Welders, Cutters & Solderers salary in Raleigh, NC
Median pay for welders, cutters & solderers in Raleigh, NC: $49,370/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $38,530 – $69,100 · about 1,020 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($48,615) by +$755 (+2%).
What it's really worth in Raleigh
With Raleigh's cost of living at 98 (US=100), that $49,370 has the buying power of about $50,196 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $91,818 · median home $438,364 · median rent $1,694/mo.
How Raleigh ranks for this job
On raw pay, Raleigh, NC is 74th of the 186 metros we hold welders, cutters & solderers wages for. Once Raleigh's cost of living is applied, it ranks 117th.
The headline number flatters Raleigh. 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 Raleigh
A median home in Raleigh, NC costs $438,364 — 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 $1,694/mo works out at 41% 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 Raleigh.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Raleigh | Rent vs Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | $76,540 | +55% | 1.8× |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $70,010 | +42% | 0.8× |
| Bremerton, WA | $66,310 | +34% | 1.2× |
| Virginia Beach, VA | $63,630 | +29% | 1.1× |
Same job elsewhere in NC
| Metro | Median pay | vs Raleigh | Rent vs Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham, NC | $49,520 | +0% | 1× |
| Charlotte, NC | $49,210 | +0% | 1× |
| Greensboro, NC | $48,520 | −2% | 0.8× |
| Wilmington, NC | $48,100 | −3% | 1× |
Staying in NC keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Other jobs in Raleigh
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.