SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI (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 + MI + Municipal
COL Index: 97.93 (-2.1% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 73.4% Realized
$38,026 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $51,810 $24.91/hr
Effective Tax Drag 20.61% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$10,676 $410.60/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 $24.91 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,109/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$373/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,664
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,212
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$751
Michigan Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,819
Detroit city income tax
2.40%
-$1,229
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$38,026 ($1,462.53 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $51,810
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $39.0k 25th $47.6k Median: $51,810 50th (Median) $51.8k 75th $61.0k 90th $75.8k You: $51,810
10th (Entry) $39,000 $18.75/hr
25th (Junior) $47,650 $22.91/hr
50th (Median) $51,810 $24.91/hr
75th (Senior) $61,010 $29.33/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $75,760 $36.42/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$37,785$18.17/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$45,111$21.69/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$51,858$24.93/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$60,726$29.20/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$74,703$35.91/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
37% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,167/month Requires minimum annual gross of $46,680
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,459/month Requires minimum annual gross of $58,360
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $21.66/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $20.49/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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI.

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$51,810-$10,676$38,026$1,462.53
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$61,524-$13,136$44,697$1,719.12
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$71,239-$15,643$51,322$1,973.92
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$80,953-$19,016$57,080$2,195.39
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$90,668-$22,389$62,838$2,416.86
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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$51,810/yr
$24.91/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
20.61% Effective
-$10,676 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
37% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,002/mo
Post-$1,167/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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI report a median annual wage of $51,810, 3.6% below the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $39,000 to $75,760, and HUD’s $1,167 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 27.0% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $21.66 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+65.6%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+56.6%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+54.8%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+50.9%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+44.8%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+42.8%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+40.7%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+38.4%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+29.9%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+28.2%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$304,110$146.21/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$170,040$81.75/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$168,550$81.03/hr
Purchasing Managers$163,660$78.68/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$162,490$78.12/hr
Financial Manager$160,240$77.04/hr
Sales Managers$155,560$74.79/hr
Human Resources Managers$149,980$72.11/hr
Marketing Managers$149,310$71.78/hr
Nurse Practitioner$134,390$64.61/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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI is $51,810 a year ($24.91/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living. Official 2026 economic data for Welder in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI?

The median annual wage is $51,810 ($24.91 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $39,000 and $75,760. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI after taxes?

On the median wage of $51,810, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $40,629 a year ($3,386 a month) after $11,181 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 21.58%, using 2026 tax rules.