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Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: Career Profile
Set up, operate, or tend welding, soldering, or brazing machines or robots that weld, braze, solder, or heat treat metal products, components, or assemblies. Includes workers who operate laser cutters or laser-beam machines.
What Tasks Do Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Take On?
Typical responsibilities of welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders span:
- Read blueprints, work orders, or production schedules to determine product or job instructions or specifications.
- Inspect, measure, or test completed metal workpieces to ensure conformance to specifications, using measuring and testing devices.
- Record operational information on specified production reports.
- Correct problems by adjusting controls or by stopping machines and opening holding devices.
- Set up, operate, or tend welding machines that join or bond components to fabricate metal products or assemblies.
- Select torch tips, alloys, flux, coil, tubing, or wire, according to metal types or thicknesses, data charts, or records.
- Lay out, fit, or connect parts to be bonded, calculating production measurements, as necessary.
- Prepare metal surfaces or workpieces, using hand-operated equipment, such as grinders, cutters, or drills.
What Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Need to Know
Successful welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Aluminum Welder
- Arc Welding Machine Operator
- Arc and Gas Welder
- Billet Assembler
- Braze Operator
- Brazing Machine Operator
- Brazing Machine Setter
- Brazing Machine Setter Operator
Job Outlook
There are about 229,159 welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +12.7% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $50,993 |
| Hourly median | $24.52 |
| 10th percentile | $30,603 |
| 25th percentile | $40,798 |
| 75th percentile | $61,188 |
| 90th percentile | $71,383 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $78,460 |
| Alaska | $76,860 |
| Louisiana | $66,660 |
| Maryland | $62,560 |
| Minnesota | $57,830 |
| Kentucky | $57,590 |
| New Jersey | $57,140 |
| Connecticut | $56,750 |
| Colorado | $53,580 |
| Nebraska | $53,290 |
| Iowa | $52,100 |
| Oregon | $51,390 |
| Texas | $51,220 |
| South Dakota | $50,920 |
| Massachusetts | $49,920 |
| Illinois | $48,750 |
| Wisconsin | $48,170 |
| Arizona | $48,010 |
| Ohio | $47,830 |
| Missouri | $47,770 |
| Idaho | $47,550 |
| Utah | $47,320 |
| Virginia | $47,310 |
| California | $47,180 |
| New York | $46,890 |
| North Carolina | $46,660 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,530 |
| West Virginia | $46,370 |
| Nevada | $46,330 |
| New Hampshire | $46,050 |
| Kansas | $45,880 |
| Rhode Island | $45,870 |
| South Carolina | $45,640 |
| Tennessee | $45,600 |
| Maine | $45,160 |
| Arkansas | $43,700 |
| Georgia | $43,500 |
| Vermont | $42,280 |
| Oklahoma | $41,780 |
| Mississippi | $41,490 |
| Michigan | $40,470 |
| Florida | $39,790 |
| Indiana | $38,970 |
| Alabama | $37,310 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Pay for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plains States | $52,003 | 10.0% | 3.02 |
| Middle Atlantic | $50,338 | 6.7% | 0.52 |
| Rocky Mountains | $50,153 | 0.7% | 0.23 |
| New England | $49,779 | 5.0% | 1.24 |
| Southwest | $49,590 | 8.7% | 0.76 |
| Far Western US | $48,726 | 7.9% | 0.54 |
| Southeast | $46,584 | 29.8% | 2.57 |
| Great Lakes | $42,951 | 31.1% | 3.20 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $78,460 | 60 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | MD | $64,720 | 60 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $61,320 | 450 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $61,140 | 120 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | CO | $59,910 | 50 |
| Chambersburg, PA | PA | $59,110 | 30 |
| Jefferson City, MO | MO | $57,420 | 60 |
| Ames, IA | IA | $56,850 | 70 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 30,940 | $47,000 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1,700 | $48,440 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1,460 | $39,780 |
| Construction | 960 | $45,120 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 410 | $73,630 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 270 | $55,860 |
| Utilities | 120 | $94,100 |
| Retail Trade | 120 | $35,710 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Operating system software: Linux (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Time Pressure
Getting Started in This Career
Typical welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders positions require some college, no degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers (Supplemental)
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics (Primary-Long)
- Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers (Primary-Short)
- Electrical and Electronic Equipment Assemblers (Primary-Long)
- Engine and Other Machine Assemblers (Supplemental)
- Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters (Primary-Short)
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Long)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Aspiring welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders typically earn programs in:
Precision Production
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 51-4122.00 (Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders).
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