SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-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 + OR + Municipal
COL Index: 132.22 (+32.2% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 72.3% Realized
$44,847 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $62,050 $29.83/hr
Effective Tax Drag 21.73% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$13,480 $518.48/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 $29.83 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,723/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$447/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,819
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,847
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$900
Oregon Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$3,852
Metro Supportive Housing Services tax + Multnomah County Preschool for All tax + Oregon statewide transit tax
0.10%
-$62
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$44,847 ($1,724.87 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $62,050
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $48.0k 25th $53.1k Median: $62,050 50th (Median) $62.0k 75th $72.4k 90th $83.9k You: $62,050
10th (Entry) $48,050 $23.10/hr
25th (Junior) $53,130 $25.54/hr
50th (Median) $62,050 $29.83/hr
75th (Senior) $72,400 $34.81/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $83,940 $40.36/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$45,253$21.76/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$54,027$25.97/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$62,108$29.86/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$72,728$34.97/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$89,467$43.01/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
44% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,633/month Requires minimum annual gross of $65,320
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,878/month Requires minimum annual gross of $75,120
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $29.24/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $26.04/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-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-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$62,050-$13,480$44,847$1,724.87
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$73,684-$16,789$52,475$2,018.25
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$85,319-$20,848$59,351$2,282.74
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$96,953-$25,113$66,023$2,539.35
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$108,588-$29,634$72,439$2,786.11
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-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$62,050/yr
$29.83/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
21.73% Effective
-$13,480 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
44% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,104/mo
Post-$1,633/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-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA report a median annual wage of $62,050, 15.4% above the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $48,050 to $83,940, and HUD’s $1,633 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 31.6% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $29.24 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+38.3%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+30.7%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+29.3%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+26.0%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+20.9%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+19.3%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+17.5%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+15.6%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+8.4%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+7.0%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$375,810$180.68/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$183,720$88.33/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$178,300$85.72/hr
Marketing Managers$172,610$82.99/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$168,540$81.03/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$165,200$79.42/hr
Financial Manager$164,680$79.17/hr
Physician Assistant$163,810$78.75/hr
Sales Managers$162,640$78.19/hr
Nurse Practitioner$158,890$76.39/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-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA is $62,050 a year ($29.83/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for Welder in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA?

The median annual wage is $62,050 ($29.83 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $48,050 and $83,940. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA after taxes?

On the median wage of $62,050, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $47,836 a year ($3,986 a month) after $14,214 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 22.91%, using 2026 tax rules.