SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC (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 + GA
COL Index: 102.22 (+2.2% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 76.1% Realized
$38,681 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $50,800 $24.42/hr
Effective Tax Drag 17.86% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$9,071 $348.88/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 $24.42 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,048/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$366/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,550
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,150
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$737
Georgia Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,634
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$38,681 ($1,487.74 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $50,800
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $38.5k 25th $43.5k Median: $50,800 50th (Median) $50.8k 75th $60.7k 90th $71.0k You: $50,800
10th (Entry) $38,520 $18.52/hr
25th (Junior) $43,480 $20.90/hr
50th (Median) $50,800 $24.42/hr
75th (Senior) $60,730 $29.20/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $71,010 $34.14/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$37,049$17.81/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$44,231$21.26/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$50,847$24.45/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$59,542$28.63/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$73,247$35.21/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC 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 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
37% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,202/month Requires minimum annual gross of $48,080
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,329/month Requires minimum annual gross of $53,160
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $22.61/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $19.86/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 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC.

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$50,800-$9,071$38,681$1,487.74
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$60,325-$11,321$45,385$1,745.57
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$69,850-$13,570$52,089$2,003.40
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$79,375-$16,632$57,981$2,230.03
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$88,900-$19,777$63,789$2,453.43
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 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$50,800/yr
$24.42/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
17.86% Effective
-$9,071 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
37% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,021/mo
Post-$1,202/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 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC report a median annual wage of $50,800, 5.5% below the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $38,520 to $71,010, and HUD’s $1,202 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 28.4% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $22.61 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+68.9%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+59.7%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+57.9%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+53.9%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+47.7%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+45.7%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+43.5%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+41.2%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+32.4%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+30.7%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Education Administrators, Postsecondary$177,150$85.17/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$171,720$82.56/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$160,860$77.34/hr
Marketing Managers$146,720$70.54/hr
Chief Executives$144,980$69.70/hr
Sales Managers$138,690$66.68/hr
Industrial Production Managers$135,660$65.22/hr
Human Resources Managers$132,640$63.77/hr
Financial Manager$129,180$62.11/hr
Purchasing Managers$128,670$61.86/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 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC is $50,800 a year ($24.42/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living. Official 2026 economic data for Welder in Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC 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 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC?

The median annual wage is $50,800 ($24.42 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $38,520 and $71,010. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC after taxes?

On the median wage of $50,800, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $41,211 a year ($3,434 a month) after $9,589 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 18.88%, using 2026 tax rules.