SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY (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 + NY
COL Index: 105.65 (+5.7% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 75.0% Realized
$41,568 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $55,420 $26.64/hr
Effective Tax Drag 19% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$10,527 $404.89/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 $26.64 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,325/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$399/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,071
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,436
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$804
New York Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,216
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$41,568 ($1,598.76 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $55,420
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $41.9k 25th $48.2k Median: $55,420 50th (Median) $55.4k 75th $63.0k 90th $74.1k You: $55,420
10th (Entry) $41,880 $20.13/hr
25th (Junior) $48,210 $23.18/hr
50th (Median) $55,420 $26.64/hr
75th (Senior) $63,000 $30.29/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $74,110 $35.63/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$40,418$19.43/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$48,254$23.20/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$55,472$26.67/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$64,957$31.23/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$79,908$38.42/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY 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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
35% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,203/month Requires minimum annual gross of $48,120
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,423/month Requires minimum annual gross of $56,920
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $23.36/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $22.99/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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY.

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$55,420-$10,527$41,568$1,598.76
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$65,811-$13,022$48,841$1,878.50
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$76,203-$16,029$55,601$2,138.51
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$86,594-$19,501$61,898$2,380.68
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$96,985-$22,984$68,182$2,622.37
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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$55,420/yr
$26.64/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
19% Effective
-$10,527 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
35% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,261/mo
Post-$1,203/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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY report a median annual wage of $55,420, 3.1% above the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $41,880 to $74,110, and HUD’s $1,203 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 26.0% 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+54.8%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+46.4%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+44.7%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+41.1%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+35.4%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+33.5%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+31.6%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+29.4%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+21.4%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+19.8%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$239,990$115.38/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$172,650$83.00/hr
Financial Manager$164,230$78.96/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$164,120$78.90/hr
Sales Managers$163,090$78.41/hr
Advertising and Promotions Managers$156,500$75.24/hr
Human Resources Managers$150,180$72.20/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$144,510$69.48/hr
Marketing Managers$144,390$69.42/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$139,570$67.10/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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY is $55,420 a year ($26.64/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents and living wage. Official 2026 economic data for Welder in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY 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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY?

The median annual wage is $55,420 ($26.64 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $41,880 and $74,110. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY after taxes?

On the median wage of $55,420, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $44,314 a year ($3,693 a month) after $11,106 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 20.04%, using 2026 tax rules.