Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| North Carolina | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $50,590 | $53,934 | -6% |
| Median hourly wage | $24.32 | $25.93 | -6% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $53,648.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Welder in North Carolina is $50,590, or about $24.32 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Welders is $53,934. North Carolina is -6% below the national median.
Entry-level welders in North Carolina typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 11,750 welder jobs on record and a median salary of $50,590, North Carolina offers competitive pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, welders rank 419 of the 745 occupations reported in North Carolina — higher than 44% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Power Plant Operators at $108,300, Power Distributors and Dispatchers at $90,420, Gas Plant Operators at $81,460 — all figures are median annual wages for North Carolina.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. North Carolina levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 95.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, welders rank 419 of the 745 occupations reported in North Carolina — higher than 44% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in North Carolina | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Power Plant Operators | $108,300 | $420 |
| Power Distributors and Dispatchers | $90,420 | $190 |
| Gas Plant Operators | $81,460 | $320 |
| Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | $80,060 | $130 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $69,640 | $22,240 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers | $63,990 | $760 |
North Carolina levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 95.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 745 occupations in North Carolina.