SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in Grand Forks, ND-MN (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 + ND
COL Index: 90.05 (-10.0% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 78.8% Realized
$45,871 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $58,200 $27.98/hr
Effective Tax Drag 15.18% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$8,837 $339.89/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 $27.98 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,492/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$419/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,385
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,608
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$844
North Dakota Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$0
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$45,871 ($1,764.26 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Grand Forks, ND-MN Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $58,200
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $43.7k 25th $51.2k Median: $58,200 50th (Median) $58.2k 75th $65.3k 90th $81.2k You: $58,200
10th (Entry) $43,660 $20.99/hr
25th (Junior) $51,240 $24.63/hr
50th (Median) $58,200 $27.98/hr
75th (Senior) $65,270 $31.38/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $81,150 $39.01/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in Grand Forks, ND-MN
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$42,445$20.41/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$50,675$24.36/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$58,254$28.01/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$68,216$32.80/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$83,916$40.34/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Grand Forks, ND-MN 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 Grand Forks, ND-MN under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
21% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $821/month Requires minimum annual gross of $32,840
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,014/month Requires minimum annual gross of $40,560
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $19.91/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $18.81/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 Grand Forks, ND-MN.

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$58,200-$8,837$45,871$1,764.26
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$69,113-$10,903$54,063$2,079.34
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$80,025-$14,027$61,196$2,353.70
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$90,938-$17,319$68,162$2,621.63
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$101,850-$20,610$75,129$2,889.56
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 Grand Forks, ND-MN: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$58,200/yr
$27.98/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
15.18% Effective
-$8,837 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
21% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$3,002/mo
Post-$821/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 Grand Forks, ND-MN: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in Grand Forks, ND-MN report a median annual wage of $58,200, 8.3% above the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $43,660 to $81,150, and HUD’s $821 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 16.9% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $19.91 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+47.4%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+39.4%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+37.8%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+34.3%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+28.9%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+27.1%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+25.3%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+23.2%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+15.6%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+14.1%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Grand Forks, ND-MN

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Natural Sciences Managers$173,590$83.46/hr
Chief Executives$171,120$82.27/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$149,500$71.88/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$141,440$68.00/hr
Human Resources Managers$135,340$65.07/hr
Physician Assistant$133,450$64.16/hr
Nurse Practitioner$130,990$62.98/hr
Financial Manager$130,130$62.56/hr
Marketing Managers$122,390$58.84/hr
Administrative Services Managers$114,810$55.20/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 Grand Forks, ND-MN (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in Grand Forks, ND-MN is $58,200 a year ($27.98/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 Grand Forks, ND-MN?

The median annual wage is $58,200 ($27.98 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $43,660 and $81,150. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Grand Forks, ND-MN after taxes?

On the median wage of $58,200, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $48,944 a year ($4,079 a month) after $9,256 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 15.9%, using 2026 tax rules.