Underwater Welder Salary (2025)
Welding · SOC Code 51-4121 · 5-year apprenticeship
National Salary Range
Underwater Welder salaries range from $65,560 to $104,646 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Underwater Welder Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $104,646 | $62,324 – $156,176 | $55,077 | C | 6,615 |
| Boston, MA | $97,912 | $58,954 – $148,120 | $64,416 | C | 7,120 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $94,867 | $56,653 – $140,811 | $57,149 | C | 6,109 |
| New York, NY | $94,611 | $59,766 – $139,606 | $50,594 | D | 8,139 |
| Portland, OR | $92,025 | $55,899 – $138,338 | $70,788 | C | 4,952 |
| Seattle, WA | $88,402 | $55,140 – $127,060 | $59,330 | C | 3,070 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $87,534 | $53,277 – $124,203 | $82,579 | C | 4,903 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $86,455 | $52,296 – $132,766 | $75,178 | C | 3,514 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $84,645 | $54,773 – $127,387 | $88,172 | C | 3,324 |
| Houston, TX | $83,025 | $51,322 – $123,619 | $86,484 | C | 2,855 |
| Denver, CO | $81,960 | $51,242 – $122,874 | $64,031 | C | 4,532 |
| Chicago, IL | $81,690 | $51,233 – $116,137 | $76,346 | C | 4,145 |
| Detroit, MI | $81,669 | $51,756 – $126,253 | $91,763 | B | 2,257 |
| St. Louis, MO | $80,859 | $48,063 – $123,271 | $89,843 | B | 2,598 |
| Dallas, TX | $80,019 | $49,213 – $113,838 | $78,450 | C | 4,311 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $79,951 | $49,944 – $120,462 | $76,876 | C | 2,962 |
| Kansas City, MO | $79,141 | $50,562 – $119,240 | $84,193 | C | 3,325 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $78,876 | $50,374 – $121,369 | $75,842 | C | 2,912 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $76,259 | $45,137 – $116,302 | $83,801 | C | 3,136 |
| Charlotte, NC | $75,948 | $46,036 – $107,308 | $77,498 | C | 3,881 |
| Columbus, OH | $75,057 | $48,382 – $115,938 | $80,706 | C | 3,548 |
| Raleigh, NC | $74,101 | $46,717 – $104,927 | $74,101 | C | 2,454 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $73,987 | $47,915 – $107,282 | $80,421 | C | 3,541 |
| New Orleans, LA | $73,640 | $46,480 – $105,682 | $77,516 | C | 3,768 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $73,617 | $45,775 – $108,077 | $71,473 | C | 4,202 |
| Atlanta, GA | $73,435 | $43,765 – $106,692 | $69,278 | C | 3,415 |
| Nashville, TN | $69,305 | $45,072 – $103,347 | $67,286 | C | 4,405 |
| Miami, FL | $68,676 | $43,131 – $99,163 | $56,292 | C | 5,069 |
| San Antonio, TX | $66,959 | $42,167 – $103,949 | $74,399 | C | 3,786 |
| Tampa, FL | $65,560 | $42,176 – $94,861 | $64,911 | C | 4,377 |
About Underwater Welder Pay
Underwater Welders earn a national median salary of $80,828 based on 2025 BLS data. The highest-paying city for this trade is San Francisco at $104,646 median, while Tampa offers the lowest at $65,560.
Becoming a underwater welder typically requires a 5-year apprenticeship program. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) can expect around $62,324, while master-level tradespeople (90th percentile) earn $156,176 or more. With 7% wage growth over the past 5 years, this trade is growing at a steady pace.
See how this compares to other trades on our highest paying trades ranking, or browse the best cities for trade workers.