SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (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 + CA
COL Index: 144.21 (+44.2% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 75.6% Realized
$42,469 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $56,160 $27.00/hr
Effective Tax Drag 18.38% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$10,322 $396.99/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 $27.00 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,370/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$404/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,155
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,482
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$814
California Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,141
State Disability Insurance (SDI)
Statutory Payroll Assessment
-$730
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$42,469 ($1,633.41 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $56,160
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $44.5k 25th $47.9k Median: $56,160 50th (Median) $56.2k 75th $64.8k 90th $79.9k You: $56,160
10th (Entry) $44,530 $21.41/hr
25th (Junior) $47,910 $23.03/hr
50th (Median) $56,160 $27.00/hr
75th (Senior) $64,800 $31.15/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $79,870 $38.40/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$40,958$19.69/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$48,898$23.51/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$56,212$27.02/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$65,825$31.65/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$80,975$38.93/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
68% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $2,402/month Requires minimum annual gross of $96,080
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $2,964/month Requires minimum annual gross of $118,560
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $31.89/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $28.35/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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA.

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$56,160-$10,322$42,469$1,633.41
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$66,690-$13,046$49,643$1,909.34
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$77,220-$16,522$56,064$2,156.33
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$87,750-$20,452$62,033$2,385.87
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$98,280-$24,493$67,890$2,611.17
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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$56,160/yr
$27.00/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
18.38% Effective
-$10,322 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
68% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$1,137/mo
Post-$2,402/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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA report a median annual wage of $56,160, 4.5% above the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $44,530 to $79,870, and HUD’s $2,402 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 51.3% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $31.89 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+52.8%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+44.4%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+42.8%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+39.2%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+33.6%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+31.8%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+29.8%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+27.7%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+19.8%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+18.3%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$234,290$112.64/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$204,370$98.25/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$193,340$92.95/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$190,900$91.78/hr
Financial Manager$175,310$84.28/hr
Marketing Managers$171,900$82.64/hr
Human Resources Managers$168,400$80.96/hr
Advertising and Promotions Managers$167,930$80.74/hr
Public Relations Managers$163,830$78.76/hr
Physician Assistant$161,890$77.83/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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA is $56,160 a year ($27.00/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for Welder in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA?

The median annual wage is $56,160 ($27.00 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $44,530 and $79,870. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA after taxes?

On the median wage of $56,160, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $45,232 a year ($3,769 a month) after $10,928 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 19.46%, using 2026 tax rules.