SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH (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 + MA
COL Index: 162.67 (+62.7% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 74.1% Realized
$47,275 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $63,770 $30.66/hr
Effective Tax Drag 19.87% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$12,669 $487.26/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 $30.66 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,826/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$459/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$5,013
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,954
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$925
Massachusetts Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,777
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$47,275 ($1,818.27 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $63,770
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $49.0k 25th $56.2k Median: $63,770 50th (Median) $63.8k 75th $76.1k 90th $83.4k You: $63,770
10th (Entry) $49,030 $23.57/hr
25th (Junior) $56,250 $27.04/hr
50th (Median) $63,770 $30.66/hr
75th (Senior) $76,100 $36.59/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $83,430 $40.11/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$46,508$22.36/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$55,524$26.69/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$63,829$30.69/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$74,744$35.93/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$91,947$44.21/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
64% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $2,518/month Requires minimum annual gross of $100,720
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $3,008/month Requires minimum annual gross of $120,320
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $35.97/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $31.43/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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH.

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$63,770-$12,669$47,275$1,818.27
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$75,727-$15,963$55,221$2,123.87
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$87,684-$19,912$62,511$2,404.26
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$99,641-$23,861$69,801$2,684.65
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$111,598-$27,811$77,091$2,965.04
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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$63,770/yr
$30.66/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
19.87% Effective
-$12,669 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
64% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$1,422/mo
Post-$2,518/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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH report a median annual wage of $63,770, 18.6% above the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $49,030 to $83,430, and HUD’s $2,518 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 47.4% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $35.97 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+34.5%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+27.2%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+25.8%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+22.6%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+17.7%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+16.0%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+14.3%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+12.5%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+5.5%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+4.2%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Natural Sciences Managers$291,000$139.90/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$214,960$103.35/hr
Marketing Managers$213,910$102.84/hr
Financial Manager$209,780$100.86/hr
Sales Managers$206,610$99.33/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$205,130$98.62/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$185,590$89.23/hr
Human Resources Managers$184,990$88.94/hr
Public Relations Managers$176,390$84.80/hr
Purchasing Managers$174,640$83.96/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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH is $63,770 a year ($30.66/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living. Official 2026 economic data for Welder in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH?

The median annual wage is $63,770 ($30.66 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $49,030 and $83,430. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH after taxes?

On the median wage of $63,770, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $50,451 a year ($4,204 a month) after $13,319 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 20.89%, using 2026 tax rules.