SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (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 + CA
COL Index: 168.61 (+68.6% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 74.9% Realized
$46,829 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $62,560 $30.08/hr
Effective Tax Drag 19.15% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$11,977 $460.67/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 $30.08 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,754/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$450/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,877
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,879
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$907
California Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,501
State Disability Insurance (SDI)
Statutory Payroll Assessment
-$813
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$46,829 ($1,801.12 / check)
Category 2 of 6

San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $62,560
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $46.7k 25th $50.4k Median: $62,560 50th (Median) $62.6k 75th $76.6k 90th $82.5k You: $62,560
10th (Entry) $46,700 $22.45/hr
25th (Junior) $50,400 $24.23/hr
50th (Median) $62,560 $30.08/hr
75th (Senior) $76,630 $36.84/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $82,470 $39.65/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$45,625$21.94/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$54,471$26.19/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$62,618$30.10/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$73,326$35.25/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$90,203$43.37/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
60% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $2,335/month Requires minimum annual gross of $93,400
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $2,823/month Requires minimum annual gross of $112,920
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $37.29/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $31.87/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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.

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$62,560-$11,977$46,829$1,801.12
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$74,290-$15,434$54,399$2,092.26
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$86,020-$19,792$61,067$2,348.74
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$97,750-$24,289$67,596$2,599.83
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$109,480-$28,791$74,121$2,850.80
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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$62,560/yr
$30.08/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
19.15% Effective
-$11,977 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
60% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$1,567/mo
Post-$2,335/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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA report a median annual wage of $62,560, 16.4% above the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $46,700 to $82,470, and HUD’s $2,335 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 44.8% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $37.29 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+37.1%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+29.7%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+28.2%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+25.0%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+19.9%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+18.3%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+16.6%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+14.6%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+7.5%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+6.2%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$238,440$114.63/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$207,200$99.62/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$206,740$99.39/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$202,810$97.50/hr
Marketing Managers$174,840$84.06/hr
Financial Manager$174,210$83.75/hr
Physician Assistant$165,160$79.40/hr
Nurse Practitioner$163,860$78.78/hr
Software Engineer$163,270$78.50/hr
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$163,200$78.46/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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA is $62,560 a year ($30.08/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for Welder in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?

The median annual wage is $62,560 ($30.08 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $46,700 and $82,470. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA after taxes?

On the median wage of $62,560, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $49,907 a year ($4,159 a month) after $12,653 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 20.23%, using 2026 tax rules.