SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH (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 + WV
COL Index: 102.78 (+2.8% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 76.5% Realized
$35,926 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $46,980 $22.59/hr
Effective Tax Drag 17.53% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$8,235 $316.72/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 $22.59 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$2,819/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$338/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,119
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$2,913
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$681
West Virginia Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,261
Huntington city user fee
LOCAL
-$260
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$35,926 ($1,381.79 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $46,980
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $36.8k 25th $39.5k Median: $46,980 50th (Median) $47.0k 75th $57.5k 90th $71.3k You: $46,980
10th (Entry) $36,780 $17.68/hr
25th (Junior) $39,550 $19.01/hr
50th (Median) $46,980 $22.59/hr
75th (Senior) $57,500 $27.64/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $71,310 $34.28/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$34,263$16.47/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$40,905$19.67/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$47,024$22.61/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$55,065$26.47/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$67,739$32.57/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH 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 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
29% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $864/month Requires minimum annual gross of $34,560
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,006/month Requires minimum annual gross of $40,240
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $22.73/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $20.37/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 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH.

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$46,980-$8,235$35,926$1,381.79
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$55,789-$10,270$42,172$1,621.98
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$64,598-$12,305$48,417$1,862.18
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$73,406-$14,617$54,385$2,091.73
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$82,215-$17,512$59,770$2,298.87
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 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$46,980/yr
$22.59/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
17.53% Effective
-$8,235 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
29% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,130/mo
Post-$864/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 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH report a median annual wage of $46,980, 12.6% below the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $36,780 to $71,310, and HUD’s $864 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 22.1% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $22.73 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+82.6%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+72.7%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+70.7%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+66.4%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+59.7%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+57.5%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+55.2%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+52.7%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+43.2%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+41.4%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$161,760$77.77/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$141,130$67.85/hr
Purchasing Managers$128,890$61.97/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$128,020$61.55/hr
Nurse Practitioner$125,780$60.47/hr
Physician Assistant$125,690$60.43/hr
Software Engineer$110,780$53.26/hr
Human Resources Managers$110,000$52.88/hr
Sales Managers$107,470$51.67/hr
Industrial Production Managers$107,340$51.61/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 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH is $46,980 a year ($22.59/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living. Official 2026 economic data for Welder in Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH 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 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH?

The median annual wage is $46,980 ($22.59 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $36,780 and $71,310. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH after taxes?

On the median wage of $46,980, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $38,282 a year ($3,190 a month) after $8,698 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 18.51%, using 2026 tax rules.