Production · SOC 51-4121
Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
BLS projects 437,700 jobs in 2025 to become 448,100 by 2035 — +2.4%, against +3.5% across all occupations.
+2.4%
projected change to 2035
About 10,300 more jobs
40,300
openings a year
9.2% of the occupation a year, counting people who retire or move on
$53,750
median annual pay
Usually entered with: high school diploma or equivalent
2025 to 2035
Employment at the start and end of the projection, in jobs.
- 2025 employment437,700
- 2035 projected448,100
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program, 2025–2035 projections.
Other production occupations
The largest occupations in the same group, by projected change to 2035.
- Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators1,403,500+1.1%
- First-line supervisors of production and operating workers679,900+1.8%
- Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers602,000+2.5%
- Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders377,700+4.1%
- Machinists288,300+1.0%
- Production workers, all other275,700+0.8%
- Bakers262,400+5.5%
- Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishers246,300+5.0%
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program.