SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in Portland-South Portland, ME (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 + ME
COL Index: 130.53 (+30.5% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 74.5% Realized
$49,505 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $66,420 $31.93/hr
Effective Tax Drag 19.47% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$12,930 $497.30/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 $31.93 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,985/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$478/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$5,312
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$4,118
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$963
Maine Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,537
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$49,505 ($1,904.04 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Portland-South Portland, ME Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $66,420
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $51.9k 25th $60.2k Median: $66,420 50th (Median) $66.4k 75th $76.2k 90th $78.8k You: $66,420
10th (Entry) $51,880 $24.94/hr
25th (Junior) $60,230 $28.96/hr
50th (Median) $66,420 $31.93/hr
75th (Senior) $76,220 $36.64/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $78,830 $37.90/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in Portland-South Portland, ME
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$48,440$23.29/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$57,832$27.80/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$66,482$31.96/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$77,850$37.43/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$95,768$46.04/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Portland-South Portland, ME 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 Portland-South Portland, ME under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
45% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,864/month Requires minimum annual gross of $74,560
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $2,353/month Requires minimum annual gross of $94,120
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $28.87/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $27.95/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 Portland-South Portland, ME.

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$66,420-$12,930$49,505$1,904.04
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$78,874-$16,842$57,300$2,203.83
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$91,328-$21,160$64,688$2,487.99
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$103,781-$25,525$72,029$2,770.35
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$116,235-$29,995$79,266$3,048.68
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 Portland-South Portland, ME: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$66,420/yr
$31.93/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
19.47% Effective
-$12,930 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
45% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,261/mo
Post-$1,864/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 Portland-South Portland, ME: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in Portland-South Portland, ME report a median annual wage of $66,420, 23.6% above the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $51,880 to $78,830, and HUD’s $1,864 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 33.7% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $28.87 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+29.2%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+22.1%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+20.8%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+17.7%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+13.0%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+11.4%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+9.8%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+8.0%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+1.3%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$66,240-0.3%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Portland-South Portland, ME

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$176,000$84.62/hr
Sales Managers$174,990$84.13/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$167,100$80.34/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$164,530$79.10/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$155,080$74.56/hr
Purchasing Managers$142,240$68.38/hr
Financial Manager$138,590$66.63/hr
Actuary$138,220$66.45/hr
Human Resources Managers$137,550$66.13/hr
Marketing Managers$135,380$65.09/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 Portland-South Portland, ME (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in Portland-South Portland, ME is $66,420 a year ($31.93/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living. Official 2026 economic data for Welder in Portland-South Portland, ME 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 Portland-South Portland, ME?

The median annual wage is $66,420 ($31.93 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $51,880 and $78,830. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Portland-South Portland, ME after taxes?

On the median wage of $66,420, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $52,743 a year ($4,395 a month) after $13,677 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 20.59%, using 2026 tax rules.