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Do you enjoy working with your hands, building strong connections, and seeing the results of your work come to life? A career as a Welder, Cutter, Solderer, or Brazer could spark your future!
All data shown on this page reflects the six-county Heart of Texas region: Bosque, Falls, Freestone, Hill, Limestone, and McLennan counties.
High School Diploma or Equivalent
Minimum Education Required
About Welders, Cutters, Solderers, & Brazers
Career Overview
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers (SOC 51-4121) are the skilled hands behind the metalwork that builds and maintains cars, pipelines, bridges, and machinery. Using specialized equipment, they join, cut, and repair metal parts to ensure structures and products are strong, safe, and built to last. Welders play a vital role in creating and maintaining the systems our communities rely on every day.
Starting Annual Salary
2022-2032 Job Growth
Minimum Education
High School Diploma or Equivalent
Training programs and the HRTX colleges where they are offered are listed below. Click the links to view each college’s program web page.
- Hill College - Welding Technology Associate Degree
- Navarro College - Dual Credit Production Welder Certtificate
- Navarro College - Entry Level Welding Certificate
- Navarro College - Welding Technology Certificate
- Navarro College - Welding Technology Certificate Level II
- Navarro College - Gas Tungsten & Metal Arc Welding Certificate
- Navarro College - Shield Metal Arc Welding Certificate
- Navarro College - Welding Technology Associate Degree
- Texas State Technical College - Welding Technology Associate Degree
- Texas State Technical College - Structural Welding CERT1
- Texas State Technical College - Welding Advanced Pipe Specialization CERT2
- Texas State Technical College - Welding Technology Advanced Processes CERT2
About Welders, Cutters, Solderers, & Brazers
What do Welders, Cutters, Solderers, & Brazers do?
$33,755
2023 Starting Annual Salary
$46,703
2023 Mean Annual Salary
$53,178
2023 Experienced Annual Salary
$16.23
2023 Starting Hourly Wage
$22.45
2023 Mean Hourly Wage
$25.57
2023 Experienced Hourly Wage
Welding offers steady pay with the chance to earn more as your skills grow. With experience, certifications, or work in specialized industries, you can move into higher-paying roles that reward your expertise and precision. Use the Texas Reality Check tool linked below to see how this future salary can fund your lifestyle.
Welders
Use heat and tools to join metal parts together, creating strong bonds for products, structures, and equipment.
Pipe Welder Journeymen
Specialize in welding pipes for systems that carry water, gas, or chemicals, ensuring they’re leak-free and built to last.
MIG Welders
Use a wire-fed welding machine (MIG) to quickly and precisely join metal parts, often in manufacturing and automotive industries.
Fitters/Welders
Measure, cut, and fit metal pieces before welding them into place—helping build everything from pipelines to heavy machinery.
Sheet Metal Workers
Cut, shape, and weld thin sheets of metal to create ducts, panels, and other products used in construction and manufacturing.
Certified Welders
Hold specialized certifications proving their skills in specific welding techniques—opening doors to higher-level jobs and pay.
Welding jobs come in many shapes and sizes. Some welders specialize in building piplines or shaping sheet metal, while others focus on precision techniques or hold advanced certifications for higher-level jobs.. In this section, you’ll see the most in-demand job titles in the Heart of Texas region—and how each plays a part in building, repairing, and shaping the world around us.
Use Safety Equipment
Follow safety procedures and wear protective gear to keep yourself and your team safe while working with hot metals and heavy tools.
Operate Welding Tools
Set up and use hand and power welding tools—like arc welders and gas welders—to get the job done.
Weld in Different Positions
Join metal pieces together by welding in flat, vertical, or even overhead positions, depending on the project.
Spot and Report Problems
Keep an eye out for faulty equipment or poor-quality materials and let supervisors know right away.
Plan the Welding Process
Decide which equipment and welding methods to use by applying knowledge of metals, geometry, and welding techniques.
Check Workpieces for Accuracy
Inspect and measure metal parts carefully to make sure they’re the right size, shape, and free of defects.
Every day is different in welding! One day you may be repairing heavy equipment, and the next you could be fabricating parts for a new building. Here, you’ll learn about the common responsibilities welders handle, from reading blueprints to operating torches, grinders, and other equipment to get the job done right.
Mechanical
Knowing how machines and tools work—how to use, maintain, and repair them—is essential since welders rely on specialized equipment every day.
Engineering & Technology
A solid grasp of how materials, structures, and systems work helps welders choose the right techniques and create products that last.
Production & Processing
Understanding how raw materials, production steps, and quality checks helps welders ensure every piece they make is strong, safe, and meets industry standards.
Mathematics
From measuring angles to calculating dimensions and materials, math skills help welders cut, align, and weld pieces with accuracy.
Public Safety & Security
Welders must know and follow safety practices to protect themselves and others when working with heat, flames, and heavy equipment.
Design & Blueprint Reading
Welders often work from blueprints or technical drawings, so knowing how to read and follow designs is key to making precise and accurate products.
Successful welders blend technical know-how with hands-on skills. This section covers the core areas—like mechanics, safety practices, construction knowledge, and blueprint reading—that set the foundation for becoming a skilled tradesperson.
Quality Control Analysis
Checking welds and finished products to make sure they meet safety and quality standards.
Critical Thinking
Figuring out the best way to solve problems when welds don’t fit, materials react differently, or blueprints are unclear.
Monitoring
Keeping track of your own work and the performance of equipment to make improvements when needed.
Operation & Control
Using welding machines, torches, and other tools safely and effectively.
Active Listening
Paying close attention to instructions from supervisors or teammates to get the job done right the first time.
Coordination
Working alongside others—like fitters, pipefitters, or construction crews—to align tasks and keep projects moving.
To thrive in welding, you’ll need a combination of technical and personal skills. Problem-solving, teamwork, and attention to detail are just as important as handling welding tools. This section highlights the abilities that make welders stand out in the workplace.
Commercial & Institutional Building Construction
Help build schools, hospitals, and office buildings by welding beams, frames, and metal supports that make structures safe and strong.
Guided Missile & Space Vehicle Manufacturing
Use advanced welding techniques to join specialized metals used in aerospace technology, building rockets and spacecraft.
Other Concrete Product Manufacturing
Reinforce concrete products like pipes or panels with welded metal parts to give them extra strength and durability.
Plumbing, Heating, & Air-Conditioning Contractors
Weld and fit metal pipes and systems that carry water, gas, or air—keeping buildings comfortable and running smoothly.
Fabricated Structural Metal Manufacturing
Shape and weld steel parts that go into bridges, towers, factories, and other large metal structures.
Offices of Real Estate Agents & Brokers
Support real estate projects by repairing or fabricating metal structures on properties, from fences to frames—though less common, welders may be called in for building updates or custom improvements.
Welders are needed almost everywhere—factories, construction sites, shipyards, repair shops, and even outdoors on pipelines and power plants. This section gives you a glimpse of the work environments you might find yourself in.
Education & Training
What You Need to Become a Welder, Cutter, Solderer, or Brazer
Getting into welding starts with the right training. Whether through high school CTE programs, certificates, or apprenticeships, there are multiple ways to begin your journey. In this section, you’ll see the key steps, entry options, and training programs available in the Heart of Texas.
Career Entry Options
There’s more than one way to start a welding career. Whether you want to jump in quickly with hands-on training or work toward a degree, there are options that fit your goals.
Regional Training Programs
In the Heart of Texas, you can begin your welding journey througha variety of local training programs designed to give you real-world skills regional employers are looking for—including a dual credit program at Navarro College. Check out the program links below to get started.
- Hill College - Welding Technology Associate Degree
- Navarro College - Dual Credit Production Welder Certtificate
- Navarro College - Entry Level Welding Certificate
- Navarro College - Welding Technology Certificate
- Navarro College - Welding Technology Certificate Level II
- Navarro College - Gas Tungsten & Metal Arc Welding Certificate
- Navarro College - Shield Metal Arc Welding Certificate
- Navarro College - Welding Technology Associate Degree
- TSTC - Welding Technology Associate Degree
- TSTC - Structural Welding CERT1
- TSTC - Welding Advanced Pipe Specialization CERT2
- TSTC - Welding Technology Advanced Processes CERT2
Opportunities & Outlook
Your Future as an Aircraft Mechanic & Service Technician
Welding offers strong job prospects in the Heart of Texas region and beyond. From 2022-2032, employment is expected to grow by 12.9%, with around 124 openings each year. In 2024, there were over 1,000 welding jobs in the Heart of Texas—showing steady demand for skilled professionals.
Projected Growth
2024 Job Size
New Jobs Each Year
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Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technologists and Technicians
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First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
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Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
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$16.23
$33,755
12.9%
High school diploma or equivalent
Hill College, Navarro College, TSTC Waco Campus