Welders, Cutters & Solderers salary in Chattanooga, TN
Median pay for welders, cutters & solderers in Chattanooga, TN: $47,280/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $36,560 – $63,660 · about 1,720 employed locally
Below the typical metro median ($48,615) by −$1,335 (-3%).
What it's really worth in Chattanooga
With Chattanooga's cost of living at 92 (US=100), that $47,280 has the buying power of about $51,197 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $65,387 · median home $326,370 · median rent $1,530/mo.
How Chattanooga ranks for this job
On raw pay, Chattanooga, TN is 123rd of the 186 metros we hold welders, cutters & solderers wages for. Once Chattanooga's cost of living is applied, it ranks 97th.
Pay here goes further than the headline number suggests — Chattanooga is one of the places where welders, cutters & solderers gain ground in real terms, because local costs are low relative to what the job pays.
What that salary buys in Chattanooga
A median home in Chattanooga, TN costs $326,370 — about 6.9× 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 $1,530/mo works out at 39% 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 Chattanooga.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Chattanooga | Rent vs Chattanooga |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | $76,540 | +62% | 1.9× |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $70,010 | +48% | 0.9× |
| Bremerton, WA | $66,310 | +40% | 1.3× |
| Virginia Beach, VA | $63,630 | +35% | 1.2× |
Same job elsewhere in TN
| Metro | Median pay | vs Chattanooga | Rent vs Chattanooga |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarksville, TN | $49,190 | +4% | 0.9× |
| Kingsport, TN | $49,080 | +4% | 0.9× |
| Nashville, TN | $47,110 | +0% | 1.2× |
| Memphis, TN | $45,260 | −4% | 0.9× |
Staying in TN keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires welders, cutters & solderers around Chattanooga
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Volkswagen Group of America · Manufacturing
- McKee Foods · Manufacturing
Other jobs in Chattanooga
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.