SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in Lansing-East Lansing, MI (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 + MI + Municipal
COL Index: 95.76 (-4.2% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 74.9% Realized
$37,734 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $50,370 $24.22/hr
Effective Tax Drag 19.09% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$9,614 $369.78/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 $24.22 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,022/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$363/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,502
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,123
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$730
Michigan Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,762
Lansing city income tax
1.00%
-$498
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$37,734 ($1,451.29 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Lansing-East Lansing, MI Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $50,370
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $40.6k 25th $47.5k Median: $50,370 50th (Median) $50.4k 75th $60.5k 90th $74.1k You: $50,370
10th (Entry) $40,590 $19.51/hr
25th (Junior) $47,540 $22.86/hr
50th (Median) $50,370 $24.22/hr
75th (Senior) $60,490 $29.08/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $74,080 $35.62/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in Lansing-East Lansing, MI
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$36,735$17.66/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$43,857$21.09/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$50,417$24.24/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$59,038$28.38/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$72,627$34.92/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Lansing-East Lansing, MI 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 Lansing-East Lansing, MI 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) $1,054/month Requires minimum annual gross of $42,160
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,323/month Requires minimum annual gross of $52,920
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $21.18/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $18.99/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 Lansing-East Lansing, MI.

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$50,370-$9,614$37,734$1,451.29
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$59,814-$11,874$44,352$1,705.83
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$69,259-$14,133$50,970$1,960.38
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$78,703-$17,141$56,840$2,186.15
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$88,148-$20,288$62,570$2,406.55
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 Lansing-East Lansing, MI: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$50,370/yr
$24.22/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
19.09% Effective
-$9,614 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
34% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,090/mo
Post-$1,054/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 Lansing-East Lansing, MI: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in Lansing-East Lansing, MI report a median annual wage of $50,370, 6.3% below the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $40,590 to $74,080, and HUD’s $1,054 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 25.1% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $21.18 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+70.3%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+61.0%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+59.2%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+55.2%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+49.0%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+46.9%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+44.8%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+42.4%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+33.6%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+31.9%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Lansing-East Lansing, MI

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$190,650$91.66/hr
Education Administrators, Postsecondary$158,720$76.31/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$134,540$64.68/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$134,440$64.63/hr
Financial Manager$132,590$63.75/hr
Human Resources Managers$131,420$63.18/hr
Nurse Practitioner$129,450$62.24/hr
Physician Assistant$128,230$61.65/hr
Purchasing Managers$126,950$61.03/hr
Marketing Managers$126,890$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 Lansing-East Lansing, MI (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in Lansing-East Lansing, MI is $50,370 a year ($24.22/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living wage.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a Welder in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

The median annual wage is $50,370 ($24.22 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $40,590 and $74,080. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Lansing-East Lansing, MI after taxes?

On the median wage of $50,370, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $40,265 a year ($3,355 a month) after $10,105 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 20.06%, using 2026 tax rules.