SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD (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 + MD + Municipal
COL Index: 123.33 (+23.3% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 72.0% Realized
$44,609 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $61,920 $29.77/hr
Effective Tax Drag 21.96% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$13,596 $522.90/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 $29.77 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,715/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$446/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,805
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,839
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$898
Maryland Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,401
Baltimore City local income tax
3.20%
-$1,653
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$44,609 ($1,715.74 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $61,920
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $43.3k 25th $48.2k Median: $61,920 50th (Median) $61.9k 75th $80.1k 90th $95.3k You: $61,920
10th (Entry) $43,300 $20.82/hr
25th (Junior) $48,180 $23.16/hr
50th (Median) $61,920 $29.77/hr
75th (Senior) $80,060 $38.49/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $95,280 $45.81/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$45,158$21.71/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$53,914$25.92/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$61,978$29.80/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$72,576$34.89/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$89,280$42.92/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 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 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
44% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,625/month Requires minimum annual gross of $65,000
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $2,006/month Requires minimum annual gross of $80,240
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $27.27/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $25.25/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 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD.

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$61,920-$13,596$44,609$1,715.74
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$73,530-$16,923$52,195$2,007.52
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$85,140-$21,079$58,952$2,267.39
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$96,750-$25,236$65,709$2,527.26
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$108,360-$29,520$72,338$2,782.24
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 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$61,920/yr
$29.77/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
21.96% Effective
-$13,596 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
44% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,092/mo
Post-$1,625/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 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD report a median annual wage of $61,920, 15.2% above the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $43,300 to $95,280, and HUD’s $1,625 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 31.5% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $27.27 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+38.5%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+31.0%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+29.5%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+26.2%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+21.2%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+19.5%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+17.8%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+15.8%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+8.7%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+7.3%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$268,030$128.86/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$168,520$81.02/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$167,350$80.46/hr
Financial Manager$157,990$75.96/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$156,730$75.35/hr
Purchasing Managers$151,990$73.07/hr
Human Resources Managers$146,370$70.37/hr
Marketing Managers$140,180$67.39/hr
Software Engineer$138,900$66.78/hr
Physician Assistant$138,790$66.73/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 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD is $61,920 a year ($29.77/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living. Official 2026 economic data for Welder in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 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 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD?

The median annual wage is $61,920 ($29.77 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $43,300 and $95,280. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD after taxes?

On the median wage of $61,920, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $47,583 a year ($3,965 a month) after $14,337 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 23.15%, using 2026 tax rules.