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Welding and Brazing Workers Job Overview

Welding workers apply heat to pieces of metal and fuse them together to forge a permanent bonding. Welding workers work in automobile and aerospace applications and also in the construction of bridges, roads, ships and other structures. Brazing workers join metal works by using metals that have a high melting point.

Welding and Brazing Workers Schools and Degrees

Welding and brazing workers can receive formal training from community colleges, vocational –technical institutes or private welding schools. Curriculums in mathematics, metallurgy, chemistry, and blueprint reading are also very helpful.

Job Requirements

Hands-on training is very important for a welding and brazing worker. Training sessions teach welding and brazing and can last many weeks. If training is provided on the job, it may last a few years to train workers for jobs that require a high level of skill.

A few positions of welding and brazing workers require one to have job-specific certifications. Certifications for specific skills like robotic welding may be required for some jobs. General certification in welding may also be required. While a few employers have their own internal certifications, the American Welding Society also provides certifications at many training schools.

Welding and brazing workers need to have good hand-eye coordination and eyesight. They also need to be manually dexterous. They need to be able to concentrate on minute work for long periods at a time and should have an eye for detail. Their job may require them to stoop and bend and work in difficult postures, so they should be physically fit.

Nature of Work

Welding workers use over eighty different processes to weld. Some are done manually while others are semi automatic. Arc welding is the most common form of welding, while Metal Inert Gas and Tungsten Inert Gas processes are the most advanced forms used. Brazing workers give coatings on metal parts to protect corrosion. They usually work on metals other than brass and steel.

Welding and brazing workers have to face the hazards that come from handling heavy and hot metals. They usually wear protective lenses, hoods and goggles to protect themselves from such hazards. Their job requires them to work both indoors and outdoors. Most welding and brazing workers work for about 40 hours in a week. Some may even work a 12 hour shifts if they work in factories that are open for 24 hours.

Welding and Brazing Workers Jobs and Outlook

According to research in 2006, the number of welding and brazing worker jobs is expected to grow by about 5% in the next ten years in the U.S. Employment is the highest in the following industries:< /p>

• Agriculture, construction, and mining machinery manufacturing
• Architectural and structural metals manufacturing
• Commercial and industrial machinery and equipment (except automotive and electronic) repair and maintenance
• Motor vehicle body and trailer manufacturing
• Other general purpose machinery manufacturing

The median wage of a welding and brazing worker was about $14.90 an hour as of 2006.

Job Numbers and Growth

There are an estimated 409,000 welding and brazing workers nationally. Most recently, workers have experienced a high level of joblessness. An estimated 7% of employees did not have employment in 2008.

Area Job Conditions

Welding and brazing workers -of-a-feather seem to flock to Houma (Louisiana), Odessa (Texas), and Casper (Wyoming). They are less likely to be found around San Francisco (California), Barnstable (Massachusetts), and Springfield (Illinois).

Compensation of workers is best in Bay City (Michigan), Kokomo (Indiana), and Bakersfield (California), and much worse in Dalton (Georgia), Brownsville (Texas), and Joplin (Missouri).

Training and Education

Employees often find employers are looking for a postsecondary vocational award. Welding and brazing workers, in 2% of cases, have bachelor's degree or higher. After high school, 25% of workers pursued some additional career education. Employees, in 73% of cases, had only a high school education. Recommended schools are shown in the column to the right; request information from them to help you decide which if any could help you with this career.

Part-Time Work and Self-Employment

Welding and brazing workers employed part-time are 2% of the total. Workers, in about 6% of cases, work for themselves.

Welding And Brazing Workers by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)

In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.

Alabama

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Anniston	$43,000	450	+458%
Auburn	$27,000	90	+16%
Birmingham	$35,000	1,460	+46%
Decatur	$40,000	400	+317%
Dothan	$37,000	340	+223%
Florence	$29,000	230	+147%
Gadsden	$27,000	70	+17%
Huntsville	$33,000	390	-5%
Mobile	$37,000	1,090	+216%
Montgomery	$32,000	400	+26%
Tuscaloosa	$42,000	390	+130%

Alaska

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Anchorage	$64,000	210	-36%
Fairbanks	$62,000	70	+28%

Arizona

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Kingman	$51,000	50	-40%
Phoenix	$37,000	2,420	-33%
Prescott	$35,000	50	-48%
Tucson	$40,000	440	-36%
Yuma	$35,000	70	-30%

Arkansas

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Fayetteville	$32,000	440	+10%
Fort Smith	$35,000	660	+180%
Jonesboro	$32,000	140	+70%
Little Rock	$33,000	750	+8%
Pine Bluff	$36,000	120	+134%

California

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bakersfield	$52,000	800	+54%
Chico	$38,000	100	-22%
El Centro	$33,000	80	-10%
Fresno	$34,000	560	-13%
Hanford	$36,000	50	-14%
Los Angeles	$37,000	5,610	-32%
Madera	$37,000	150	+176%
Merced	$28,000	40	-61%
Modesto	$37,000	340	+13%
Napa	$37,000	120	+5%
Oakland	$47,000	1,590	-22%
Oxnard	$38,000	520	-13%
Redding	$31,000	90	-17%
Riverside	$32,000	2,490	+1%
Sacramento	$42,000	730	-59%
Salinas	$41,000	100	-68%
San Diego	$44,000	2,210	-17%
San Francisco	$46,000	470	-77%
San Jose	$39,000	930	-49%
San Luis Obispo	$44,000	200	+15%
Santa Ana	$37,000	1,910	-36%
Santa Barbara	$45,000	140	-57%
Santa Cruz	$42,000	50	-69%
Santa Rosa	$43,000	390	+15%
Stockton	$40,000	460	+11%
Vallejo	$48,000	160	-30%
Visalia	$31,000	250	-4%
Yuba City	$40,000	70	+6%

Colorado

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Boulder	$43,000	130	-56%
Colorado Springs	$39,000	220	-56%
Denver	$38,000	1,220	-52%
Fort Collins	$40,000	180	-25%
Grand Junction	$48,000	160	+56%
Greeley	$38,000	340	+154%
Pueblo	$36,000	130	+27%

Connecticut

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Danbury	$42,000	30	-76%
Hartford	$42,000	1,050	-10%
New Haven	$37,000	350	-36%
Norwich	$41,000	280	+19%
Waterbury	$34,000	70	-44%

Delaware

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Dover	$38,000	100	+9%
Wilmington	$43,000	380	-42%

District of Columbia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Washington	$45,000	1,220	-75%

Florida

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Cape Coral	$30,000	270	-29%
Deltona	$33,000	110	-63%
Fort Lauderdale	$37,000	880	-38%
Fort Walton Beach	$34,000	130	-8%
Gainesville	$31,000	210	-10%
Jacksonville	$36,000	1,170	-4%
Lakeland	$37,000	660	+78%
Miami	$39,000	1,120	-44%
Naples	$34,000	120	-44%
Ocala	$33,000	400	+143%
Orlando	$38,000	1,100	-47%
Palm Bay	$37,000	370	-5%
Panama City	$35,000	210	+66%
Pensacola	$38,000	170	-41%
Port St Lucie	$33,000	180	-21%
Sarasota	$33,000	570	+16%
Sebastian	$31,000	60	-28%
Tallahassee	$32,000	90	-71%
Tampa	$33,000	1,740	-25%
West Palm Beach	$42,000	580	-45%

Georgia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Albany	$41,000	160	+43%
Athens	$33,000	60	-54%
Atlanta	$35,000	3,540	-25%
Augusta	$36,000	610	+51%
Brunswick	$34,000	50	-30%
Dalton	$26,000	160	+29%
Gainesville	$33,000	450	+252%
Macon	$31,000	160	-6%
Rome	$29,000	100	+66%
Savannah	$37,000	150	-48%
Valdosta	$31,000	130	+47%
Warner Robins	$42,000	60	-38%

Hawaii

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Honolulu	$55,000	400	-55%

Idaho

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Boise	$34,000	920	+77%
Coeur Dalene	$31,000	100	+11%
Idaho Falls	$29,000	140	+69%
Lewiston	$41,000	120	+215%
Pocatello	$39,000	160	+214%

Illinois

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bloomington	$34,000	60	-54%
Champaign	$35,000	170	-12%
Chicago	$36,000	6,060	-21%
Danville	$34,000	90	+98%
Decatur	$36,000	180	+125%
Kankakee	$30,000	80	+12%
Peoria	$39,000	1,110	+233%
Rockford	$36,000	400	+47%
Springfield	$38,000	60	-71%

Indiana

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Anderson	$31,000	70	+6%
Columbus	$34,000	160	+143%
Elkhart	$31,000	830	+304%
Evansville	$33,000	530	+58%
Fort Wayne	$33,000	590	+47%
Gary	$40,000	1,040	+94%
Indianapolis	$38,000	1,500	-18%
Kokomo	$39,000	50	-26%
Michigan City	$31,000	100	+40%
Muncie	$32,000	60	-25%
South Bend	$34,000	270	+9%
Terre Haute	$33,000	300	+140%

Iowa

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Ames	$36,000	70	+9%
Cedar Rapids	$34,000	320	+19%
Davenport	$41,000	680	+85%
Des Moines	$37,000	470	-29%
Dubuque	$35,000	200	+109%
Iowa City	$34,000	70	-46%
Sioux City	$31,000	280	+109%
Waterloo	$36,000	450	+181%

Kansas

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Manhattan	$34,000	220	+136%
Topeka	$30,000	150	-29%
Wichita	$37,000	1,080	+88%

Kentucky

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bowling Green	$32,000	100	0%
Elizabethtown	$34,000	160	+105%
Lexington	$36,000	580	+21%
Louisville	$36,000	2,020	+64%
Owensboro		290	+246%

Louisiana

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Alexandria	$36,000	90	-23%
Baton Rouge	$46,000	2,180	+191%
Houma	$39,000	2,270	+1168%
Lafayette	$39,000	1,000	+261%
Lake Charles	$52,000	720	+335%
Monroe	$38,000	270	+91%
New Orleans	$42,000	3,400	+217%
Shreveport	$40,000	430	+22%

Maine

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bangor	$39,000	160	+44%
Lewiston	$34,000	130	+45%
Portland	$36,000	180	-55%

Maryland

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Baltimore	$39,000	1,400	-48%
Bethesda	$45,000	420	-64%
Cumberland	$38,000	50	-21%
Hagerstown	$32,000	50	-73%
Salisbury	$33,000	50	-48%

Massachusetts

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Barnstable Town	$41,000	50	-73%
Boston	$43,000	780	-78%
Brockton	$48,000	90	-47%
Framingham	$45,000	70	-78%
Haverhill	$46,000	150	-2%
Lawrence	$44,000	60	-45%
Leominster		70	-20%
Lowell	$43,000	100	-57%
New Bedford	$38,000	150	+27%
Peabody	$43,000	120	-38%
Springfield	$40,000	280	-53%
Taunton	$43,000	90	+14%
Worcester	$41,000	250	-50%

Michigan

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Ann Arbor	$48,000	280	-14%
Bay City	$41,000	60	+8%
Detroit	$38,000	1,360	0%
Flint	$37,000	180	-28%
Grand Rapids	$34,000	680	-11%
Holland	$37,000	400	+120%
Jackson	$35,000	160	+85%
Kalamazoo	$33,000	310	+18%
Lansing	$35,000	550	+41%
Monroe	$39,000	100	+59%
Muskegon	$33,000	150	+49%
Niles	$35,000	190	+81%
Saginaw	$35,000	160	+5%
Warren	$41,000	2,630	+19%

Minnesota

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Duluth	$40,000	280	+12%
Mankato	$34,000	350	+245%
Minneapolis	$43,000	3,750	+3%
St Cloud	$41,000	410	+127%

Mississippi

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Gulfport	$36,000	440	+115%
Hattiesburg	$35,000	30	-71%
Jackson	$33,000	220	-56%

Missouri

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Cape Girardeau	$33,000	200	+155%
Columbia	$43,000	30	-80%
Jefferson City	$36,000	130	-5%
Joplin	$28,000	260	+77%
Kansas City	$39,000	1,980	-4%
Springfield	$35,000	880	+134%
St Joseph	$39,000	240	+164%
St Louis	$39,000	2,300	-16%

Montana

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Billings	$35,000	170	+8%
Great Falls	$30,000	60	-5%
Missoula	$35,000	50	-47%

Nebraska

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Lincoln	$32,000	270	-14%
Omaha	$33,000	1,040	+9%

Nevada

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Carson City	$39,000	50	+16%
Las Vegas	$50,000	660	-62%
Reno	$38,000	390	+4%

New Hampshire

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Manchester	$39,000	60	-70%
Nashua	$46,000	180	-32%
Portsmouth	$49,000	180	+73%
Rochester		100	+4%

New Jersey

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Atlantic City	$38,000	40	-86%
Camden	$42,000	590	-45%
Edison	$43,000	1,170	-44%
Newark	$42,000	900	-56%
Trenton	$39,000	130	-71%
Vineland	$34,000	50	-54%

New Mexico

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Albuquerque	$35,000	660	-15%
Farmington	$45,000	500	+467%
Las Cruces	$33,000	110	-6%

New York

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Albany	$41,000	370	-59%
Binghamton	$27,000	180	-16%
Buffalo	$39,000	1,150	+2%
Elmira	$32,000	50	-24%
Glens Falls	$40,000	60	-36%
Kingston	$38,000	190	+73%
Nassau	$38,000	1,140	-56%
New York	$41,000	2,470	-77%
Poughkeepsie	$35,000	240	-51%
Rochester	$35,000	650	-37%
Syracuse	$37,000	590	-6%
Utica	$37,000	140	-42%

North Carolina

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Asheville	$31,000	270	-22%
Burlington	$31,000	60	-41%
Charlotte	$37,000	1,610	-8%
Durham	$39,000	130	-76%
Fayetteville	$39,000	70	-71%
Goldsboro	$31,000	110	+56%
Greensboro	$38,000	690	-4%
Greenville	$36,000	140	+13%
Hickory	$30,000	310	+8%
Raleigh	$35,000	850	-19%
Rocky Mount	$36,000	140	+34%
Wilmington	$38,000	150	-43%
Winston Salem	$33,000	250	-40%

North Dakota

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bismarck	$37,000	60	-50%
Fargo	$38,000	610	+160%
Grand Forks	$37,000	80	-7%

Ohio

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Akron	$37,000	820	+27%
Canton	$34,000	770	+136%
Cincinnati	$38,000	1,860	-10%
Cleveland	$35,000	2,040	-2%
Columbus	$33,000	1,280	-32%
Dayton	$35,000	820	+6%
Lima	$48,000	280	+200%
Mansfield	$33,000	120	+29%
Sandusky	$42,000	50	-16%
Springfield	$35,000	130	+53%
Steubenville		120	+65%
Toledo	$33,000	390	-34%
Youngstown	$32,000	1,050	+133%

Oklahoma

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Lawton	$25,000	50	-30%
Oklahoma City	$34,000	2,690	+129%
Tulsa	$37,000	3,850	+343%

Oregon

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bend	$32,000	50	-57%
Eugene	$35,000	400	+47%
Medford	$38,000	90	-37%
Portland	$38,000	2,750	+32%
Salem	$32,000	330	+14%

Pennsylvania

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Allentown	$37,000	770	+10%
Altoona	$32,000	70	-37%
Erie	$31,000	560	+126%
Harrisburg	$38,000	270	-58%
Johnstown	$31,000	220	+117%
Lancaster	$36,000	820	+75%
Lebanon	$35,000	110	+37%
Philadelphia	$40,000	2,290	-41%
Pittsburgh	$35,000	2,900	+24%
Reading	$39,000	420	+29%
Scranton	$33,000	500	-4%
Williamsport	$37,000	140	+52%
York	$39,000	960	+177%

Rhode Island

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Providence	$40,000	1,160	+2%

South Carolina

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Anderson	$32,000	170	+67%
Charleston	$38,000	630	+9%
Columbia	$35,000	800	+13%
Florence	$36,000	210	+42%
Greenville	$42,000	780	+30%
Myrtle Beach	$34,000	60	-71%
Spartanburg	$39,000	420	+90%
Sumter	$29,000	130	+134%

South Dakota

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Rapid City	$34,000	140	+20%
Sioux Falls	$33,000	360	+33%

Tennessee

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Chattanooga	$38,000	1,050	+132%
Clarksville	$34,000	330	+126%
Cleveland	$31,000	130	+121%
Jackson	$35,000	160	+50%
Johnson City	$28,000	150	+13%
Kingsport	$33,000	390	+67%
Knoxville	$32,000	660	-2%
Memphis	$37,000	840	-33%
Nashville	$34,000	1,530	+1%

Texas

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Abilene	$34,000	230	+100%
Amarillo	$33,000	200	-2%
Austin	$34,000	1,460	-9%
Beaumont	$49,000	1,770	+462%
Brownsville	$29,000	670	+166%
College Station	$51,000	260	+50%
Corpus Christi	$36,000	1,720	+391%
Dallas	$35,000	4,650	+8%
El Paso	$27,000	410	-25%
Fort Worth	$33,000	3,420	+94%
Houston	$39,000	15,520	+188%
Killeen	$43,000	270	+9%
Laredo	$24,000	70	-52%
Longview	$35,000	1,040	+476%
Lubbock	$34,000	280	+15%
Mcallen	$26,000	520	+14%
Midland	$41,000	550	+379%
Odessa	$45,000	800	+682%
San Angelo	$28,000	130	+79%
San Antonio	$30,000	1,880	+6%
Sherman	$34,000	310	+330%
Texarkana	$51,000	300	+207%
Tyler	$39,000	400	+136%
Victoria	$37,000	200	+135%
Waco	$31,000	360	+90%
Wichita Falls	$34,000	310	+210%

Utah

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Logan	$33,000	160	+91%
Ogden	$37,000	660	+68%
Provo	$39,000	450	+35%
Salt Lake City	$36,000	1,190	-4%
St George	$36,000	230	+185%

Vermont

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Burlington	$40,000	100	-53%

Virginia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Blacksburg	$37,000	90	-19%
Charlottesville	$37,000	70	-57%
Danville	$33,000	40	-32%
Harrisonburg	$37,000	170	+68%
Lynchburg	$38,000	300	+60%
Richmond	$38,000	790	-37%
Roanoke	$34,000	460	+51%
Virginia Beach	$44,000	2,590	+68%
Winchester	$38,000	70	-21%

Washington

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bellingham	$40,000	250	+83%
Bremerton	$54,000	570	+267%
Kennewick	$40,000	90	-53%
Longview	$49,000	80	+42%
Mount Vernon	$42,000	70	-10%
Olympia	$39,000	120	-36%
Seattle	$46,000	2,060	-28%
Spokane	$37,000	290	-28%
Tacoma	$43,000	700	+32%
Yakima	$35,000	140	-10%

West Virginia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Charleston	$46,000	360	+27%
Huntington	$37,000	430	+97%
Morgantown	$38,000	140	+47%
Parkersburg	$38,000	180	+44%
Wheeling	$43,000	140	+18%

Wisconsin

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Appleton	$37,000	440	+100%
Fond	$38,000	180	+140%
Green Bay	$39,000	550	+67%
Janesville	$37,000	280	+143%
La Crosse	$39,000	340	+157%
Madison	$38,000	730	+7%
Milwaukee	$38,000	2,590	+53%
Oshkosh	$42,000	540	+228%
Racine	$35,000	300	+117%
Sheboygan	$37,000	80	-21%
Wausau	$40,000	590	+386%

Wyoming

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Casper	$44,000	530	+746%