SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (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 + DC
COL Index: 158.92 (+58.9% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 74.9% Realized
$45,465 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $60,670 $29.17/hr
Effective Tax Drag 19.06% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$11,565 $444.82/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 $29.17 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,640/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$437/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,664
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,762
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$880
District of Columbia Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,260
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$45,465 ($1,748.64 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $60,670
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $45.1k 25th $50.1k Median: $60,670 50th (Median) $60.7k 75th $77.6k 90th $114k You: $60,670
10th (Entry) $45,150 $21.71/hr
25th (Junior) $50,120 $24.10/hr
50th (Median) $60,670 $29.17/hr
75th (Senior) $77,560 $37.29/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $114,440 $55.02/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$44,247$21.27/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$52,825$25.40/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$60,726$29.20/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$71,111$34.19/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$87,478$42.06/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
58% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $2,204/month Requires minimum annual gross of $88,160
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $2,438/month Requires minimum annual gross of $97,520
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $35.15/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $29.27/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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.

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$60,670-$11,565$45,465$1,748.64
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$72,046-$14,536$53,187$2,045.65
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$83,421-$18,500$59,916$2,304.46
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$94,797-$22,632$66,477$2,556.82
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$106,173-$26,763$73,039$2,809.18
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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$60,670/yr
$29.17/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
19.06% Effective
-$11,565 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
58% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$1,585/mo
Post-$2,204/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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV report a median annual wage of $60,670, 12.9% above the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $45,150 to $114,440, and HUD’s $2,204 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 43.6% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $35.15 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+41.4%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+33.7%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+32.2%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+28.8%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+23.7%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+22.0%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+20.2%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+18.2%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+10.9%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+9.5%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Computer and Information Systems Managers$195,190$93.84/hr
Public Relations Managers$195,190$93.84/hr
Financial Manager$185,270$89.07/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$185,220$89.05/hr
Marketing Managers$181,260$87.14/hr
Human Resources Managers$177,960$85.56/hr
Sales Managers$175,820$84.53/hr
Purchasing Managers$172,150$82.76/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$171,950$82.67/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$169,060$81.28/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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is $60,670 a year ($29.17/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD. Official 2026 economic data for Welder in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

The median annual wage is $60,670 ($29.17 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $45,150 and $114,440. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV after taxes?

On the median wage of $60,670, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $48,431 a year ($4,036 a month) after $12,239 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 20.17%, using 2026 tax rules.