SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

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 + TN
COL Index: 132.48 (+32.5% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 79.5% Realized
$39,310 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $49,460 $23.78/hr
Effective Tax Drag 14.52% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$7,183 $276.26/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 $23.78 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$2,968/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$356/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,399
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,067
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$717
Tennessee Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$0
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$39,310 ($1,511.91 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $49,460
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $40.2k 25th $43.7k Median: $49,460 50th (Median) $49.5k 75th $61.1k 90th $68.5k You: $49,460
10th (Entry) $40,220 $19.34/hr
25th (Junior) $43,730 $21.02/hr
50th (Median) $49,460 $23.78/hr
75th (Senior) $61,100 $29.38/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $68,490 $32.93/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$36,071$17.34/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$43,065$20.70/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$49,506$23.80/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$57,972$27.87/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$71,314$34.29/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
50% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,650/month Requires minimum annual gross of $66,000
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,798/month Requires minimum annual gross of $71,920
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $29.30/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $23.51/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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN.

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$49,460-$7,183$39,310$1,511.91
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$58,734-$8,938$46,271$1,779.67
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$68,008-$10,694$53,233$2,047.43
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$77,281-$13,064$59,581$2,291.56
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$86,555-$15,691$65,671$2,525.79
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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$49,460/yr
$23.78/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
14.52% Effective
-$7,183 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
50% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$1,626/mo
Post-$1,650/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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN report a median annual wage of $49,460, 8.0% below the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $40,220 to $68,490, and HUD’s $1,650 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 40.0% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $29.30 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+73.5%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+64.0%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+62.2%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+58.0%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+51.7%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+49.6%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+47.4%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+45.0%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+36.0%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+34.3%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$218,190$104.90/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$165,970$79.79/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$159,720$76.79/hr
Financial Manager$156,860$75.41/hr
Purchasing Managers$140,410$67.50/hr
Marketing Managers$135,370$65.08/hr
Human Resources Managers$135,230$65.01/hr
Administrative Services Managers$133,220$64.05/hr
Sales Managers$131,600$63.27/hr
Fundraising Managers$130,010$62.50/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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN Overview

Welder median pay in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN is $49,460 a year ($23.78/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles. Official 2026 economic data for Welder in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?

The median annual wage is $49,460 ($23.78 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $40,220 and $68,490. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN after taxes?

On the median wage of $49,460, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $41,921 a year ($3,493 a month) after $7,539 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 15.24%, using 2026 tax rules.