SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL (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 + AL
COL Index: 92.96 (-7.0% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 76.2% Realized
$33,671 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $44,210 $21.25/hr
Effective Tax Drag 17.84% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$7,886 $303.33/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 $21.25 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$2,653/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$318/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$2,807
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$2,741
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$641
Alabama Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,698
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$33,671 ($1,295.04 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $44,210
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $35.7k 25th $38.2k Median: $44,210 50th (Median) $44.2k 75th $50.1k 90th $60.1k You: $44,210
10th (Entry) $35,700 $17.16/hr
25th (Junior) $38,230 $18.38/hr
50th (Median) $44,210 $21.25/hr
75th (Senior) $50,060 $24.07/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $60,120 $28.90/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$32,242$15.50/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$38,494$18.51/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$44,251$21.27/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$51,818$24.91/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$63,745$30.65/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL 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 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
30% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $834/month Requires minimum annual gross of $33,360
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,085/month Requires minimum annual gross of $43,400
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $20.56/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $18.88/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 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL.

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$44,210-$7,886$33,671$1,295.04
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$52,499-$9,799$39,551$1,521.19
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$60,789-$11,711$45,431$1,747.34
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$69,078-$13,623$51,311$1,973.50
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$77,368-$16,126$56,599$2,176.90
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 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$44,210/yr
$21.25/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
17.84% Effective
-$7,886 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
30% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$1,972/mo
Post-$834/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 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL report a median annual wage of $44,210, 17.7% below the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $35,700 to $60,120, and HUD’s $834 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 22.6% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $20.56 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+94.1%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+83.5%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+81.4%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+76.8%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+69.7%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+67.4%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+64.9%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+62.2%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+52.2%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+50.2%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$164,770$79.22/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$157,570$75.75/hr
Facilities Managers$140,000$67.31/hr
Financial Manager$128,830$61.94/hr
Industrial Production Managers$120,490$57.93/hr
Human Resources Managers$117,960$56.71/hr
Software Engineer$116,260$55.89/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$109,970$52.87/hr
Sales Managers$104,010$50.00/hr
Nurse Practitioner$101,040$48.58/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 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL is $44,210 a year ($21.25/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living. Official 2026 economic data for Welder in Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL 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 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL?

The median annual wage is $44,210 ($21.25 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $35,700 and $60,120. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL after taxes?

On the median wage of $44,210, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $35,889 a year ($2,991 a month) after $8,322 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 18.82%, using 2026 tax rules.