SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA (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 + PA + Municipal
COL Index: 93.13 (-6.9% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 72.7% Realized
$35,700 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $49,090 $23.60/hr
Effective Tax Drag 21.28% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$10,445 $401.73/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 $23.60 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$2,945/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$353/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,357
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,044
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$712
Pennsylvania Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,507
Scranton earned income tax
3.40%
-$1,825
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$35,700 ($1,373.07 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $49,090
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $40.1k 25th $46.2k Median: $49,090 50th (Median) $49.1k 75th $59.4k 90th $72.4k You: $49,090
10th (Entry) $40,110 $19.28/hr
25th (Junior) $46,210 $22.22/hr
50th (Median) $49,090 $23.60/hr
75th (Senior) $59,410 $28.56/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $72,420 $34.82/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$35,801$17.21/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$42,743$20.55/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$49,136$23.62/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$57,538$27.66/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$70,781$34.03/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA 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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
37% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,106/month Requires minimum annual gross of $44,240
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,363/month Requires minimum annual gross of $54,520
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $20.60/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $19.78/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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.

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$49,090-$10,445$35,700$1,373.07
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$58,294-$12,783$42,014$1,615.92
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$67,499-$15,121$48,328$1,858.77
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$76,703-$18,019$54,082$2,080.09
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$85,908-$21,222$59,531$2,289.66
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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$49,090/yr
$23.60/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
21.28% Effective
-$10,445 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
37% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$1,869/mo
Post-$1,106/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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA report a median annual wage of $49,090, 8.7% below the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $40,110 to $72,420, and HUD’s $1,106 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 27.0% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $20.60 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+74.8%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+65.2%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+63.4%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+59.2%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+52.9%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+50.7%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+48.5%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+46.1%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+37.1%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+35.3%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$216,530$104.10/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$156,420$75.20/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$135,700$65.24/hr
Marketing Managers$127,000$61.06/hr
Nurse Practitioner$126,820$60.97/hr
Physician Assistant$126,230$60.69/hr
Financial Manager$124,920$60.06/hr
Data Engineer$120,890$58.12/hr
Software Engineer$119,960$57.67/hr
Purchasing Managers$119,920$57.65/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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA is $49,090 a year ($23.60/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living. Official 2026 economic data for Welder in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA 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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?

The median annual wage is $49,090 ($23.60 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $40,110 and $72,420. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA after taxes?

On the median wage of $49,090, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $38,292 a year ($3,191 a month) after $10,798 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 22%, using 2026 tax rules.