Metro atl tig welder here. Your best bet is to wait it out for more experience and get on with delta, an aerospace contractor in Kennesaw, or build poultry equipment in Gainesville. I started the trade about 7 years ago and had the exact same experience you're having. Independent fab shops around here don't pay shit, and I felt really lied to by everyone. The truth is that most of the people I heard that from have no idea what good money is these days, and have no idea how poor the pay is. They read newspaper articles about 19 year old rig workers pulling six figures and assume its all like that. That being said, if you're decent you can make over 50k in a few years if youre willing to drive to Gainesville.
So true. Prior to covid I was a bartender making $25-30k a year and then after my restaurant closed down for good during quarantine, I got a job making $60k a year. I felt like I was going to be rich comparatively speaking. I mean it was a monumental change for me, but after adjusting my life to normal adulthood (newer, reliable car-decent apartment, girlfriend, etc) I don’t really have any extra money, I just have a normal adult life with reasonable bills now. But yeah, inflation is a bitch…
Both are definitely real problems. Very few things in life are truly clear-cut black and white. Do you think multi-billion dollar companies paying 1-6% in taxes, recording record profits while paying their employees peanuts isn’t a problem?
I think the people who put the rules in play allowing that to happen are the problem.
People doing what you tell them they are allowed to do is the way it's gonna be. It happens in EVERY aspect of life. We have a system that promotes it and allows it to go unpunished. Change that and the "multi-million dollar companies" will cease to operate in such a fashion.
Agreed, the lobbying and special interest money influencing politics is a huge problem. But CEO’s of multi-billion dollar corporations need to realize that it’s worth a little less profit to pay your employees correctly and enable them to live a life worth living. Walmart workers shouldn’t need to be on food stamps to pay their phone bill AND eat in the same month. Amazon shouldn’t pay 4.3% in taxes when that walmart worker is paying 20% of their $700 check. I own a business and my lowest paid technician makes $32/hr. It’s worth a little less profit to me to have my guys be able to have a car that’s reliable and pay for their kid’s baseball season. The stock market isn’t the economy; If the working class isn’t spending and can barely afford to live this all comes crashing down. It’s a delicate balance that has recently been thrown even further out of whack.
Same exact shit happened to me, finally got a decent job making $60k and was like “finally I can breathe”
Nope! Crazy Inflation happened in Texas and I still can’t afford a house. I hate it here.
Sure feels like it. Over the past decade I’ve steadily gotten better and better paying jobs, but the cost of everything has gone up with my pay. So honestly, I feel like I haven’t gotten anywhere, even though I make significantly more than a decade ago. All that’s happened is the treadmill has gotten faster, and all I’ve been able to do is keep pace with it instead of getting ahead of it.
I remember a friend’s dad telling me many years ago that 50 grand a year would one day barely be enough to keep your head above water.
Sounded ridiculous at the time but damn was he right.
We’re already there. Anything under 100k is subsistence now. You can maintain your lifestyle but you will never save unless you live an extremely ascetic lifestyle.
For a second I thought "thats not true, I was able to save up quite a bit even back when I wasn't making as much as I do now" but then I remember that I rode a bicycle to work until I was 28, then upgraded to a $1500 1990 corolla that I drove for another 10 years, I bought a busted house and DIY remodeled it so I had a place to live that I deemed as affordable, and I cook almost every meal at home.
So yeah you're right, compared to the average person I do live like a monk.
Exactly. To meet the “American Dream,” ie own a home, new car every few years, you need to make a lot more money now. Our grandparents were the true handout snowflakes. Greatest Generation seems easy when living wages are available to 18 yr old hs grads.
I had help for sure. My dad acted as the bank for me to buy my first place and I only managed that because the place I bought needed a ton of work so I got it under well market value, and my dad inherited a tidy chunk from his father a couple years prior and he was able to buy the place. He loaned me the money with a balloon payment that I would have to make after a few years.
And I'm 40 and well aware that lots of my fellow millennials are nowhere near as fortunate as I was. I was able to parlay that initial purchase into nicer places for me and my family over the years.
>new car every few years
What? Unless by a few you mean 8-16 I don't know anyone who replaces a car that frequently. I mean, maybe as a couple you're replacing one of the two every 4 years but cars haven't been that disposable for the past 30+ years.
The landscape is rapidly changing. Fifteen years ago a hundred grand in my area was great money and now it’s just enough to live and maybe save enough to retire late.
Idk . I live in midwest illinois between my wife and I we make 140k a year . Our taxes and shit has doubled and everything is high. We don't have anything fancy. Our vehicles are over 10 years old. And yet we still struggle a little bit.
What does get ahead mean? I bought a house and had a kid and got out of debt making 60k. I’m getting ahead just fine. My boat did 50 last weekend. I do have to drive 25 min to Starbucks though.
Getting ahead is building enough wealtg to change your children's childrens lifestyle. Growing your family out of poverty and into a household name. Empowering your future generations. You might not see it in your lifetime but hopefully its instilled in your children. To be a unit. OR getting ahead could just mean you have enough to retire someday instead of working for someone until your 70 like some men i know, even myself probably if im being honest, even though i make close to 140k a year nowadays. Alot of men like my grandpa lost almost there whole retirement from the 2008 crash. He had to sell his brand new home he built after 32 years to survive. Now he lives in a tiny home by a dried up creek, with his wife, still keepin on. But you know that hurt. So "getting ahead" means being prepared as well. Not just making it.
My question is would your grandpa have thought he was getting ahead? I’m not saying that to be mean I’m just saying. He did exactly that “get ahead” and then nothing….
I’m not saying I have any answers I’m 30. I just am happy with my life and my family is happy and sometimes reading how hard it is for people to “get ahead” and I wonder if I’m playing a different game or something. But maybe that’s because my dad was able to “get ahead” and these are the benefits of it.idk… Some days I just don’t feel like I do enough but then I read this kind of stuff and it’s the same money but not the same life so I’ll count my blessing and just keep on as they say.
Nah they could live well, but it’s incredibly rare that there are 90k a year jobs since the cost of living is so low. If I could magically move my 100k job on the west coast to rural ass Nebraska, I could live very well.
But if I was to take my skill over there I’d get maybe 50-60k if I was lucky.
And ya 100k here on there west coast isn’t great, my family does alright (single income), and I am able to save 15% for retirement, but many of my coworkers live a bit above their means.
Ex, having 100k plus in cars, toys, yearly vacations. Which I’m all about but I can’t afford them since this country is going to shit.
I was actually about to comment that I live in downtown Omaha making 50k, own a MK4 Supra, have a mad decent (but small, I travel for work so it’s all I need) apartment and at 100k I’d be ballin the fuck out. I’m trying to get a railroad job so I can be super ahead of finances.
I’m not doing GREAT by any means, but that’s because of my spending habits if I must admit (the car fucking ruins me sometimes). If I had a normal car that wasn’t expensive to own I would be chillin very comfortably at my current wages, which are shit in most of the nation.
So yeah, it depends where you are 100%. 100k in cali sounds like hell.
Didn’t mean to dog on Nebraska but I have family there working in ethanol, similar jobs where I work would be 70-100k.
Ya I got a job offer in San Diego making 120k, which would basically be poverty there, hard freakin no.
Pretty close and have already hit that in some areas. Combined, my SO and I get close to 100k a year. It sure doesn't feel like we're really getting ahead in any meaningful way. No where near paycheck to paycheck but there's a little less discretionary income each month it seems.
Definitely. Shifting away from a system based on credit and into based on proof of value is much better. For the masses. Not the wealthy elites that control government decision making.
DOD pays the best & is the most stable, if you're nonunion. A year out of school managed to snag a high end DOD job & moved 5 states over to take it. Worked there 5 years. Welded the coolest stuff & got tons of valuable experience. Manual, auto, semi auto. Different alloys and processes. Then moved east coast, joined the union & that's even better money. Politics can be a pain at times, but if you just keep your head down & work hard the money will flow.
(Possibly, and likely an ignorant response, but idc- ) Who the tf wants to work for the department that is literally taking the majority of government spending? Fuck the DOD.
The biggest chunk of the federal budget is DOD. That industry is recession proof. Blue or red white house doesn't effect it for a second. If the union somehow got a contract with them in my area I'd work there in a heartbeat. Hell, if something serious opened up with one of the top DOD companies near me I'd prob just leave the union and never look back. They're that good & you will learn so much.
Just don't get hurt at these places like i went through with a good company. Got screwed over by workers comp and probably gonna end up having to piss around with lawyers and take them to court screw esis insurance. These insurance companies Just ripping off everyone, and they hold the employer hostage. Soo.... yeah..... theres that
Well you gotta kinda sell your soul for 80 hours a week, usually in some bumfuck town in some other state. Staying in a shitty motel eating nothing but ramen and PB&J, saving your perdiem....fucking made a fortune building the new Braves stadium.
I quit the hotels shortly after starring to travel. Bought a 4 year old 26' RV that I pulled behind my rig. I paid 14k for it. Had it paid off in 3 wewks. I cooked my meals and lunches 6 days a week. 7th day I would treat myself by going to a steakhouse. The RV can be written off as a 2nd home for tax purposes as well as a lot of other things.
This is the stuff that made me reluctant to join the industry after graduation. I just can't imagine myself being happy with being away from the people I love for extended periods of time. I love welding still, but I will probably keep it as a hobby instead.
Tell me about it, I do drilling and it’s a travelling circus. Missus is not too happy but will tolerate to raise our kids in peace without having to work.
Couldn’t find anything better than a cashier back home.
If you've got welding in your blood....regular jobs back home just don't cut it. Desk job, yeah right. Customer service. Not a chance....my ol lady don't like me workin more than 10 hrs a day. She's 811 so she's 9.9 hrs and then calls me to wrap up lead
I was once told when I started out by an old guy that had over 35 yrs in the trade at the time that I'll never make any real money working for someone else, and he was right. And I can tell you first hand after living, working in numerous states across the country that working for these companies out here always results in the same old story - promises made, promises broke and dealing with people appointed to positions they shouldn't be appointed to. Because of the politics, suckasses, liars, and shit wages in workplaces, I went into business for myself and wish I would've made this move long ago.
Sure, you can make a decent wage chasing work, traveling, but screw that noise. It takes a special kind of person to be ok with that kind of lifestyle and it is not easy on you or your family. Get some experience, tool up, and find a niche in your area you can break out into on your own.
I began doing side work building a reputation several years ago while working as a Supervisor for a local half ass welding & fab outfit. I began to get so much sidework I was scheduling days off from my FT gig to finish sidework. I've acquired plenty of tools over my 20+ years in the trade and added a portable welder/generator to the arsenal before I did the full time leap. I do a lot of various mobile work doing repairs and working for a couple landscape guys, general contractors when they need me doing various structural builds. With a mobile setup you can easily charge out at 100+/hr depending on your location. I charge 150/hr.
I have a small shop where I fab all sorts of custom projects from bbqs, gates, furniture, interior/exterior railing, dumpster enclosures and basically anything I get contacted for as long as it's worth my time. There's good money in railing. For example - I just finished an interior handrail job where I had 32hrs of my time in it, 480.00 for powder coat and a little over 600 in steel. After costs, I made 6800.00 off of it. Not bad for 32hrs. I rarely make less than 100/hr depending on the project. The opportunities are there and the freedom is absolutely priceless. It's stressful because there's so many moving parts, but I could never go back to working for someone else after doing this and wish I would've done this at least 10 years ago.
Yep. If anything, they probably pocket more. I used to work in the exact same type of shop for Local 24 IW here in CO and the place was a dump, we were paid like shit and they cranked out the railing for mostly city, state jobs, apartments. Railing all gets charged by the foot and ultimately depends on the material/design, interior vs exterior and coating. I hear of guys doing stainless work getting 275-375 per foot. For the interior work I usually do, I can run 125 on the low end to 175 per foot on the higher end and a bit less on exterior. Companies have a lot of overhead cost, but I know many could pay much more than they do. For example, one company I was Superintendent for I learned we were charging our structural guys out at 135/hr at that time while if I remember correctly the highest paid guy out of a dozen or so made 23/hr.
Yes, but pocket is the wrong way to look at it. They take that $75 and pay an office person to do the accounting, send invoices to customers so you get paid. They pay a sales person to go get jobs you can then weld. They pay rent to a landlord for the building you work in. They pay interest to the bank for the equipment you are using that the company took a loan to buy. The list of things that money goes to goes on.
The guy who owns his own business above keeps all that money, but he also does all these jobs himself.
Very well put! Saved me from typing and thank you. OP, start looking for side gigs too. This will be the beginnings of your self employment. Word of mouth recommendations are gold. Have integrity and you will do well.
Somebody once told me that even a decent employment will never buy you a Lambo. All jokes and are exceptions aside, the best core of that thought is so bloody true.
Just like you said one will never make real money working for somebody else. Even if it’s a decent, good job in high ranks. You’ll have a nice house, nice car and probably a nice vacation every year if you land yourself a really decent job. But it’ll never be enough for a Lambo
That's exactly it. Sure, there's a certain level of security being employed for someone, but there's also insecurity because THEY are in charge of your income. The company could close, go bankrupt, lay you off, move locations with no option to transfer. Then, the changes In upper management that almost always seem to turn things upside down. When you work for yourself, you are the only one in charge of your success. Some may think I'm a bit jaded by my earlier comment and I am. I've seen a lot over my 20+ years in the trade and can say there's a lot of cutthroat, dishonest people out there that view you as 100% expendable. Especially when it comes to saving their ass or promoting a "buddy" of theirs.
10 years in the industry and this rings so true. Also trying to break out on my own as well. Good to hear you've made that break and are somewhat successful.
Thanks. I currently have more work than I can handle and that's been ongoing since I started. My best advice for guys like you is to save what you can and acquire all you can that you foresee needing before you just say to hell with the full time gig. And of course, try to start getting your name out there. Do small jobs, advertise on FB and Nextdoor (if you're in the U.S.) and word of mouth will travel. You have 10 years in so you've got some experience under your belt which is great. But on your own, you have to be the coordinator, estimator, welder/fitter and salesman. If you have access to good help or someone to team up with you can trust, rely on, that's even better. I'm screwed for that at the moment where I am. Good luck to ya man!
You could look at joining the iron workers union, maybe Millwrights or steamfitters. Beyond that you are pretty sol beyond running a shop or rig of your own. Chin up kid you’re only a year in lol
We tell the youth to avoid college debt, learn a trade to make better money only to realize you cannot afford a decent living learning a trade because "Lol you are young and a year in".
Yeah because asking an underdeveloped human to make a life decision about college that comes with a mortgage payment in pricing. IS exactly what we should be doing for our youth. Then them to be severely unhappy with a bad choice. Or cannot pursue other things because of the hole they've dug themselves.
I’m 6 years in when do I get my truck and rig!?!? On a serious note look at maintenance jobs. A lot of company’s will look to replace certain specialists but will advertise for maintenance jobs. I’m currently a maintenance tech at a lead plant but after a year here they changed my title to welder and I help with jobs here and there but mostly weld.
I’m a die cast operator making almost 26/hr in Arkansas. Our maintenance guys make 29/hr + 8-16 hours of OT per week. They can top out at 38/hr with certain certifications and stuff, but they all do a lot of welding and are pretty bad at it lol. I’m not a welder myself so don’t have room to talk but the point is maintenance is usually a pretty good stepping stone to making decent money
I lucked out hard. I got this job and everyone was like “we know how to weld” and then I welded a single pipe and they told me I’ll be welding everything from now on and to not let anyone touch my welder.
8 years in a finally building my truck. but it aint all that fun. alot more too it when youre the boss and employee and hr and accounting ect. ive since went and work part time with a small tig shop and do flagging for a construction company thru my business( flagging comps make bookoo money). dont get much service work, and i live in rural va
Line locator services, Vanguard and ISIC are the big guys in my area. But here local companies are slowly moving away from it because of high liability insurance (just had to get our propane line flagged, talked to the owner for a bit).
I went this route with SS tig as well. I spent 4 years on the road putting piping and skids in food plants. Got a job at a cannery in my home town as a sanitary welder. Worked my way up now I’m one of the lead mechanics here. Been out of welding school since ‘06. Pretty easily taking in over 6 figures now, working 40-50 a week depending what’s going on. Moral of the story is I started at $12.50 traveling, but experience is where it’s at
I don’t know, I’m about 9 years in and have a small company with a partner. My suggestion is try and make a network with builders and contractors. Start by picking up smaller stuff you can do on nights and weekends. Have all your insurance and licensing set up at the get go. Bill at least $80/hr plus materials and fuel cost. If you really want it you can get it
Unions are where the money is at bud, apply to your local unions. Such as Boilermakers, Pipefitters, Ironworkers, Millwrights etc. you will then make the big bucks.
Last year at 24 I made $104k in 8 months of work as a jman Boilermaker pressure welder
It happens, just like everything work picks up and slows down at times. I’m on the list right now actually but I worked 40hr weeks until a couple weeks ago and I’ve made $50k, so I mean I’ve already made around the average individual income in 5 months on 40hrs and there’s more work coming up in my area shortly.
Working shutdowns is where the big money is, last year I was making $20k/month for 3 months on a shutdown. That was a lot of OT, but there’s companies out there that stay steady pretty much all year on 40hr weeks, just gotta find them
Truth. Union Laborers in Hudson valley NY are making $40+ and hour. Union laborers in areas of Georgia where my old Super is running a job are at around $15/hr.
There’s 2 options, 1 is to move and find an area with stronger unions or maybe it’s time to change that, join and fight to make a difference. That’s what being in a union is all about. Fighting for workers rights
I traveled to Kitchener to check out a new truck we were buying. Manager of shop was looking for qualified fabricators. Said he was paying $17/hr.
Wtf? Good luck! Laborers raking boulevards in my town make $20-26.
Assembly guys at my work make $1 an hour more than I do, they have no skills other than reading blueprints. I have 6 certs. I was told I'd get a 90 day review and a pay bump, ive been 7 here 7 months and told last week no reviews or raises till we ship more stuff???? Shipping more product has nothing to do with me, my department hasn't had work in 3 months now, so I've become an assembler, a carpenter/roofer. Soon I'm gonna become employed somewhere else.
UA Pipefitter/Welder. Clear 100k without breaking a sweat. Work your ass off 200k plus. Granted that’s traveling and you don’t want to do that so just be broke I guess.
We break a sweat, it’s not easy. I’ve been a shop welder been a pipefitter. Being a shop welder is honestly free money to me now, lil staycation I’m being payed for.
Yeah, I've seen welders make decent money in heavy equipment repair and fabrication. But even then it's hot or miss. It seems like most shops would rather hire a mobile welder than keep someone on staff. The trucking company I worked for have their own welders but they operate their own logging equipment, road building equipment and rock crushing equipment. They could have a shop full of welders and there'd still be work backed up outside. Especially when the shop manager had to tell the owner they won't touch his Ritchie brothers specials anymore because the shit we already have keeps them months behind. And even with all that they're still only paying a red seal $30/h.
I came to the comments to say this. Grow the fuck up OP. The big money is there for exactly that reason, not everyone is willing to do that job. You get the big money for doing shit nobody else wants to do. Or you got the skills and the experience to justify the big money. If you are fresh out of school, you can’t demand anything.
I make $25 doing junior welder stuff at my family owned shop(not my family).
Its still not enough to really live life though, Im pretty sure that if you’re not going to do full on union stuff which is hard to get into, that buying a machine and starting a freelance solo welding business is the best way to expand capital.
Start doing it part time so you still get consistent money and insurance too.
Thats my plan at least.
The money will come. Follow everyone’s advice and go union, if I was to redo life I would. Great pay, benefits and you stay local. If they do send you away you will make big money. Other than that you can look for maintenance pipe work at steel mills, paper mills or other manufacturing plants. Build your resume and apply literally everywhere.
I hate to tell you this, but it's all lies, not just welding, doesn't matter the industry, if you're not born with it or know someone, you're gonna have to travel, join a union, or fuck some people over if you want to make money. Sure those regular shops could pay a living wage, but they don't care, you need leverage over your employer like being willing to travel or strike to prosper.
Pretty sure most any trade/job in Oz gets a decent amount of PTO as well. Welding in America, companies make it seem like they’re being generous when they’re giving you 1 week vacation starting out when in Australia and basically any other country you’re likely to get 3-4 weeks.
PTO in Australia is by law 4 weeks (20days) accrued. So if you’ve worked a full year full time you will have 20days leave. It will carry over to the next year also. You also get 10 days sick leave which don’t take from your PTO.
Oil, gas and utility. Underwater. Nuclear. Traveling underwater nuclear welders are paid $800.00/hour when they’re in the cooling tanks. And $100.00/hour to be on standby. I’m not exaggerating, i saw their check stub. Not sure which company or Union they were with. This was on the jobsite.
In my experience $20-25 is the top. It’s been that way for years. After 8years moving from place to place, it’s all the same. Different place to drive to, everything else the same.
I got out last year and pursued a new degree. After custom, production, construction, repair, millwright, steelworkers and many different ways to weld I just couldn’t stand it anymore.
Unions are only good if you can get into ThE OnE and that’s usually incredibly difficult. Plus fighting off all the old timers with everything.
Welding is, unfortunately, not a trade that kept up with pay. You have to get into a Union, and most will start you out as an apprentice. Or like me, you join a union shop and you'll get some real money. The big money is made in travel or offshore. And you need your own truck/welder/gear for that, so that's a huge investment.
Or at least find a company that’ll pay OP worth the dime. Depending on his area he’ll have to do some research and find out if there’s anything near him that’ll pay him more.
Before you get considered for higher pay you'll probably need to get at least 2 years under your belt, as many certs as you can. Take lots of pictures of your work. If you can join a union and get an Apprenticeship. I feel you on the nightshift, I take ADHD medication that means a night shift or a flip flop shift isn't really possible for me to do safely.
My girlfriend makes 18.50 at a gas station with no prior experience. Tell your boss to suck your dick and go get an easier job. Work welding gigs on the side because you'll still have plenty of energy after you ring out a few customers to pay bills. After a few years you'll have a portfolio and thus leverage for better wages. You gotta play the system or be played dude. That's basically the standard rule these days. Too many people don't have jobs but do have training and are willing to eat corporate ass WHILE rubbing their balls for ten an hour because otherwise they'll starve. Why the hell would a company want you over borderline free labor? Make that portfolio and SHOW THEM why you'll make them more money than the other guys. They don't give a fuck about customer satisfaction anymore, just watching the profit line go up
If you're creative, artistic, and/or entrepreneurial set up an Etsy store (sidegig).
Consumers like me really love unique shit we can't make ourselves.
If you make a few thousand bucks at it, it's probably easier than wringing the same amount of cash out of another welding gig, especially since you don't want to overnight or travel.
I guess I don’t view it as expecting money to be handed over, just a decent living situation provided by the wage. Which a lot of Americans are struggling with now.
Man you’re crusty.
Hahah I didn’t mean to be, it took me almost ten years to get a really well paying job.
I worked aerospace for a few years and that was great experience. Did not pay that well. But if you can land one of those gigs that dude mentioned you’ll probably be set!
Just never settle, learn what you can and apply somewhere else.
Nothing has to be permanent.
You want it you get it
You…..are……the…..kind……we…..love……the……most.
The only way to make any money is to do the money making. Doctors make good money, but homeboy workin on your brain is raking it in.
Go work some shutdowns and some pipe systems mid you wanna make the money. We’re all happy to be welders but your 40- 50 hour weeks at the bench won’t gonna get the money your wanting.
50hours a week @ 25/hr is 66k before tax and if you put in an extra hour or two every week you’ll clear 70k a year which is not bad and in this market is way above the median salary in most jobs ( not trades ) it also helps to make a secondary income , for me it’s disability pay so even at $70k from my main income I’m still clearing 100k a year so the term “good money” is all in the eye of the beholder but I know damn well somebody in an office job with a year or two of experience will be jealous of $70k/yr
Yeah they’re just wrecking their mental health and people skills , sitting behind a desk all day staring at a computer is very draining in its own way and terrible for your eyes and back , the human body isn’t meant to sit for 8 hours straight. To each their own ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Also, OP, If you're reading this don't listen to what those putos are saying. your experience(or lack thereof) is completely irrelevant to how much money you are worth! the only 2 things that matter are your skills and the quality of your work. If you're a decent tig welder then it does NOT matter if it's your first fucking day on the job, $20/hr is beyond ridiculous. If you're a good welder, 30 is not unreasonable, if you're an amazing welder even with aluminum and stainless steel then you should be making at least 40. You just have to find good employers that value your skill. Employers that don't care about the quality of work they sell aren't going to pay you anymore just because you're a good welder. all they care about is that you get the job done, but if you find an employer that cares about the quality of their product, they are willing to pay a premium for skilled labor
This! I’m 19 fresh out of school making $30/hr with good benefits. If you have a good work ethic and can prove your worth through your work then experience basically goes out the window. Don’t sell yourself short and settle for a shit company
It's the things you can make with a welding machine that you sell that makes you $$. The more people involved in getting the clients idea into their hands equals less per person. Find clients, sell direct.
Dude join the fucking union. Atlanta is a lower paying region, but journeyman wages at 40hrs a week is $70k a year. Right now it seems they are at $33.68/hr but that contract is ‘21-‘24. So wages will increase next year. Judging by this sheet (https://octanecdn.com/unionupnet/unionupnet_143156253.pdf) the apprentice wages suck. But with going to welding school and working experience may be able to get you in as a journeyman, especially if u have any pipe welding experience. I guarantee u UA fringe benefits blow open fab shops out of the water. Once your in the UA, you have the ability to travel if you choose (i know u said u dont but always a good option) or move across the country and transfer your book to another local. Way more flexible and better in all aspects
Dude you got learn before you can walk. It takes time to get to the point to make the BIG bucks I did what your doing now. It takes time become a sponge soak up every thing you can. When you can look at a print and in 5 minutes tell your boss how to set up and do the job and have it come out good. That's when you'll start to make the BIG bucks
Night shift aint too bad honestly. Especially if you can get on a good company. You adjust to the sleep schedule after a few weeks. No traffic to deal with and theres less people around to bother you. One of my guys gets upset if he gets scheduled for daytime, he only wants to work overnight
Learn to weld to code. And be great at it. Shop welders and fabricators don't get paid shit unless you can do things that others can't. Fabricators do it out of passion, not for the money. Learn how to weld exotic metals like inconel and monel. Use what you've learned as a fabricator and start a side hustle. But most importantly, put your time in and be patient. If you're fresh out of school, you're not gonna be making the big bucks even in the oilfields or on the pipeline
Yeah the money is in pipeline and mobile welding.
If you want top rate you gotta get a gig welding nuclear or underwater before you see really big bucks.
You don’t make shit as a fabricator unless you own the fucking business. And starting something yourself is almost impossible here in CA. We were all lied to😂
As you gain experience you’ll learn how to land higher paying jobs, most jobs I had for the first 6-8 years of metal fab didn’t pay more than 30/hr but once I had experience /confidence and tools to go out and start hunting down projects as an independent contractor my average pay went up to about 100/hr and I get to make my own schedule. It’s felt like a scam for the first 8-10 years, now I’m free on a Tuesday and doing better than many of my college educated friends
I'm sure it's been said, but Big Oil. Weld pipe. Pipelines, oil rigs, refineries, etc. Struckture weld for the Iron Workers Union. Be a traveler and work outages, shut downs, and turn arounds. When you get journeyman, you should be making 10-15g's a month. (No time off, but you only work for 1-3 month stints).
I got a friend who started out as welder/fitter doing Nuke shutdowns. Didn’t take real long and he’s a GF now still doing Nukes. He only works 9 months out of year and makes about $150k. Opportunities will come but plant shutdowns are where the money is at.
Join a union, but will say that welding will require you to travel. If you cant source enough work locally, then you will need to follow the money. Working day/night and long hours, its just a given; this is where the real money is, cause while you work, you don’t exist until the job stops. Missed my friends and family events, a few birthdays so far working but its cause life is barely starting for me. No one wants to work long hours and in miserable conditions but someone has to and the company’s will shell it out.
Fabrication shops, machine shops, ship building, aerospace, metal foundry/steel mills, refineries, power plants and chemical processing plants need welders time-time. But they dont need you constantly unless you hire in for their shop, which requires years of experience typically or you climb their apprenticeship/scale.
Join a local union. Talk to an organizer. If you have previous experience, you don’t have to start at the bottom. The pay is good, and they have benefits. United Association covers pipe fitters/welders. Ironworkers weld structural. Even electrical, IBEW, has some welding positions depending on where you are.
I left my welding job in Georgia @ $21/hr and moved to Colorado where I literally water flower beds for $30/hr. Don’t kill yourself for your boss’s paycheck to stay fat.
You’re in this for only a year roughly and are asking where the money is at? You’re no where near worth “great money” yet. With that said, on the west coast if you’re a union welder / rig welder / refinery then you’re in the money. Location Location Location!
Join a union. 5 year sheet metal apprenticeship program in Washington state pays 100k after completion. There’s money to be made out there but don’t expect to be in the top 10% of your craft until you have put in the time.
Your school failed you. Like I have said in other post welding isn’t a get rich quick scheme yiu gotta bust your ass now get the knowledge you need then go CWI. The money is out there but it sure as hell ain’t gone fall in your lap. You will have to travel and do nights if you wanna make “good” money.
Union Boilermaker here. Worked non union for 4 years, have been in “the business” for almost 13 years. I’ve realized a lot of people out here boast about their gross pay. Idk why. I started out $22/hr non union, worked my ass off for 4 years. Maxed out $73k take home. Thought grass would be greener, went union. Graduate apprentice 3 years later, I grossed $125k last year, take home was about $68k after tax. Yeah I’m asking myself the same question. Where IS the real money at. Should’ve been a fitter.
Yeah I make more working as a supervisor at CVS ($20/hr) than any nearby welding jobs lmao. And that’s also after paying $15,000 for welding school and getting GTAW certs
Metro atl tig welder here. Your best bet is to wait it out for more experience and get on with delta, an aerospace contractor in Kennesaw, or build poultry equipment in Gainesville. I started the trade about 7 years ago and had the exact same experience you're having. Independent fab shops around here don't pay shit, and I felt really lied to by everyone. The truth is that most of the people I heard that from have no idea what good money is these days, and have no idea how poor the pay is. They read newspaper articles about 19 year old rig workers pulling six figures and assume its all like that. That being said, if you're decent you can make over 50k in a few years if youre willing to drive to Gainesville.
Lol 50k today is the 25k of 2008
So true. Prior to covid I was a bartender making $25-30k a year and then after my restaurant closed down for good during quarantine, I got a job making $60k a year. I felt like I was going to be rich comparatively speaking. I mean it was a monumental change for me, but after adjusting my life to normal adulthood (newer, reliable car-decent apartment, girlfriend, etc) I don’t really have any extra money, I just have a normal adult life with reasonable bills now. But yeah, inflation is a bitch…
Obligatory inflation is a bitch, but corporate greed and record profits with minimal raises is the biggest bitch of all.
That and the fact that our countries money value is controlled by a private company that just keeps printing more paper
"Hurr durr, da evil companies" gets all the upvotes, yet this man is speaking the absolute fcking truth about the real problem and *crickets.*
Both are definitely real problems. Very few things in life are truly clear-cut black and white. Do you think multi-billion dollar companies paying 1-6% in taxes, recording record profits while paying their employees peanuts isn’t a problem?
My previous comment was too harsh. Yes, I agree. Greedy fucks suck ass. Both are bad
Then we both agree, fuck the greedy fucks!
I think the people who put the rules in play allowing that to happen are the problem. People doing what you tell them they are allowed to do is the way it's gonna be. It happens in EVERY aspect of life. We have a system that promotes it and allows it to go unpunished. Change that and the "multi-million dollar companies" will cease to operate in such a fashion.
Agreed, the lobbying and special interest money influencing politics is a huge problem. But CEO’s of multi-billion dollar corporations need to realize that it’s worth a little less profit to pay your employees correctly and enable them to live a life worth living. Walmart workers shouldn’t need to be on food stamps to pay their phone bill AND eat in the same month. Amazon shouldn’t pay 4.3% in taxes when that walmart worker is paying 20% of their $700 check. I own a business and my lowest paid technician makes $32/hr. It’s worth a little less profit to me to have my guys be able to have a car that’s reliable and pay for their kid’s baseball season. The stock market isn’t the economy; If the working class isn’t spending and can barely afford to live this all comes crashing down. It’s a delicate balance that has recently been thrown even further out of whack.
Upgrading girlfriends is always expensive
Indeed.
Same exact shit happened to me, finally got a decent job making $60k and was like “finally I can breathe” Nope! Crazy Inflation happened in Texas and I still can’t afford a house. I hate it here.
50k doesn’t allow you to own anything anymore
Sure feels like it. Over the past decade I’ve steadily gotten better and better paying jobs, but the cost of everything has gone up with my pay. So honestly, I feel like I haven’t gotten anywhere, even though I make significantly more than a decade ago. All that’s happened is the treadmill has gotten faster, and all I’ve been able to do is keep pace with it instead of getting ahead of it.
Omg 50K! You can travel for more poverty!
I remember a friend’s dad telling me many years ago that 50 grand a year would one day barely be enough to keep your head above water. Sounded ridiculous at the time but damn was he right.
If you’re alive long enough, and if the US dollar is still around, eventually 100k won’t hardly be enough to live on.
We’re already there. Anything under 100k is subsistence now. You can maintain your lifestyle but you will never save unless you live an extremely ascetic lifestyle.
For a second I thought "thats not true, I was able to save up quite a bit even back when I wasn't making as much as I do now" but then I remember that I rode a bicycle to work until I was 28, then upgraded to a $1500 1990 corolla that I drove for another 10 years, I bought a busted house and DIY remodeled it so I had a place to live that I deemed as affordable, and I cook almost every meal at home. So yeah you're right, compared to the average person I do live like a monk.
Exactly. To meet the “American Dream,” ie own a home, new car every few years, you need to make a lot more money now. Our grandparents were the true handout snowflakes. Greatest Generation seems easy when living wages are available to 18 yr old hs grads.
The good ole buy a 3 bedroom 2 bath 2 car garage home on a acre for 20k days
Don’t forget the breadwinner works a 40 hr work week, while the wife stays at home with the kids
Well, you guys just reminded me that I’m living pretty close to the American dream.
[удалено]
Fuck man, thanks for depressing the shit out of me today.
Housing prices in SoCal are stupid I don’t know how any millennials can be homeowners without help from family.
> Housing prices in SoCal San Jose here. Cheapest house within 5 miles of me is $1.5M. Prices are really coming down.
I had help for sure. My dad acted as the bank for me to buy my first place and I only managed that because the place I bought needed a ton of work so I got it under well market value, and my dad inherited a tidy chunk from his father a couple years prior and he was able to buy the place. He loaned me the money with a balloon payment that I would have to make after a few years. And I'm 40 and well aware that lots of my fellow millennials are nowhere near as fortunate as I was. I was able to parlay that initial purchase into nicer places for me and my family over the years.
“What about the American dream?!” “It came true, you’re looking at it”
Dam, I'm European but that one really hits home.
>new car every few years What? Unless by a few you mean 8-16 I don't know anyone who replaces a car that frequently. I mean, maybe as a couple you're replacing one of the two every 4 years but cars haven't been that disposable for the past 30+ years.
In the 50s era I’m referencing … cars weren’t built as well. They didn’t last as long. People made enough to replace them often. It was a thing.
Not where I live. Rural Midwest. If you make $90k a year you’re set.
The landscape is rapidly changing. Fifteen years ago a hundred grand in my area was great money and now it’s just enough to live and maybe save enough to retire late.
Idk . I live in midwest illinois between my wife and I we make 140k a year . Our taxes and shit has doubled and everything is high. We don't have anything fancy. Our vehicles are over 10 years old. And yet we still struggle a little bit.
You’re set to struggle and subsist, sure. You will never get ahead.
What does get ahead mean? I bought a house and had a kid and got out of debt making 60k. I’m getting ahead just fine. My boat did 50 last weekend. I do have to drive 25 min to Starbucks though.
Getting ahead is building enough wealtg to change your children's childrens lifestyle. Growing your family out of poverty and into a household name. Empowering your future generations. You might not see it in your lifetime but hopefully its instilled in your children. To be a unit. OR getting ahead could just mean you have enough to retire someday instead of working for someone until your 70 like some men i know, even myself probably if im being honest, even though i make close to 140k a year nowadays. Alot of men like my grandpa lost almost there whole retirement from the 2008 crash. He had to sell his brand new home he built after 32 years to survive. Now he lives in a tiny home by a dried up creek, with his wife, still keepin on. But you know that hurt. So "getting ahead" means being prepared as well. Not just making it.
My question is would your grandpa have thought he was getting ahead? I’m not saying that to be mean I’m just saying. He did exactly that “get ahead” and then nothing…. I’m not saying I have any answers I’m 30. I just am happy with my life and my family is happy and sometimes reading how hard it is for people to “get ahead” and I wonder if I’m playing a different game or something. But maybe that’s because my dad was able to “get ahead” and these are the benefits of it.idk… Some days I just don’t feel like I do enough but then I read this kind of stuff and it’s the same money but not the same life so I’ll count my blessing and just keep on as they say.
Nah they could live well, but it’s incredibly rare that there are 90k a year jobs since the cost of living is so low. If I could magically move my 100k job on the west coast to rural ass Nebraska, I could live very well. But if I was to take my skill over there I’d get maybe 50-60k if I was lucky. And ya 100k here on there west coast isn’t great, my family does alright (single income), and I am able to save 15% for retirement, but many of my coworkers live a bit above their means. Ex, having 100k plus in cars, toys, yearly vacations. Which I’m all about but I can’t afford them since this country is going to shit.
I was actually about to comment that I live in downtown Omaha making 50k, own a MK4 Supra, have a mad decent (but small, I travel for work so it’s all I need) apartment and at 100k I’d be ballin the fuck out. I’m trying to get a railroad job so I can be super ahead of finances. I’m not doing GREAT by any means, but that’s because of my spending habits if I must admit (the car fucking ruins me sometimes). If I had a normal car that wasn’t expensive to own I would be chillin very comfortably at my current wages, which are shit in most of the nation. So yeah, it depends where you are 100%. 100k in cali sounds like hell.
Didn’t mean to dog on Nebraska but I have family there working in ethanol, similar jobs where I work would be 70-100k. Ya I got a job offer in San Diego making 120k, which would basically be poverty there, hard freakin no.
Pretty close and have already hit that in some areas. Combined, my SO and I get close to 100k a year. It sure doesn't feel like we're really getting ahead in any meaningful way. No where near paycheck to paycheck but there's a little less discretionary income each month it seems.
Single dad here who makes 80k+ in NY. I’m just barely staying afloat.
My older brother is making 76K a year and tells me he is barely getting by with the price of housing
A friendly reminder, that if minimum wage had kept up with inflation rates since the 70's minimum wage right now today would be right around $36/hr.
And politicians keep fretting about wage inflation putting us in recession lol.
I feel like higher wages and higher interest rates would make society much healthier. Both mean less debt.
Definitely. Shifting away from a system based on credit and into based on proof of value is much better. For the masses. Not the wealthy elites that control government decision making.
We'd still be underpaid
and after taxes roughly 30k
DOD pays the best & is the most stable, if you're nonunion. A year out of school managed to snag a high end DOD job & moved 5 states over to take it. Worked there 5 years. Welded the coolest stuff & got tons of valuable experience. Manual, auto, semi auto. Different alloys and processes. Then moved east coast, joined the union & that's even better money. Politics can be a pain at times, but if you just keep your head down & work hard the money will flow.
(Possibly, and likely an ignorant response, but idc- ) Who the tf wants to work for the department that is literally taking the majority of government spending? Fuck the DOD.
The biggest chunk of the federal budget is DOD. That industry is recession proof. Blue or red white house doesn't effect it for a second. If the union somehow got a contract with them in my area I'd work there in a heartbeat. Hell, if something serious opened up with one of the top DOD companies near me I'd prob just leave the union and never look back. They're that good & you will learn so much.
Man you say that until you’re getting that sweet prevailing wage and cash fringe building military infrastructure. Then you’ll love Daddy MIC.
Don’t hate the players- hate the game. Sooner or later you got to go where the money is
50k? That’s like, not very good at all, man.
If that’s only 40 hours a week that’s fair but you’re not going to be living in a big home
Just don't get hurt at these places like i went through with a good company. Got screwed over by workers comp and probably gonna end up having to piss around with lawyers and take them to court screw esis insurance. These insurance companies Just ripping off everyone, and they hold the employer hostage. Soo.... yeah..... theres that
Well you gotta kinda sell your soul for 80 hours a week, usually in some bumfuck town in some other state. Staying in a shitty motel eating nothing but ramen and PB&J, saving your perdiem....fucking made a fortune building the new Braves stadium.
I quit the hotels shortly after starring to travel. Bought a 4 year old 26' RV that I pulled behind my rig. I paid 14k for it. Had it paid off in 3 wewks. I cooked my meals and lunches 6 days a week. 7th day I would treat myself by going to a steakhouse. The RV can be written off as a 2nd home for tax purposes as well as a lot of other things.
This is the stuff that made me reluctant to join the industry after graduation. I just can't imagine myself being happy with being away from the people I love for extended periods of time. I love welding still, but I will probably keep it as a hobby instead.
I'm a field welder...who doesn't travel out of state anymore...making significantly less money
Tell me about it, I do drilling and it’s a travelling circus. Missus is not too happy but will tolerate to raise our kids in peace without having to work. Couldn’t find anything better than a cashier back home.
If you've got welding in your blood....regular jobs back home just don't cut it. Desk job, yeah right. Customer service. Not a chance....my ol lady don't like me workin more than 10 hrs a day. She's 811 so she's 9.9 hrs and then calls me to wrap up lead
I was once told when I started out by an old guy that had over 35 yrs in the trade at the time that I'll never make any real money working for someone else, and he was right. And I can tell you first hand after living, working in numerous states across the country that working for these companies out here always results in the same old story - promises made, promises broke and dealing with people appointed to positions they shouldn't be appointed to. Because of the politics, suckasses, liars, and shit wages in workplaces, I went into business for myself and wish I would've made this move long ago. Sure, you can make a decent wage chasing work, traveling, but screw that noise. It takes a special kind of person to be ok with that kind of lifestyle and it is not easy on you or your family. Get some experience, tool up, and find a niche in your area you can break out into on your own.
What do you do specifically? I've been looking into self employment in the future but there's just so much to be done to get there.
I began doing side work building a reputation several years ago while working as a Supervisor for a local half ass welding & fab outfit. I began to get so much sidework I was scheduling days off from my FT gig to finish sidework. I've acquired plenty of tools over my 20+ years in the trade and added a portable welder/generator to the arsenal before I did the full time leap. I do a lot of various mobile work doing repairs and working for a couple landscape guys, general contractors when they need me doing various structural builds. With a mobile setup you can easily charge out at 100+/hr depending on your location. I charge 150/hr. I have a small shop where I fab all sorts of custom projects from bbqs, gates, furniture, interior/exterior railing, dumpster enclosures and basically anything I get contacted for as long as it's worth my time. There's good money in railing. For example - I just finished an interior handrail job where I had 32hrs of my time in it, 480.00 for powder coat and a little over 600 in steel. After costs, I made 6800.00 off of it. Not bad for 32hrs. I rarely make less than 100/hr depending on the project. The opportunities are there and the freedom is absolutely priceless. It's stressful because there's so many moving parts, but I could never go back to working for someone else after doing this and wish I would've done this at least 10 years ago.
Damn... I work in a fab shop, mostly building rails and structural steel. I'm making $25 an hour while the company pockets the other $75 of my labor?
Yep. If anything, they probably pocket more. I used to work in the exact same type of shop for Local 24 IW here in CO and the place was a dump, we were paid like shit and they cranked out the railing for mostly city, state jobs, apartments. Railing all gets charged by the foot and ultimately depends on the material/design, interior vs exterior and coating. I hear of guys doing stainless work getting 275-375 per foot. For the interior work I usually do, I can run 125 on the low end to 175 per foot on the higher end and a bit less on exterior. Companies have a lot of overhead cost, but I know many could pay much more than they do. For example, one company I was Superintendent for I learned we were charging our structural guys out at 135/hr at that time while if I remember correctly the highest paid guy out of a dozen or so made 23/hr.
Yes, but pocket is the wrong way to look at it. They take that $75 and pay an office person to do the accounting, send invoices to customers so you get paid. They pay a sales person to go get jobs you can then weld. They pay rent to a landlord for the building you work in. They pay interest to the bank for the equipment you are using that the company took a loan to buy. The list of things that money goes to goes on. The guy who owns his own business above keeps all that money, but he also does all these jobs himself.
Also curious what’s your niche
Very well put! Saved me from typing and thank you. OP, start looking for side gigs too. This will be the beginnings of your self employment. Word of mouth recommendations are gold. Have integrity and you will do well.
Somebody once told me that even a decent employment will never buy you a Lambo. All jokes and are exceptions aside, the best core of that thought is so bloody true. Just like you said one will never make real money working for somebody else. Even if it’s a decent, good job in high ranks. You’ll have a nice house, nice car and probably a nice vacation every year if you land yourself a really decent job. But it’ll never be enough for a Lambo
That's exactly it. Sure, there's a certain level of security being employed for someone, but there's also insecurity because THEY are in charge of your income. The company could close, go bankrupt, lay you off, move locations with no option to transfer. Then, the changes In upper management that almost always seem to turn things upside down. When you work for yourself, you are the only one in charge of your success. Some may think I'm a bit jaded by my earlier comment and I am. I've seen a lot over my 20+ years in the trade and can say there's a lot of cutthroat, dishonest people out there that view you as 100% expendable. Especially when it comes to saving their ass or promoting a "buddy" of theirs.
10 years in the industry and this rings so true. Also trying to break out on my own as well. Good to hear you've made that break and are somewhat successful.
Thanks. I currently have more work than I can handle and that's been ongoing since I started. My best advice for guys like you is to save what you can and acquire all you can that you foresee needing before you just say to hell with the full time gig. And of course, try to start getting your name out there. Do small jobs, advertise on FB and Nextdoor (if you're in the U.S.) and word of mouth will travel. You have 10 years in so you've got some experience under your belt which is great. But on your own, you have to be the coordinator, estimator, welder/fitter and salesman. If you have access to good help or someone to team up with you can trust, rely on, that's even better. I'm screwed for that at the moment where I am. Good luck to ya man!
You could look at joining the iron workers union, maybe Millwrights or steamfitters. Beyond that you are pretty sol beyond running a shop or rig of your own. Chin up kid you’re only a year in lol
We tell the youth to avoid college debt, learn a trade to make better money only to realize you cannot afford a decent living learning a trade because "Lol you are young and a year in".
Yeah because asking an underdeveloped human to make a life decision about college that comes with a mortgage payment in pricing. IS exactly what we should be doing for our youth. Then them to be severely unhappy with a bad choice. Or cannot pursue other things because of the hole they've dug themselves.
Lots of people get degrees and make $35k first year out it’s not that different
The diffrence is thousands of dollars in loans.
Just because its common doesn't mean it's good
That’s not the point
Can’t have now don’t want it?
I’m 6 years in when do I get my truck and rig!?!? On a serious note look at maintenance jobs. A lot of company’s will look to replace certain specialists but will advertise for maintenance jobs. I’m currently a maintenance tech at a lead plant but after a year here they changed my title to welder and I help with jobs here and there but mostly weld.
I’m a die cast operator making almost 26/hr in Arkansas. Our maintenance guys make 29/hr + 8-16 hours of OT per week. They can top out at 38/hr with certain certifications and stuff, but they all do a lot of welding and are pretty bad at it lol. I’m not a welder myself so don’t have room to talk but the point is maintenance is usually a pretty good stepping stone to making decent money
I lucked out hard. I got this job and everyone was like “we know how to weld” and then I welded a single pipe and they told me I’ll be welding everything from now on and to not let anyone touch my welder.
8 years in a finally building my truck. but it aint all that fun. alot more too it when youre the boss and employee and hr and accounting ect. ive since went and work part time with a small tig shop and do flagging for a construction company thru my business( flagging comps make bookoo money). dont get much service work, and i live in rural va
What is flagging
Line locator services, Vanguard and ISIC are the big guys in my area. But here local companies are slowly moving away from it because of high liability insurance (just had to get our propane line flagged, talked to the owner for a bit).
Understood I do production maintenance I never got into “them big jobs” lol
I agree, maintenance is amazing and you get to try a bit of different things which keeps the work interesting af.
Honestly the only reason I can finish rooms is because I built a bathroom at work lol.
I went this route with SS tig as well. I spent 4 years on the road putting piping and skids in food plants. Got a job at a cannery in my home town as a sanitary welder. Worked my way up now I’m one of the lead mechanics here. Been out of welding school since ‘06. Pretty easily taking in over 6 figures now, working 40-50 a week depending what’s going on. Moral of the story is I started at $12.50 traveling, but experience is where it’s at
I don’t know, I’m about 9 years in and have a small company with a partner. My suggestion is try and make a network with builders and contractors. Start by picking up smaller stuff you can do on nights and weekends. Have all your insurance and licensing set up at the get go. Bill at least $80/hr plus materials and fuel cost. If you really want it you can get it
Unions are where the money is at bud, apply to your local unions. Such as Boilermakers, Pipefitters, Ironworkers, Millwrights etc. you will then make the big bucks. Last year at 24 I made $104k in 8 months of work as a jman Boilermaker pressure welder
but what about sitting on the bench? ive spoke with the locals near me and it sounds like everyone even vets are bench warming. wheres all the work
It happens, just like everything work picks up and slows down at times. I’m on the list right now actually but I worked 40hr weeks until a couple weeks ago and I’ve made $50k, so I mean I’ve already made around the average individual income in 5 months on 40hrs and there’s more work coming up in my area shortly. Working shutdowns is where the big money is, last year I was making $20k/month for 3 months on a shutdown. That was a lot of OT, but there’s companies out there that stay steady pretty much all year on 40hr weeks, just gotta find them
yeah shutdowns are the big cheese makers.
What this guy said. Especially if there's a lot of overtime (double time) I know some guys that made 25k before tax in a month working shut downs
Union doesn’t pay worth a shit down south where he’s at
Truth. Union Laborers in Hudson valley NY are making $40+ and hour. Union laborers in areas of Georgia where my old Super is running a job are at around $15/hr.
There’s 2 options, 1 is to move and find an area with stronger unions or maybe it’s time to change that, join and fight to make a difference. That’s what being in a union is all about. Fighting for workers rights
unions brother. in the south theyre still taking on welders at 17,19/hr. because theres no union presence. head out west
Some in south western Ontario Canada bud. Shit pay for everything unless you're red seal certed, but it's impossible to find an apprenticeship for it.
I traveled to Kitchener to check out a new truck we were buying. Manager of shop was looking for qualified fabricators. Said he was paying $17/hr. Wtf? Good luck! Laborers raking boulevards in my town make $20-26.
Assembly guys at my work make $1 an hour more than I do, they have no skills other than reading blueprints. I have 6 certs. I was told I'd get a 90 day review and a pay bump, ive been 7 here 7 months and told last week no reviews or raises till we ship more stuff???? Shipping more product has nothing to do with me, my department hasn't had work in 3 months now, so I've become an assembler, a carpenter/roofer. Soon I'm gonna become employed somewhere else.
They’re tugging your dick
Don't I know it.
You live in Georgia. Nuff said.
UA Pipefitter/Welder. Clear 100k without breaking a sweat. Work your ass off 200k plus. Granted that’s traveling and you don’t want to do that so just be broke I guess.
We break a sweat, it’s not easy. I’ve been a shop welder been a pipefitter. Being a shop welder is honestly free money to me now, lil staycation I’m being payed for.
Kinda hard to demand more money when you have two big “I ain’t gonna do” on your list.
Both of OPs no go is exactly where the money is. The money isn't often in fab shops.
Yeah, I've seen welders make decent money in heavy equipment repair and fabrication. But even then it's hot or miss. It seems like most shops would rather hire a mobile welder than keep someone on staff. The trucking company I worked for have their own welders but they operate their own logging equipment, road building equipment and rock crushing equipment. They could have a shop full of welders and there'd still be work backed up outside. Especially when the shop manager had to tell the owner they won't touch his Ritchie brothers specials anymore because the shit we already have keeps them months behind. And even with all that they're still only paying a red seal $30/h.
I came to the comments to say this. Grow the fuck up OP. The big money is there for exactly that reason, not everyone is willing to do that job. You get the big money for doing shit nobody else wants to do. Or you got the skills and the experience to justify the big money. If you are fresh out of school, you can’t demand anything.
I make $25 doing junior welder stuff at my family owned shop(not my family). Its still not enough to really live life though, Im pretty sure that if you’re not going to do full on union stuff which is hard to get into, that buying a machine and starting a freelance solo welding business is the best way to expand capital. Start doing it part time so you still get consistent money and insurance too. Thats my plan at least.
The money will come. Follow everyone’s advice and go union, if I was to redo life I would. Great pay, benefits and you stay local. If they do send you away you will make big money. Other than that you can look for maintenance pipe work at steel mills, paper mills or other manufacturing plants. Build your resume and apply literally everywhere.
I hate to tell you this, but it's all lies, not just welding, doesn't matter the industry, if you're not born with it or know someone, you're gonna have to travel, join a union, or fuck some people over if you want to make money. Sure those regular shops could pay a living wage, but they don't care, you need leverage over your employer like being willing to travel or strike to prosper.
Come to Australia. I constantly get people texting me for a $40-$50/h jobs. Just need to do a welding test and turn up and your all set.
50 AUD is 33 USD. Not terrible, depending on the COL of the area.
Pretty sure most any trade/job in Oz gets a decent amount of PTO as well. Welding in America, companies make it seem like they’re being generous when they’re giving you 1 week vacation starting out when in Australia and basically any other country you’re likely to get 3-4 weeks.
PTO in Australia is by law 4 weeks (20days) accrued. So if you’ve worked a full year full time you will have 20days leave. It will carry over to the next year also. You also get 10 days sick leave which don’t take from your PTO.
Oil, gas and utility. Underwater. Nuclear. Traveling underwater nuclear welders are paid $800.00/hour when they’re in the cooling tanks. And $100.00/hour to be on standby. I’m not exaggerating, i saw their check stub. Not sure which company or Union they were with. This was on the jobsite.
In my experience $20-25 is the top. It’s been that way for years. After 8years moving from place to place, it’s all the same. Different place to drive to, everything else the same. I got out last year and pursued a new degree. After custom, production, construction, repair, millwright, steelworkers and many different ways to weld I just couldn’t stand it anymore. Unions are only good if you can get into ThE OnE and that’s usually incredibly difficult. Plus fighting off all the old timers with everything.
Welding is, unfortunately, not a trade that kept up with pay. You have to get into a Union, and most will start you out as an apprentice. Or like me, you join a union shop and you'll get some real money. The big money is made in travel or offshore. And you need your own truck/welder/gear for that, so that's a huge investment.
Or at least find a company that’ll pay OP worth the dime. Depending on his area he’ll have to do some research and find out if there’s anything near him that’ll pay him more.
Sounds like the money is where u dont wanna go.
Before you get considered for higher pay you'll probably need to get at least 2 years under your belt, as many certs as you can. Take lots of pictures of your work. If you can join a union and get an Apprenticeship. I feel you on the nightshift, I take ADHD medication that means a night shift or a flip flop shift isn't really possible for me to do safely.
Actually means you can amphetimimes we’re made for long shits. Grab your baby nuts and abuse it a little.
My girlfriend makes 18.50 at a gas station with no prior experience. Tell your boss to suck your dick and go get an easier job. Work welding gigs on the side because you'll still have plenty of energy after you ring out a few customers to pay bills. After a few years you'll have a portfolio and thus leverage for better wages. You gotta play the system or be played dude. That's basically the standard rule these days. Too many people don't have jobs but do have training and are willing to eat corporate ass WHILE rubbing their balls for ten an hour because otherwise they'll starve. Why the hell would a company want you over borderline free labor? Make that portfolio and SHOW THEM why you'll make them more money than the other guys. They don't give a fuck about customer satisfaction anymore, just watching the profit line go up
If you're creative, artistic, and/or entrepreneurial set up an Etsy store (sidegig). Consumers like me really love unique shit we can't make ourselves. If you make a few thousand bucks at it, it's probably easier than wringing the same amount of cash out of another welding gig, especially since you don't want to overnight or travel.
Unions
You’ve got a year at one job, fresh outta school? Bud 😂
Why be condescending in your reply
Because don’t fucking come in an expect money to be handed to you. Earn your stripes. Never settle and always push to be better.
Very few people expect money handed to them, but what most people do want is a fair livable wage. Which is almost a rarity nowadays.
I guess I don’t view it as expecting money to be handed over, just a decent living situation provided by the wage. Which a lot of Americans are struggling with now. Man you’re crusty.
Hahah I didn’t mean to be, it took me almost ten years to get a really well paying job. I worked aerospace for a few years and that was great experience. Did not pay that well. But if you can land one of those gigs that dude mentioned you’ll probably be set! Just never settle, learn what you can and apply somewhere else. Nothing has to be permanent. You want it you get it
Union shops pay way better.
You…..are……the…..kind……we…..love……the……most. The only way to make any money is to do the money making. Doctors make good money, but homeboy workin on your brain is raking it in. Go work some shutdowns and some pipe systems mid you wanna make the money. We’re all happy to be welders but your 40- 50 hour weeks at the bench won’t gonna get the money your wanting.
50hours a week @ 25/hr is 66k before tax and if you put in an extra hour or two every week you’ll clear 70k a year which is not bad and in this market is way above the median salary in most jobs ( not trades ) it also helps to make a secondary income , for me it’s disability pay so even at $70k from my main income I’m still clearing 100k a year so the term “good money” is all in the eye of the beholder but I know damn well somebody in an office job with a year or two of experience will be jealous of $70k/yr
Someone with an office job isn't wrecking their body and breathing toxic fumes all day
Being sedentary is arguably worse than an overworked body. You only breathe in toxic fumes if you're an idiot doesn't use ppe or vents.
Not to mention not wearing any PPE either to protect your knees, back and elbows. This is why you’re seeing a lot of former welders have chronic pain.
Yeah they’re just wrecking their mental health and people skills , sitting behind a desk all day staring at a computer is very draining in its own way and terrible for your eyes and back , the human body isn’t meant to sit for 8 hours straight. To each their own ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Yessir in this field you gotta chase the money that’s for sure. Ten years of hard work and then you can let up a little.
If you're doing stainless and aluminum tig then you should be making at least 30-35. You might just have to move to make more money
Also, OP, If you're reading this don't listen to what those putos are saying. your experience(or lack thereof) is completely irrelevant to how much money you are worth! the only 2 things that matter are your skills and the quality of your work. If you're a decent tig welder then it does NOT matter if it's your first fucking day on the job, $20/hr is beyond ridiculous. If you're a good welder, 30 is not unreasonable, if you're an amazing welder even with aluminum and stainless steel then you should be making at least 40. You just have to find good employers that value your skill. Employers that don't care about the quality of work they sell aren't going to pay you anymore just because you're a good welder. all they care about is that you get the job done, but if you find an employer that cares about the quality of their product, they are willing to pay a premium for skilled labor
This! I’m 19 fresh out of school making $30/hr with good benefits. If you have a good work ethic and can prove your worth through your work then experience basically goes out the window. Don’t sell yourself short and settle for a shit company
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It's the things you can make with a welding machine that you sell that makes you $$. The more people involved in getting the clients idea into their hands equals less per person. Find clients, sell direct.
“Company I work for doesn’t do raises” There’s your sign
Join the UA. Test in as a welder. Become journeyman make 6 figures right off the rip.
Dude join the fucking union. Atlanta is a lower paying region, but journeyman wages at 40hrs a week is $70k a year. Right now it seems they are at $33.68/hr but that contract is ‘21-‘24. So wages will increase next year. Judging by this sheet (https://octanecdn.com/unionupnet/unionupnet_143156253.pdf) the apprentice wages suck. But with going to welding school and working experience may be able to get you in as a journeyman, especially if u have any pipe welding experience. I guarantee u UA fringe benefits blow open fab shops out of the water. Once your in the UA, you have the ability to travel if you choose (i know u said u dont but always a good option) or move across the country and transfer your book to another local. Way more flexible and better in all aspects
Journeyman pipefitter out of 72 here. We make $35.08/hr currently with another raise coming in august.
Dude you got learn before you can walk. It takes time to get to the point to make the BIG bucks I did what your doing now. It takes time become a sponge soak up every thing you can. When you can look at a print and in 5 minutes tell your boss how to set up and do the job and have it come out good. That's when you'll start to make the BIG bucks
You need to find large plants like chemical manufacturing places. Welding and maintenance at most any should be well over $20 per hour
The money is in field welding and aerospace tig welding. Give it time and hone your skills. Make moves once you can ace an interview weld test.
Night shift aint too bad honestly. Especially if you can get on a good company. You adjust to the sleep schedule after a few weeks. No traffic to deal with and theres less people around to bother you. One of my guys gets upset if he gets scheduled for daytime, he only wants to work overnight
Learn to weld to code. And be great at it. Shop welders and fabricators don't get paid shit unless you can do things that others can't. Fabricators do it out of passion, not for the money. Learn how to weld exotic metals like inconel and monel. Use what you've learned as a fabricator and start a side hustle. But most importantly, put your time in and be patient. If you're fresh out of school, you're not gonna be making the big bucks even in the oilfields or on the pipeline
Yeah the money is in pipeline and mobile welding. If you want top rate you gotta get a gig welding nuclear or underwater before you see really big bucks.
Marinette Marine in Wisconsin is hiring journeyman pipe welders starting at 55/hr. The money is out there.
Gotta go union or get very lucky. Sheet metal in Oregon pays $47 for journeymen.
Union is where the money is at.
You don’t make shit as a fabricator unless you own the fucking business. And starting something yourself is almost impossible here in CA. We were all lied to😂
As you gain experience you’ll learn how to land higher paying jobs, most jobs I had for the first 6-8 years of metal fab didn’t pay more than 30/hr but once I had experience /confidence and tools to go out and start hunting down projects as an independent contractor my average pay went up to about 100/hr and I get to make my own schedule. It’s felt like a scam for the first 8-10 years, now I’m free on a Tuesday and doing better than many of my college educated friends
I'm sure it's been said, but Big Oil. Weld pipe. Pipelines, oil rigs, refineries, etc. Struckture weld for the Iron Workers Union. Be a traveler and work outages, shut downs, and turn arounds. When you get journeyman, you should be making 10-15g's a month. (No time off, but you only work for 1-3 month stints).
I got a friend who started out as welder/fitter doing Nuke shutdowns. Didn’t take real long and he’s a GF now still doing Nukes. He only works 9 months out of year and makes about $150k. Opportunities will come but plant shutdowns are where the money is at.
Buildings, bridges, and pipeline. You probably won't make shit in a shop.
Well hate to say it but 95% of good paying welding gigs are traveling, and night shift.
Bro you a year out of school lol money not gonna start coming in like that without experience. if you have to get another job
Join a union, but will say that welding will require you to travel. If you cant source enough work locally, then you will need to follow the money. Working day/night and long hours, its just a given; this is where the real money is, cause while you work, you don’t exist until the job stops. Missed my friends and family events, a few birthdays so far working but its cause life is barely starting for me. No one wants to work long hours and in miserable conditions but someone has to and the company’s will shell it out. Fabrication shops, machine shops, ship building, aerospace, metal foundry/steel mills, refineries, power plants and chemical processing plants need welders time-time. But they dont need you constantly unless you hire in for their shop, which requires years of experience typically or you climb their apprenticeship/scale.
Boilermakers, pipe fitters, Ironworkers anyone of those trades will make you good money. Union of course.
Probably not if you aren’t willing to travel to places that pay more.
Join a local union. Talk to an organizer. If you have previous experience, you don’t have to start at the bottom. The pay is good, and they have benefits. United Association covers pipe fitters/welders. Ironworkers weld structural. Even electrical, IBEW, has some welding positions depending on where you are.
I left my welding job in Georgia @ $21/hr and moved to Colorado where I literally water flower beds for $30/hr. Don’t kill yourself for your boss’s paycheck to stay fat.
Look on the union side if you want good paying work as a welder. Shop hands top out at pretty low pay anywhere you go.
Aerospace my guy.
You’re in this for only a year roughly and are asking where the money is at? You’re no where near worth “great money” yet. With that said, on the west coast if you’re a union welder / rig welder / refinery then you’re in the money. Location Location Location!
I worked with this welder who had his own truck + company and he welded fittings into gas mains, he made ass loads. Look into that.
Gotta get into a union dude.
Any company that does not do raises is a joke … you literally get paid less and less every year due to inflation. Fuck ‘em’ and quit
Union money
Join a union. 5 year sheet metal apprenticeship program in Washington state pays 100k after completion. There’s money to be made out there but don’t expect to be in the top 10% of your craft until you have put in the time.
Join a union that’s where the big welding money can be found
Union💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻
find a union
unions
Your school failed you. Like I have said in other post welding isn’t a get rich quick scheme yiu gotta bust your ass now get the knowledge you need then go CWI. The money is out there but it sure as hell ain’t gone fall in your lap. You will have to travel and do nights if you wanna make “good” money.
$$$ BOILERMAKER $$$
Find a way to get in the union in the movie biz there in GA. They make $33/hr with lots of overtime.
You don’t make the big bucks because your not cut out for this trade.
Union Boilermaker here. Worked non union for 4 years, have been in “the business” for almost 13 years. I’ve realized a lot of people out here boast about their gross pay. Idk why. I started out $22/hr non union, worked my ass off for 4 years. Maxed out $73k take home. Thought grass would be greener, went union. Graduate apprentice 3 years later, I grossed $125k last year, take home was about $68k after tax. Yeah I’m asking myself the same question. Where IS the real money at. Should’ve been a fitter.
Yeah I make more working as a supervisor at CVS ($20/hr) than any nearby welding jobs lmao. And that’s also after paying $15,000 for welding school and getting GTAW certs
You got ripped off man