SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA (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 + VA
COL Index: 111.67 (+11.7% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 74.3% Realized
$47,907 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $64,470 $31.00/hr
Effective Tax Drag 19.69% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$12,695 $488.26/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 $31.00 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,868/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$464/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$5,092
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,997
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$935
Virginia Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,671
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$47,907 ($1,842.58 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $64,470
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $44.9k 25th $55.7k Median: $64,470 50th (Median) $64.5k 75th $65.2k 90th $85.4k You: $64,470
10th (Entry) $44,860 $21.57/hr
25th (Junior) $55,660 $26.76/hr
50th (Median) $64,470 $31.00/hr
75th (Senior) $65,220 $31.36/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $85,360 $41.04/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$47,018$22.60/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$56,134$26.99/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$64,530$31.02/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$75,565$36.33/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$92,957$44.69/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA 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 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
26% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,047/month Requires minimum annual gross of $41,880
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,199/month Requires minimum annual gross of $47,960
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $24.70/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $20.56/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 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA.

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$64,470-$12,695$47,907$1,842.58
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$76,558-$16,183$55,782$2,145.46
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$88,646-$20,261$63,067$2,425.64
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$100,734-$24,339$70,352$2,705.83
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$112,823-$28,417$77,637$2,986.02
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 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$64,470/yr
$31.00/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
19.69% Effective
-$12,695 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
26% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,945/mo
Post-$1,047/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 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA report a median annual wage of $64,470, 19.9% above the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $44,860 to $85,360, and HUD’s $1,047 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 19.5% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $24.70 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+33.1%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+25.8%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+24.4%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+21.3%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+16.4%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+14.8%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+13.1%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+11.2%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+4.4%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+3.0%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$225,760$108.54/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$160,610$77.22/hr
Sales Managers$146,080$70.23/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$144,480$69.46/hr
Financial Manager$137,420$66.07/hr
Human Resources Managers$133,190$64.03/hr
Medical and Health Services Managers$129,200$62.12/hr
Physician Assistant$128,580$61.82/hr
Cybersecurity Analyst$127,860$61.47/hr
Nurse Practitioner$125,710$60.44/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 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA is $64,470 a year ($31.00/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living. Official 2026 economic data for Welder in Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA 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 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA?

The median annual wage is $64,470 ($31.00 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $44,860 and $85,360. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA after taxes?

On the median wage of $64,470, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $51,089 a year ($4,257 a month) after $13,381 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 20.76%, using 2026 tax rules.