Salaries of Pipeline Welders

Welding Salaries

• As of May 2008, the median wage for welders was $16.13 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This equates to roughly $33,500 for a 40-hour workweek. The bottom 10 percent of earners receive a median wage of $10.85 per hour, while the top 10 percent earn $24.38. These wages represent the average for all welders, including pipeline and industrial workers.
  
  

Salary Potential

• In a 2007 article by Tulsa World, welding industry experts outline the difficulty companies face when it comes to finding skilled welders. According to this article, the supply of welders continues to shrink, even as demand grows exponentially. This shortage means that skilled pipeline workers can command $25 an hour in many parts of the country. Pipeline welders who are willing to travel can earn $5,000 per month.
  
  An April 2011 report by the Marcellus Shale Coalition reveals that demand for experienced pipeline welders has grown so high that these individuals can earn $100,000 per year or more.
  
  

Work Hours

• According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 50 percent of welders work a standard 40-hour workweek. One in five workers in this industry works more than 50 hours per week. Those in high-demand areas like pipeline welding may work even more.
  
  

Job Prospects and Salary Potential

• Tulsa World estimates in a 2007 report that the shortage of skilled welders is expected to increase even more in the coming decades. By 2014, the U.S. could face a deficit as high as 40,000. This means that companies could have 40,000 positions open for welders, but no one to fill these openings.
  
  

Training and Education

• Education and training may help pipeline workers improve job prospects or earnings. The American Welding Society represents the largest certifying body in the U.S. for welding professionals. Pipeline welders can also undergo certification through the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Many training programs offer classroom and hands-on welding training to prepare the candidate for testing by one of these organizations. Other prospective welders enter the field through unions or training acquired on the job.