SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ (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 + AZ
COL Index: 124.76 (+24.8% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 77.3% Realized
$43,698 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $56,540 $27.18/hr
Effective Tax Drag 16.71% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$9,449 $363.43/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 $27.18 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,392/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$407/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,198
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,505
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$820
Arizona Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$926
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$43,698 ($1,680.71 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $56,540
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $43.8k 25th $48.9k Median: $56,540 50th (Median) $56.5k 75th $65.7k 90th $81.3k You: $56,540
10th (Entry) $43,760 $21.04/hr
25th (Junior) $48,890 $23.50/hr
50th (Median) $56,540 $27.18/hr
75th (Senior) $65,690 $31.58/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $81,290 $39.08/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$41,235$19.82/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$49,229$23.67/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$56,593$27.21/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$66,270$31.86/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$81,523$39.19/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
41% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,493/month Requires minimum annual gross of $59,720
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,734/month Requires minimum annual gross of $69,360
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $27.59/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $23.95/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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.

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$56,540-$9,449$43,698$1,680.71
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$67,141-$11,705$51,408$1,977.22
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$77,743-$14,619$58,459$2,248.43
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$88,344-$17,871$65,172$2,506.61
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$98,945-$21,124$71,884$2,764.79
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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$56,540/yr
$27.18/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
16.71% Effective
-$9,449 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
41% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,149/mo
Post-$1,493/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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ report a median annual wage of $56,540, 5.2% above the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $43,760 to $81,290, and HUD’s $1,493 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 31.7% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $27.59 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+51.7%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+43.5%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+41.9%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+38.3%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+32.7%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+30.9%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+29.0%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+26.8%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+19.0%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+17.5%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Computer and Information Systems Managers$169,720$81.60/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$169,310$81.40/hr
Data Engineer$156,100$75.05/hr
Sales Managers$148,320$71.31/hr
Financial Manager$145,940$70.16/hr
Human Resources Managers$145,610$70.00/hr
Purchasing Managers$140,170$67.39/hr
Chief Executives$138,900$66.78/hr
Actuary$138,570$66.62/hr
Nurse Practitioner$136,270$65.51/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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ is $56,540 a year ($27.18/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living. Official 2026 economic data for Welder in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?

The median annual wage is $56,540 ($27.18 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $43,760 and $81,290. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ after taxes?

On the median wage of $56,540, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $46,599 a year ($3,883 a month) after $9,941 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 17.58%, using 2026 tax rules.