SOC 51-4121

Welder Salary in Wheeling, WV-OH (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 + WV
COL Index: 95.48 (-4.5% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 76.5% Realized
$38,167 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $49,920 $24.00/hr
Effective Tax Drag 17.54% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$8,758 $336.85/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 $24.00 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$2,995/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$359/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,451
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,095
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$724
West Virginia Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,384
Wheeling city service fee
LOCAL
-$104
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$38,167 ($1,467.95 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Wheeling, WV-OH Welder Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $49,920
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $37.7k 25th $42.5k Median: $49,920 50th (Median) $49.9k 75th $63.4k 90th $105k You: $49,920
10th (Entry) $37,670 $18.11/hr
25th (Junior) $42,500 $20.43/hr
50th (Median) $49,920 $24.00/hr
75th (Senior) $63,360 $30.46/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $105,400 $50.67/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Welder in Wheeling, WV-OH
1
Welder ApprenticeHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$36,407$17.50/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified WelderDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; AWS welding certification
$43,465$20.90/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Journeyman Welder (Structural / Pipe)Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team; AWS welding certification
$49,966$24.02/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Welding SupervisorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$58,511$28.13/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Welding Inspector (CWI) / Shop OwnerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$71,978$34.60/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Wheeling, WV-OH 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 Wheeling, WV-OH 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) $822/month Requires minimum annual gross of $32,880
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,009/month Requires minimum annual gross of $40,360
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $21.12/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $21.36/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 Wheeling, WV-OH.

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$49,920-$8,758$38,167$1,467.95
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$59,280-$10,921$44,803$1,723.18
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$68,640-$13,093$51,429$1,978.04
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$78,000-$15,971$57,349$2,205.75
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$87,360-$19,046$63,072$2,425.85
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 Wheeling, WV-OH: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$49,920/yr
$24.00/hr · SOC 51-4121
Statutory Tax Drag
17.54% Effective
-$8,758 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
26% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,359/mo
Post-$822/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 Wheeling, WV-OH: Market Snapshot

Welder roles in Wheeling, WV-OH report a median annual wage of $49,920, 7.1% below the national median of $53,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $37,670 to $105,400, and HUD’s $822 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 19.8% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $21.12 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Welder

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lima, OH$85,790+71.9%
Urban Honolulu, HI$81,120+62.5%
Fairbanks-College, AK$80,210+60.7%
Baton Rouge, LA$78,170+56.6%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$75,040+50.3%
Anchorage, AK$74,000+48.2%
Lake Charles, LA$72,920+46.1%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,720+43.7%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,280+34.8%
Portland-South Portland, ME$66,420+33.1%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Wheeling, WV-OH

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$172,470$82.92/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$136,520$65.63/hr
Nurse Practitioner$128,640$61.85/hr
Physician Assistant$126,770$60.95/hr
Cybersecurity Analyst$112,570$54.12/hr
Software Engineer$112,340$54.01/hr
Financial Manager$110,000$52.88/hr
Electrical Power-Line Installer$108,060$51.95/hr
Construction Managers$107,130$51.50/hr
Human Resources Managers$103,880$49.94/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 Wheeling, WV-OH (2026) Overview

Welder median pay in Wheeling, WV-OH is $49,920 a year ($24.00/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents and living wage. Official 2026 economic data for Welder in Wheeling, WV-OH 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 Wheeling, WV-OH?

The median annual wage is $49,920 ($24.00 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $37,670 and $105,400. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Wheeling, WV-OH after taxes?

On the median wage of $49,920, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $40,670 a year ($3,389 a month) after $9,250 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 18.53%, using 2026 tax rules.