SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA (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 + WA
COL Index: 118.86 (+18.9% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 78.8% Realized
$46,231 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $58,680 $28.21/hr
Effective Tax Drag 15.21% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$8,928 $343.39/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 $28.21 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,521/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$422/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,439
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,638
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$851
Washington Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$0
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$46,231 ($1,778.12 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $58,680
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $49.4k 25th $52.4k Median: $58,680 50th (Median) $58.7k 75th $69.9k 90th $83.8k You: $58,680
10th (Entry) $49,400 $23.75/hr
25th (Junior) $52,430 $25.21/hr
50th (Median) $58,680 $28.21/hr
75th (Senior) $69,870 $33.59/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $83,830 $40.30/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$42,795$20.57/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$51,093$24.56/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$58,735$28.24/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$68,778$33.07/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$84,608$40.68/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
43% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,656/month Requires minimum annual gross of $66,240
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,946/month Requires minimum annual gross of $77,840
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $26.29/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $24.41/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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA.

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$58,680-$8,928$46,231$1,778.12
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$69,683-$11,011$54,491$2,095.79
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$80,685-$14,028$61,816$2,377.53
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$91,688-$17,145$69,041$2,655.43
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$102,690-$20,262$76,267$2,933.33
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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$58,680/yr
$28.21/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
15.21% Effective
-$8,928 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
43% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,197/mo
Post-$1,656/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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA report a median annual wage of $58,680, 9.2% above the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $49,400 to $83,830, and HUD’s $1,656 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 33.9% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $26.29 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+46.2%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+38.2%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+36.7%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+33.2%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+27.9%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+26.1%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+24.3%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+22.2%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+14.7%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+13.2%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$204,190$98.17/hr
Sales Managers$172,550$82.96/hr
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$166,910$80.25/hr
Marketing Managers$166,790$80.19/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$164,550$79.11/hr
Physician Assistant$153,940$74.01/hr
Public Relations Managers$148,090$71.20/hr
Nurse Practitioner$145,950$70.17/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$145,560$69.98/hr
Construction Managers$142,500$68.51/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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA is $58,680 a year ($28.21/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living. Official 2026 economic data for Welder in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA?

The median annual wage is $58,680 ($28.21 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $49,400 and $83,830. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA after taxes?

On the median wage of $58,680, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $49,329 a year ($4,111 a month) after $9,351 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 15.93%, using 2026 tax rules.