SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ (2026)

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + PA + Municipal
COL Index: 105.64 (+5.6% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 73.9% Realized
$40,495 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $54,790 $26.34/hr
Effective Tax Drag 20.09% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$11,008 $423.38/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $26.34 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,287/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$394/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,000
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,397
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$794
Pennsylvania Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,682
Allentown earned income tax
1.98%
-$1,134
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$40,495 ($1,557.49 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Welder Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $54,790
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $43.7k 25th $48.5k Median: $54,790 50th (Median) $54.8k 75th $61.6k 90th $74.8k You: $54,790
10th (Entry) $43,720 $21.02/hr
25th (Junior) $48,530 $23.33/hr
50th (Median) $54,790 $26.34/hr
75th (Senior) $61,630 $29.63/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $74,820 $35.97/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$39,958$19.21/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$47,706$22.94/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$54,841$26.37/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$64,219$30.87/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$79,000$37.98/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ medianView National Welder Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Engine and Other Machine Assemblers-$40/yr
National median: $53,710
Skill overlap: 91%
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders-$5,830/yr
National median: $47,920
Skill overlap: 89%
Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters-$2,420/yr
National median: $51,330
Skill overlap: 89%
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers+$11,630/yr
National median: $65,380
Skill overlap: 78%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
45% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,519/month Requires minimum annual gross of $60,760
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,839/month Requires minimum annual gross of $73,560
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $23.36/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $22.24/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$54,790-$11,008$40,495$1,557.49
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$65,063-$13,471$47,688$1,834.17
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$75,336-$16,365$54,451$2,094.25
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$85,609-$19,794$60,679$2,333.80
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$95,883-$23,223$66,907$2,573.34
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Welder in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and Pennsylvania tax codes.

Market Baseline
$54,790/yr
$26.34/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
20.09% Effective
-$11,008 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
45% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$1,856/mo
Post-$1,519/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 51-4121
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Welder in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ report a median annual wage of $54,790, 1.9% above the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $43,720 to $74,820, and HUD’s $1,519 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 33.3% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $23.36 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+56.6%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+48.1%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+46.4%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+42.7%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+37.0%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+35.1%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+33.1%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+30.9%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+22.8%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+21.2%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$279,080$134.17/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$166,180$79.89/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$165,660$79.64/hr
Data Engineer$160,300$77.07/hr
Marketing Managers$153,930$74.00/hr
Financial Manager$146,030$70.21/hr
Purchasing Managers$145,170$69.79/hr
Sales Managers$135,220$65.01/hr
Nurse Practitioner$133,890$64.37/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$132,970$63.93/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 382 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Welder Salary in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ is $54,790 a year ($26.34/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for Welder in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a Welder in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ?

The median annual wage is $54,790 ($26.34 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $43,720 and $74,820. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ after taxes?

On the median wage of $54,790, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $43,388 a year ($3,616 a month) after $11,402 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 20.81%, using 2026 tax rules.