SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in Greensboro-High Point, NC (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 + NC
COL Index: 104.4 (+4.4% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 76.3% Realized
$41,330 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $54,180 $26.05/hr
Effective Tax Drag 17.72% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$9,600 $369.22/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 $26.05 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,251/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$390/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,932
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,359
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$786
North Carolina Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,523
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$41,330 ($1,589.60 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Greensboro-High Point, NC Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $54,180
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $40.1k 25th $46.5k Median: $54,180 50th (Median) $54.2k 75th $62.5k 90th $70.5k You: $54,180
10th (Entry) $40,130 $19.29/hr
25th (Junior) $46,480 $22.35/hr
50th (Median) $54,180 $26.05/hr
75th (Senior) $62,550 $30.07/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $70,550 $33.92/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in Greensboro-High Point, NC
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$39,514$19.00/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$47,174$22.68/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$54,230$26.07/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$63,504$30.53/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$78,120$37.56/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Greensboro-High Point, NC 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 Greensboro-High Point, NC under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
34% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,168/month Requires minimum annual gross of $46,720
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,271/month Requires minimum annual gross of $50,840
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $23.09/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $19.05/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 Greensboro-High Point, NC.

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$54,180-$9,600$41,330$1,589.60
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$64,339-$11,904$48,575$1,868.26
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$74,498-$14,561$55,467$2,133.35
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$84,656-$17,820$61,757$2,375.28
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$94,815-$21,079$68,048$2,617.22
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 Greensboro-High Point, NC: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$54,180/yr
$26.05/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
17.72% Effective
-$9,600 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
34% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,276/mo
Post-$1,168/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 Greensboro-High Point, NC: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in Greensboro-High Point, NC report a median annual wage of $54,180, 0.8% above the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $40,130 to $70,550, and HUD’s $1,168 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 25.9% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $23.09 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+58.3%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+49.7%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+48.0%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+44.3%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+38.5%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+36.6%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+34.6%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+32.4%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+24.2%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+22.6%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Greensboro-High Point, NC

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$354,310$170.34/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$163,180$78.45/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$161,720$77.75/hr
Financial Manager$159,740$76.80/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$154,100$74.09/hr
Marketing Managers$151,880$73.02/hr
Public Relations Managers$136,490$65.62/hr
Sales Managers$134,760$64.79/hr
Human Resources Managers$133,320$64.10/hr
Nurse Practitioner$132,230$63.57/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 Greensboro-High Point, NC (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in Greensboro-High Point, NC is $54,180 a year ($26.05/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living. Official 2026 economic data for Welder in Greensboro-High Point, NC 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 Greensboro-High Point, NC?

The median annual wage is $54,180 ($26.05 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $40,130 and $70,550. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Greensboro-High Point, NC after taxes?

On the median wage of $54,180, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $44,061 a year ($3,672 a month) after $10,119 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 18.68%, using 2026 tax rules.