SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in Stockton-Lodi, 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: 120.99 (+21.0% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 76.3% Realized
$39,273 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $51,480 $24.75/hr
Effective Tax Drag 17.71% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$9,118 $350.71/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 $24.75 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,089/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$371/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,627
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,192
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$746
California Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$884
State Disability Insurance (SDI)
Statutory Payroll Assessment
-$669
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$39,273 ($1,510.49 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Stockton-Lodi, CA Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $51,480
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $41.6k 25th $48.2k Median: $51,480 50th (Median) $51.5k 75th $61.6k 90th $74.3k You: $51,480
10th (Entry) $41,600 $20.00/hr
25th (Junior) $48,220 $23.18/hr
50th (Median) $51,480 $24.75/hr
75th (Senior) $61,630 $29.63/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $74,280 $35.71/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in Stockton-Lodi, CA
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$37,544$18.05/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$44,824$21.55/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$51,528$24.77/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$60,339$29.01/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$74,227$35.69/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Stockton-Lodi, 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 Stockton-Lodi, CA 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) $1,628/month Requires minimum annual gross of $65,120
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $2,015/month Requires minimum annual gross of $80,600
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $26.76/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $24.21/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 Stockton-Lodi, 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$51,480-$9,118$39,273$1,510.49
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$61,133-$11,608$45,856$1,763.71
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$70,785-$14,132$52,406$2,015.62
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$80,438-$17,718$57,894$2,226.68
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$90,090-$21,350$63,334$2,435.94
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 Stockton-Lodi, 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
$51,480/yr
$24.75/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
17.71% Effective
-$9,118 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
50% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$1,645/mo
Post-$1,628/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 Stockton-Lodi, CA: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in Stockton-Lodi, CA report a median annual wage of $51,480, 4.2% below the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $41,600 to $74,280, and HUD’s $1,628 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 37.9% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $26.76 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+66.6%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+57.6%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+55.8%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+51.8%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+45.8%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+43.7%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+41.6%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+39.3%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+30.7%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+29.0%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Stockton-Lodi, CA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$214,340$103.05/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$174,860$84.07/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$169,090$81.29/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$165,260$79.45/hr
Physician Assistant$162,110$77.94/hr
Nurse Practitioner$159,150$76.51/hr
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$155,770$74.89/hr
Marketing Managers$153,830$73.96/hr
Financial Manager$152,090$73.12/hr
Purchasing Managers$142,100$68.32/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 Stockton-Lodi, CA (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in Stockton-Lodi, CA is $51,480 a year ($24.75/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents and living wage. Official 2026 economic data for Welder in Stockton-Lodi, 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 Stockton-Lodi, CA?

The median annual wage is $51,480 ($24.75 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $41,600 and $74,280. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Stockton-Lodi, CA after taxes?

On the median wage of $51,480, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $41,813 a year ($3,484 a month) after $9,667 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 18.78%, using 2026 tax rules.