SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-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 + WI
COL Index: 101.05 (+1.0% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 75.7% Realized
$44,485 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $58,800 $28.27/hr
Effective Tax Drag 18.35% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$10,787 $414.90/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 $28.27 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,528/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$423/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,453
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,646
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$853
Wisconsin Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,837
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$44,485 ($1,710.95 / check)
Category 2 of 6

La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $58,800
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $48.8k 25th $54.1k Median: $58,800 50th (Median) $58.8k 75th $78.3k 90th $78.3k You: $58,800
10th (Entry) $48,780 $23.45/hr
25th (Junior) $54,090 $26.00/hr
50th (Median) $58,800 $28.27/hr
75th (Senior) $78,320 $37.65/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $78,320 $37.65/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$42,883$20.62/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$51,197$24.61/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$58,855$28.30/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$68,919$33.13/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$84,781$40.76/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-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 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
28% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,027/month Requires minimum annual gross of $41,080
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,343/month Requires minimum annual gross of $53,720
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $22.35/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $23.13/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 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-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$58,800-$10,787$44,485$1,710.95
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$69,825-$13,426$52,210$2,008.08
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$80,850-$17,078$58,921$2,266.21
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$91,875-$20,816$65,546$2,521.01
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$102,900-$24,555$72,171$2,775.82
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 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$58,800/yr
$28.27/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
18.35% Effective
-$10,787 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
28% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,680/mo
Post-$1,027/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 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN report a median annual wage of $58,800, 9.4% above the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $48,780 to $78,320, and HUD’s $1,027 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 21.0% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $22.35 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+45.9%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+38.0%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+36.4%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+32.9%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+27.6%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+25.9%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+24.0%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+22.0%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+14.4%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+13.0%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$210,790$101.34/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$160,540$77.18/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$141,100$67.84/hr
Financial Manager$133,280$64.08/hr
Human Resources Managers$132,850$63.87/hr
Marketing Managers$130,230$62.61/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$128,670$61.86/hr
Sales Managers$127,740$61.41/hr
Purchasing Managers$127,280$61.19/hr
Medical and Health Services Managers$126,880$61.00/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 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN is $58,800 a year ($28.27/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living. Official 2026 economic data for Welder in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN 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 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN?

The median annual wage is $58,800 ($28.27 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $48,780 and $78,320. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN after taxes?

On the median wage of $58,800, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $47,415 a year ($3,951 a month) after $11,385 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 19.36%, using 2026 tax rules.