Although the overall amount of job openings available to welders are expected to grow slower than the average occupation over the next several years, those that are trained in welding can expect to find plenty of job opportunities as demand is still high for those qualified in the trade because employers are having difficulty finding individuals that are properly trained in the field.

The median hourly salary for welders involved with cutting and soldering was $15.10 per hour in May 2006 while the median hourly salary for welding machine setters, tenders, and operators was $14.90 per hour.