Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
Career Cluster
Manufacturing
Focuses on the processing of materials into products. In this field, you will plan, manage, and oversee material processing. This can include support activities like control and maintenance.
Learn more about this clusterAt a glance
Expected pay range
Expected pay range
This represents the median earnings for this career in the selected county or state. In the range shown, 25% of workers earned less than the bottom salary and 25% earned more than the top salary. Data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Monthly cost of living
These numbers give you an idea of how much you can spend each month on common expenses with this salary. Percentages are the average a person with no children spends according to data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. (external link opens new tab) These numbers are a starting point and will differ person to person.
Your actual expenses may differ from those listed. You’ll need to account for the amount taken out in taxes each month. Learn more about income tax expenses. (external link opens new tab) Your student loan payments may also differ. To calculate your student loan payments, use the federal student loan repayment estimator. (external link opens new tab)
About welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
What they do
Use hand-welding, flame-cutting, hand-soldering, or brazing equipment to weld or join metal components or to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products.
Other titles
Assembly Line Brazer, Brazer, Fabrication Welder, Maintenance Welder, MIG Welder (Metal Inert Gas Welder), Solderer, TIG Welder (Tungsten Inert Gas Welder), Welder, Welder Fitter, Wirer
Skills they need
- Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Operations Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Licenses and Certifications they may hold
How to decide which one is right? That depends on an individual’s career path, specialty, and resources.
- License Type
- Stand-alone license
- Status
- Active
- Exam
- Both state and third-party exams required
- Education
- Degree required
- Continuing education
- Continuing education required to maintain license
- Criminal record
- Specific type of conviction prohibited
Certifications
Certifications may be available for this career and can help build knowledge and skills in specific job roles. Explore available certifications (external link opens new tab)
Similar careers
View careers in the same field as welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers.
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Better pay
Median salary for this career is higher than the median salary of all careers in the county selected. Salary data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
In demand
In demand careers have high-growth, high-demand, and emerging jobs critical to Texas. They are based on economic indicators like in demand industries, labor market trends, and economic conditions, provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Set up, operate, or tend welding, soldering, or brazing machines or robots that weld, braze, solder, or heat treat metal products, components, or assemblies. Includes workers who operate laser cutters or laser-beam machines.
Engine and Other Machine Assemblers
In demand
In demand careers have high-growth, high-demand, and emerging jobs critical to Texas. They are based on economic indicators like in demand industries, labor market trends, and economic conditions, provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Construct, assemble, or rebuild machines, such as engines, turbines, and similar equipment used in such industries as construction, extraction, textiles, and paper manufacturing.
Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers
Better pay
Median salary for this career is higher than the median salary of all careers in the county selected. Salary data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Repair, maintain, or install electric motors, wiring, or switches.
Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners
Better pay
Median salary for this career is higher than the median salary of all careers in the county selected. Salary data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Perform precision smoothing, sharpening, polishing, or grinding of metal objects.
- American Welding Society (external link opens new tab)
- ASM International (external link opens new tab)
- Fabricators & Manufacturers Association International (external link opens new tab)
- International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers (external link opens new tab)
- International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (external link opens new tab)
- International Brotherhood of Boilermakers (external link opens new tab)
- IPC (external link opens new tab)
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers (external link opens new tab)
- Precision Machined Products Association (external link opens new tab)