# Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers

> Use hand-welding, flame-cutting, hand-soldering, or brazing equipment to weld or join metal components or to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/welders-cutters-solderers-and-brazers
- SOC code: 51-4121.00
- Career family: Production
- Median annual pay: $53,750 (10th percentile $39,240, 90th percentile $77,530)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +2.4%
- Openings a year: 40,300
- Typical entry education: High school diploma
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code RCI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 100 |
| Investigative (I) | 18 |
| Artistic (A) | 7 |
| Social (S) | 1 |
| Enterprising (E) | 9 |
| Conventional (C) | 44 |

## What you'd do

- Getting Information (importance 69/100)
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials (importance 66/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 64/100)
- Handling and Moving Objects (importance 62/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 60/100)
- Performing General Physical Activities (importance 58/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 51/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 49/100)
- Controlling Machines and Processes (importance 48/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 46/100)

## Skills

Quality Control Analysis, Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Operations Monitoring, Time Management, Active Listening, Operation and Control, Speaking, Complex Problem Solving

## Knowledge

Production and Processing, Mechanical, Mathematics, English Language, Design, Engineering and Technology, Education and Training, Public Safety and Security, Customer and Personal Service, Administration and Management

## Also called

Acetylene Burner, Acetylene Cutter, Acetylene Operator, Acetylene Torch Burner, Acetylene Torch Operator, Acetylene Torch Solderer, Aluminum Welder, Arc Cutter, Arc Wedler, Arc Welder

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Precision Metal Working](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4805) (CIP 4805, 746 colleges)
- [Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1506) (CIP 1506, 576 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Brigham Young University-Idaho](https://www.collegesref.com/college/brigham-young-university-idaho-304) | Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | $73,259 | $103,769 | $12,943 |
| [SUNY Buffalo State](https://www.collegesref.com/college/suny-buffalo-state-2641) | Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | not reported | $98,018 | not reported |
| [Weber State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/weber-state-university-3186) | Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | $80,213 | $94,454 | not reported |
| [Ferris State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/ferris-state-university-949) | Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | $81,192 | $91,993 | $22,907 |
| [University of Southern Mississippi](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-southern-mississippi-3053) | Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | $82,853 | $89,904 | $27,474 |
| [Texas A & M University-College Station](https://www.collegesref.com/college/texas-a-m-university-college-station-2694) | Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | $75,563 | $89,629 | $20,000 |
| [California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo SLO](https://www.collegesref.com/college/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo-slo-360) | Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | $78,209 | $89,195 | not reported |
| [Northern Kentucky University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/northern-kentucky-university-1928) | Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | $78,309 | $88,492 | $21,706 |

## Related careers

- [Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/welding-soldering-and-brazing-machine-setters-operators-and-tenders): $47,920 median pay
- [Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/structural-metal-fabricators-and-fitters): $51,330 median pay
- [Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/aircraft-structure-surfaces-rigging-and-systems-assemblers): $65,380 median pay
- [Engine and Other Machine Assemblers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/engine-and-other-machine-assemblers): $53,710 median pay
- [Boilermakers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/boilermakers): $76,410 median pay
- [Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/electric-motor-power-tool-and-related-repairers): $56,210 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.