Welders, Cutters & Solderers salary in Charleston, SC
Median pay for welders, cutters & solderers in Charleston, SC: $49,000/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $39,540 – $64,360 · about 1,210 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($48,615) by +$385 (+1%).
What it's really worth in Charleston
With Charleston's cost of living at 101 (US=100), that $49,000 has the buying power of about $48,468 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $77,460 · median home $435,877 · median rent $2,024/mo.
How Charleston ranks for this job
On raw pay, Charleston, SC is 87th of the 186 metros we hold welders, cutters & solderers wages for. Once Charleston's cost of living is applied, it ranks 146th.
The headline number flatters Charleston. Once housing and everyday costs are taken into account, welders, cutters & solderers here keep less of what they earn than the raw salary implies.
What that salary buys in Charleston
A median home in Charleston, SC costs $435,877 — about 8.9× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is harder here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $2,024/mo works out at 50% of gross pay — above the conventional 30% affordability ceiling, so renting would stretch this salary.
Where welders, cutters & solderers earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Charleston.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Charleston | Rent vs Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | $76,540 | +56% | 1.5× |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $70,010 | +43% | 0.7× |
| Bremerton, WA | $66,310 | +35% | 1× |
| Virginia Beach, VA | $63,630 | +30% | 0.9× |
Same job elsewhere in SC
| Metro | Median pay | vs Charleston | Rent vs Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spartanburg, SC | $49,760 | +2% | 0.7× |
| Greenville, SC | $46,540 | −5% | 0.8× |
| Columbia, SC | $46,490 | −5% | 0.8× |
| Myrtle Beach, SC | $46,300 | −6% | 0.9× |
Staying in SC keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires welders, cutters & solderers around Charleston
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Boeing · Aerospace/Defense
Other jobs in Charleston
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 186 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.