SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in Charleston-North Charleston, 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 + SC
COL Index: 136.48 (+36.5% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 76.9% Realized
$43,086 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $56,060 $26.95/hr
Effective Tax Drag 17.14% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$9,610 $369.63/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 $26.95 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,364/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$404/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,144
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,476
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$813
South Carolina Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,178
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$43,086 ($1,657.15 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Charleston-North Charleston, SC Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $56,060
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $43.0k 25th $48.5k Median: $56,060 50th (Median) $56.1k 75th $61.9k 90th $73.9k You: $56,060
10th (Entry) $43,050 $20.70/hr
25th (Junior) $48,460 $23.30/hr
50th (Median) $56,060 $26.95/hr
75th (Senior) $61,860 $29.74/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $73,890 $35.52/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in Charleston-North Charleston, SC
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$40,885$19.66/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$48,811$23.47/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$56,112$26.98/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$65,708$31.59/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$80,831$38.86/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Charleston-North Charleston, 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 Charleston-North Charleston, SC under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
48% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,731/month Requires minimum annual gross of $69,240
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,884/month Requires minimum annual gross of $75,360
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $30.18/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $24.11/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 Charleston-North Charleston, 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$56,060-$9,610$43,086$1,657.15
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$66,571-$12,255$50,322$1,935.46
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$77,083-$15,496$56,961$2,190.83
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$87,594-$19,129$63,209$2,431.13
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$98,105-$22,762$69,457$2,671.41
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 Charleston-North Charleston, SC: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$56,060/yr
$26.95/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
17.14% Effective
-$9,610 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
48% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$1,859/mo
Post-$1,731/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 Charleston-North Charleston, SC: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in Charleston-North Charleston, SC report a median annual wage of $56,060, 4.3% above the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $43,050 to $73,890, and HUD’s $1,731 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 37.1% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $30.18 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+53.0%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+44.7%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+43.1%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+39.4%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+33.9%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+32.0%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+30.1%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+27.9%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+20.0%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+18.5%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Charleston-North Charleston, SC

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$197,220$94.82/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$174,040$83.67/hr
Advertising and Promotions Managers$170,000$81.73/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$167,000$80.29/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$150,810$72.50/hr
Financial Manager$147,170$70.75/hr
Sales Managers$139,830$67.23/hr
Marketing Managers$138,790$66.73/hr
Purchasing Managers$138,340$66.51/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$132,660$63.78/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 Charleston-North Charleston, SC (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in Charleston-North Charleston, SC is $56,060 a year ($26.95/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for Welder in Charleston-North Charleston, 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 Charleston-North Charleston, SC?

The median annual wage is $56,060 ($26.95 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $43,050 and $73,890. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Charleston-North Charleston, SC after taxes?

On the median wage of $56,060, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $45,823 a year ($3,819 a month) after $10,237 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 18.26%, using 2026 tax rules.