SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in Cape Girardeau, MO-IL (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 + MO
COL Index: 98.49 (-1.5% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 77.1% Realized
$37,479 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $48,580 $23.36/hr
Effective Tax Drag 16.85% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$8,186 $314.86/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 $23.36 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$2,915/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$350/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,300
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,012
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$704
Missouri Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,170
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$37,479 ($1,441.49 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Cape Girardeau, MO-IL Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $48,580
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $38.0k 25th $44.2k Median: $48,580 50th (Median) $48.6k 75th $54.6k 90th $59.3k You: $48,580
10th (Entry) $37,970 $18.25/hr
25th (Junior) $44,160 $21.23/hr
50th (Median) $48,580 $23.36/hr
75th (Senior) $54,580 $26.24/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $59,280 $28.50/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in Cape Girardeau, MO-IL
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$35,430$17.03/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$42,298$20.34/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$48,625$23.38/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$56,940$27.38/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$70,046$33.68/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Cape Girardeau, MO-IL 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 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
27% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $833/month Requires minimum annual gross of $33,320
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,012/month Requires minimum annual gross of $40,480
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $21.78/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $19.27/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 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL.

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$48,580-$8,186$37,479$1,441.49
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$57,689-$10,321$43,906$1,688.70
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$66,798-$12,441$50,349$1,936.49
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$75,906-$15,042$56,310$2,165.76
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$85,015-$18,012$61,902$2,380.86
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 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$48,580/yr
$23.36/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
16.85% Effective
-$8,186 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
27% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,290/mo
Post-$833/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 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in Cape Girardeau, MO-IL report a median annual wage of $48,580, 9.6% below the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $37,970 to $59,280, and HUD’s $833 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 20.6% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $21.78 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+76.6%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+67.0%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+65.1%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+60.9%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+54.5%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+52.3%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+50.1%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+47.6%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+38.5%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+36.7%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Cape Girardeau, MO-IL

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Physician Assistant$141,080$67.83/hr
Financial Manager$139,690$67.16/hr
Industrial Production Managers$133,110$64.00/hr
Nurse Practitioner$130,000$62.50/hr
Human Resources Managers$128,240$61.65/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$128,230$61.65/hr
Medical and Health Services Managers$104,010$50.00/hr
Construction Managers$102,980$49.51/hr
Software Engineer$100,220$48.18/hr
Electrical Power-Line Installer$99,650$47.91/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 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in Cape Girardeau, MO-IL is $48,580 a year ($23.36/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents and living wage.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a Welder in Cape Girardeau, MO-IL?

The median annual wage is $48,580 ($23.36 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $37,970 and $59,280. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Cape Girardeau, MO-IL after taxes?

On the median wage of $48,580, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $39,911 a year ($3,326 a month) after $8,669 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 17.84%, using 2026 tax rules.