What’s a Welder Salary in Texas?
Although going through a welder certification training program will teach you the foundations, your welder pay will depend first on your level of experience, and then on what kind of skills are needed for the particular welder job available. We will go into the specific welding job requirements in the job descriptions below, but in the meantime, here are the most common types of welders and the average welder salary in Texas.
Pipeline welders
join and repair tubes and metal pipes and assemble parts related to the construction of different kinds of structures, buildings, and pipelines–in many times used to transport oil and gas. The average welder salary is $65,475 in Texas–20% higher than the national average. 
Arc welders generate enough heat to create a weld using high-voltage electricity and the way you do this depends on whether you are a MIG welder or a Tig welder. A MIG welding process is one that continuously feeds wire and a TIG welder slowly feeds long welding rods into a weld puddle. Below you’ll find the average welder salary for both MIG and Tig welders in TexasWhy Welding? 
If you want a hand in shaping the future, becoming a welder is a surefire way to do that. Welders rebuild and repair bridges, highways and pipelines and are crucial for securing our nation’s infrastructure. Any building that ever went up, every ship that sets out to sea and vehicle on the road that drives over water and across major roads and into other states and countries does so due to the work of welders. That being said, welder salary can depend on the industry one works in –ship building, aerospace, oil & gas, energy & power, automobile or other types of manufacturing.
What Does A Welder Do On A Daily Basis?
Welders use electric currents to heat and bond metal together. Depending on what materials are being used and the purpose of the weld, there are many ways to do this. Common types of welding are arc welding, MIG welding and TIG welding. On any given day, a welder may
- look over blueprints or specification sheets
- create welding dimensions
- inspect or assess structures or welding materials
- use torches to heat elements
- monitor the welding process to ensure proper procedures and avoid overheating
- Check equipment and machiner
Welders require training in order to pass safety regulations put in place by the American Welding Society (AWS). The best programs also offer job-readiness training for welding jobs like how to interview and will have contacts in the welding industry that are looking to hire welding graduates.
Welder Salary Depends on Where You Live
Welder salary will also be different depending on where you live because economic factors like the cost of living and opportunities for welder jobs will vary. In Texas, here is the average yearly welder salary by city according to Salary.com as of April 2017:
- Austin: $36,17
- Corpus Christi: $32,178
- Harlingen: $33,055
- McAllen: $31,777
- San Antonio: $37,361
Welder Skills and Abilities
How do you know if you’d make a great welder? Do you have a fascination with fire? A burning desire to create something that lasts forever and helps people move faster into the future? That’s a great start! Attention-to-detail, willingness to learn, and patience also help!
Why Get Certified as a Welder? – Get Paid More as a Certified Welder
Well for one, you can get paid more. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says certified welders make 60% more than non-certified welders (Earlbeck). Gain Experience All welding jobs–with the exception of apprenticeships or internships–require some kind of welding experience. A certification can sometimes allow you to bypass the required years experienced since you get real-world welding experience during classtime.
Pass the Welding Job Test
Half of the jobs listed posted require a test. You don’t want to get your foot in the door and an interview with a great company just to get nervous and bomb the weld test. A certification-based training program ensures that you learn the proper techniques that are industry standard and approved.
Get an Edge over Welding Job-Seekers
A certification-based welding training program teaches you the most cutting-edge techniques and technology. This is expertise that other welders who have only had on-the-job training might not otherwise have been exposed to. This will give you an edge over other candidates applying for the same welding job.
You might be thinking, “Great, so how do I get started learning to be a certified welder?”
There are a lot of trade schools and programs you can take to learn the skills you need, but not all of them are accredited or get you to a point where you are prepared to get your license or certifications. Southern Careers Institute, however, is accredited by the Council of Occupational Education (COE) and approved by the Texas Workforce and the Career Colleges & Schools of Texas.
You should also look at the school’s track record. Last year, SCI placed over 1,300 graduates were placed in new careers on our campuses online and throughout Texas–in Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, and the Rio Grande Valley.*
Learn more today and don’t miss your chance to say, “I got the job!” as a welder in as little as 27 weeks. *Based on graduates from July 1, 2015-June 30, 2016 who were placed in their field or a related field in accordance with reporting guidelines for the Council on Occupational Education. Links/Resources:
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