Skilled Trades
Welder
Join metals using heat — from construction sites to pipelines and aerospace. Specialty welders can earn $100k+.
no-degree-requiredhands-on
Salary progression
What you'll earn over your career
$40k
$58k
$95k
Entry
Mid-career
Senior
10-yr outlook
+2%
+2% (Average)
Open positions
47,000
Estimated nationwide
Entry paths
How to get here
Multiple paths lead to this career. Compare time, cost, online vs in-person delivery, and program links.
Trade School In Person
Welding Certificate / AWS Cert
Time
6–18 months
Cost
$4,000 – $18,000
AWS-certified welders can travel for top pay.
Fastest ROI
Apprenticeship In Person
Journeyman Welder
Time
3–4 years (paid)
Cost
Paid / Free
Union benefits + travel pay.
Affiliate disclosure: Some of the program links above may be affiliate partnerships. If you enroll, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only link to programs we have actually reviewed against our methodology. See our methodology for how we evaluate schools.
Attainability breakdown
What are the odds
you actually get there?
Six factors weighted to estimate the realistic probability a motivated person reaches this outcome. Higher = more attainable.
83
Composite
Attainability Score
Editorial estimate
Editorial estimate — based on best-available qualitative info. We're upgrading individual factors to published statistics where available.
- Educational difficultyHow hard the required schooling is to complete9220%
- Licensing & examsPass rates and difficulty of required exams8515%
- Entry-job competitionHow many applicants per open entry-level role8220%
- Career stay-rateInverse of early-career attrition / industry exit7015%
- Market demandOpenings vs available workforce8015%
- Alternative pathsHow many viable ways exist to enter the field8515%
Quick math
If you took the fastest path…
You'd train for
3–4 years (paid)
You'd spend (avg)
Paid / Free
Starting salary
$40,000
Mid-career
$58,000
Read more
Articles & resources
Sources: BLS OOH 2024 · AWS