
15	Connecticut	$48,073
16	Nevada	$43,643
17	Minnesota	$39,960
18	New York	$45,824
19	Arizona	$42,066
20	Maryland	$46,542
21	New Hampshire	$44,265
22	New Mexico	$42,594
23	Mississippi	$37,679
24	Indiana	$37,186
25	West Virginia	$40,569
26	Iowa	$36,252
27	California	$44,031
28	South Carolina	$38,314
29	Virginia	$41,616
30	Oklahoma	$37,279
31	Ohio	$36,920
32	Tennessee	$36,339
33	Michigan	$37,290
34	Colorado	$40,994
35	Texas	$38,153
36	Utah	$38,098
37	South Dakota	$35,068
38	Missouri	$36,345
39	Illinois	$37,438
40	North Carolina	$37,440
41	District of Columbia	$43,056
42	Kentucky	$34,707
43	Nebraska	$34,569
44	Kansas	$35,265
45	Alabama	$35,546
46	Hawaii	$37,678
47	Montana	$35,056
48	Georgia	$34,681
49	Arkansas	$33,461
50	Idaho	$35,431
51	Florida	$34,810

Welder best states FAQs

What is the best state for welders?

What is the highest paying state for welders?

What is the worst state for welders?

Have more questions? See all answers to common production and manufacturing questions.

Search for welder jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse production and manufacturing jobs

Total Welder Jobs:	28
Average Annual Salary:	$47,753
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:	$32,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:	$69,000
Location Quotient:	1.55

Best states for a Welder

If you're looking for a Welder job, here are five companies hiring now:

10 best states for welders in 2025

1. Maine

2. Alaska

3. Rhode Island

4. North Dakota

5. Massachusetts

6. Wyoming

7. Louisiana

8. Delaware

9. Washington

10. Oregon