SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, 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 + WA
COL Index: 158.78 (+58.8% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 78.4% Realized
$51,906 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $66,240 $31.85/hr
Effective Tax Drag 15.64% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$10,359 $398.43/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 $31.85 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,974/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$477/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$5,292
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$4,107
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$960
Washington Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$0
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$51,906 ($1,996.40 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $66,240
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $50.3k 25th $58.2k Median: $66,240 50th (Median) $66.2k 75th $75.2k 90th $89.6k You: $66,240
10th (Entry) $50,270 $24.17/hr
25th (Junior) $58,200 $27.98/hr
50th (Median) $66,240 $31.85/hr
75th (Senior) $75,210 $36.16/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $89,630 $43.09/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$48,309$23.23/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$57,675$27.73/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$66,302$31.88/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$77,639$37.33/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$95,509$45.92/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
50% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $2,180/month Requires minimum annual gross of $87,200
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $2,549/month Requires minimum annual gross of $101,960
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $35.12/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $31.10/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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, 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$66,240-$10,359$51,906$1,996.40
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$78,660-$13,454$60,486$2,326.39
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$91,080-$16,973$68,642$2,640.09
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$103,500-$20,492$76,798$2,953.79
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$115,920-$24,010$84,955$3,267.49
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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$66,240/yr
$31.85/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
15.64% Effective
-$10,359 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
50% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,146/mo
Post-$2,180/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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA report a median annual wage of $66,240, 23.2% above the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $50,270 to $89,630, and HUD’s $2,180 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 39.5% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $35.12 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+29.5%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+22.5%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+21.1%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+18.0%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+13.3%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+11.7%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+10.1%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+8.3%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+1.6%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+0.3%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$370,000$177.88/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$216,580$104.12/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$214,680$103.21/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$204,340$98.24/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$203,150$97.67/hr
Financial Manager$185,550$89.21/hr
Sales Managers$184,320$88.62/hr
Marketing Managers$175,850$84.54/hr
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$174,260$83.78/hr
Human Resources Managers$171,360$82.38/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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA is $66,240 a year ($31.85/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living. Official 2026 economic data for Welder in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?

The median annual wage is $66,240 ($31.85 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $50,270 and $89,630. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA after taxes?

On the median wage of $66,240, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $55,404 a year ($4,617 a month) after $10,836 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 16.36%, using 2026 tax rules.