SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, 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: 180.45 (+80.4% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 74.7% Realized
$48,028 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $64,320 $30.92/hr
Effective Tax Drag 19.33% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$12,433 $478.18/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 $30.92 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,859/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$463/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$5,075
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,988
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$933
California Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,601
State Disability Insurance (SDI)
Statutory Payroll Assessment
-$836
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$48,028 ($1,847.24 / check)
Category 2 of 6

San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $64,320
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $48.0k 25th $56.7k Median: $64,320 50th (Median) $64.3k 75th $78.9k 90th $99.9k You: $64,320
10th (Entry) $48,010 $23.08/hr
25th (Junior) $56,680 $27.25/hr
50th (Median) $64,320 $30.92/hr
75th (Senior) $78,920 $37.94/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $99,930 $48.04/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$46,909$22.55/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$56,003$26.92/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$64,380$30.95/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$75,389$36.24/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$92,740$44.59/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, 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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
75% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $3,003/month Requires minimum annual gross of $120,120
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $3,697/month Requires minimum annual gross of $147,880
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $39.91/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $41.52/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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, 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$64,320-$12,433$48,028$1,847.24
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$76,380-$16,210$55,587$2,137.96
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$88,440-$20,717$62,417$2,400.64
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$100,500-$25,345$69,125$2,658.66
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$112,560-$29,972$75,834$2,916.69
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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, 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
$64,320/yr
$30.92/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
19.33% Effective
-$12,433 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
75% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$999/mo
Post-$3,003/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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA report a median annual wage of $64,320, 19.7% above the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $48,010 to $99,930, and HUD’s $3,003 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 56.0% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $39.91 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+33.4%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+26.1%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+24.7%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+21.5%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+16.7%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+15.0%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+13.4%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+11.5%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+4.6%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+3.3%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$288,690$138.79/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$232,890$111.97/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$225,230$108.28/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$221,580$106.53/hr
Marketing Managers$220,480$106.00/hr
Nurse Practitioner$219,080$105.33/hr
Financial Manager$216,150$103.92/hr
Human Resources Managers$209,340$100.64/hr
Public Relations Managers$192,720$92.65/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$188,850$90.79/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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA is $64,320 a year ($30.92/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for Welder in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, 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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?

The median annual wage is $64,320 ($30.92 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $48,010 and $99,930. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA after taxes?

On the median wage of $64,320, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $51,193 a year ($4,266 a month) after $13,127 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 20.41%, using 2026 tax rules.