SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in Raleigh-Cary, NC (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 + NC
COL Index: 136.24 (+36.2% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 76.0% Realized
$43,298 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $56,940 $27.38/hr
Effective Tax Drag 17.96% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$10,226 $393.29/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 $27.38 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,416/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$410/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,243
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,530
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$826
North Carolina Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,627
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$43,298 ($1,665.31 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Raleigh-Cary, NC Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $56,940
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $40.5k 25th $47.2k Median: $56,940 50th (Median) $56.9k 75th $61.0k 90th $71.8k You: $56,940
10th (Entry) $40,460 $19.45/hr
25th (Junior) $47,190 $22.69/hr
50th (Median) $56,940 $27.38/hr
75th (Senior) $60,980 $29.32/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $71,800 $34.52/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in Raleigh-Cary, NC
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$41,526$19.96/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$49,578$23.84/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$56,993$27.40/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$66,739$32.09/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$82,100$39.47/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Raleigh-Cary, NC 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 Raleigh-Cary, NC 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) $1,552/month Requires minimum annual gross of $62,080
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,689/month Requires minimum annual gross of $67,560
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $30.13/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $24.42/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 Raleigh-Cary, NC.

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$56,940-$10,226$43,298$1,665.31
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$67,616-$12,647$50,912$1,958.16
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$78,293-$15,778$57,817$2,223.73
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$88,969-$19,203$64,428$2,477.99
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$99,645-$22,628$71,038$2,732.24
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 Raleigh-Cary, NC: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$56,940/yr
$27.38/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
17.96% Effective
-$10,226 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
43% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,056/mo
Post-$1,552/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 Raleigh-Cary, NC: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in Raleigh-Cary, NC report a median annual wage of $56,940, 5.9% above the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $40,460 to $71,800, and HUD’s $1,552 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 32.7% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $30.13 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+50.7%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+42.5%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+40.9%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+37.3%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+31.8%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+30.0%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+28.1%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+26.0%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+18.2%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+16.6%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Raleigh-Cary, NC

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$286,050$137.52/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$173,960$83.63/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$173,510$83.42/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$169,780$81.62/hr
Marketing Managers$167,640$80.60/hr
Sales Managers$163,520$78.62/hr
Financial Manager$163,130$78.43/hr
Human Resources Managers$144,190$69.32/hr
Cybersecurity Analyst$143,640$69.06/hr
Actuary$142,180$68.36/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 Raleigh-Cary, NC (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in Raleigh-Cary, NC is $56,940 a year ($27.38/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents and living wage. Official 2026 economic data for Welder in Raleigh-Cary, NC 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 Raleigh-Cary, NC?

The median annual wage is $56,940 ($27.38 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $40,460 and $71,800. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Raleigh-Cary, NC after taxes?

On the median wage of $56,940, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $46,168 a year ($3,847 a month) after $10,772 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 18.92%, using 2026 tax rules.