Welder Hourly Pay in Gainesville, FL: $23.62 (2026)
Quick Answer:Hourly pay for a welder working in Gainesville, FL runs $23.62 at the median for 2026 — annualizing to $49,114 at a standard 2,080-hour year. Figures projected from BLS OEWS 2025 (SOC 51-4121). Weighted against Gainesville's regional price level (BEA RPP 96.7, 3% below national), each hour of work buys what $24.41 nationally would. A 24-hour part-time schedule grosses $29,473 per year.
Official BLS data · View source
Welders in Gainesville, Florida, can expect a median hourly pay of $23.62, which is notably lower than the national median of $26.87. This hourly rate offers reasonable compensation, particularly for part-time professionals working about three days a week, where the earnings can support a modest lifestyle. For instance, common settings such as fabrication shop production lines or pipeline trench welding stations often see workers earning between $18.97 and $30.21 per hour, depending on experience and expertise. This structured pay scale provides variances where entry-level welders might start closer to $18.97, while experienced welders, especially those in specialized roles like rig welding or nuclear maintenance, can approach the higher end of the spectrum.
Welder Hourly Wage Breakdown
| Percentile | Hourly Rate | Per 8hr Shift |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (P10) | $18.97 | $151.74 |
| Lower Range (P25) | $22.26 | $178.11 |
| Median (P50) | $23.62 | $188.93 |
| Upper Range (P75) | $26.30 | $210.39 |
| Top Earners (P90) | $30.21 | $241.67 |
Estimated Annual Income by Work Schedule in Gainesville
Based on $23.62/hr median hourly rate · 2026 est.
At $23.62/hr, a welder working full-time (40 hr/wk) in Gainesville, FL can expect to earn approximately $49,122 per year (2026 est.). Part-time hygienists working 24 hours per week would earn around $28,339. With a cost-of-living index of 96.73 (below the national average), these earnings stretch further in Gainesville.
Hourly Rate Calculator
Schedule Comparison in Gainesville
| Schedule | Weekly | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-Time (40 hrs) | $944.65 | $4,093 | $49,122 |
| Part-Time (24 hrs) | $566.79 | $2,456 | $29,473 |
| Per Diem (16 hrs) | $377.86 | $1,637 | $19,649 |
Compare WLD Wages With Similar Roles
| Role | Median Hourly |
|---|---|
| Welder (Gainesville) | $23.62 |
| Machinist (National Avg) | $25.72 |
| Sheet Metal Worker (National Avg) | $28.93 |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanic (National Avg) | $29.53 |
| Boilermaker (National Avg) | $35.08 |
Welders in Gainesville, FL earn a median of $49,114 per year (2026 est.), which is 12.13% lower than the national median of $55,895 and 5.30% below the Florida state average of $51,863.
Welder Hourly Pay vs. Cost of Living
Working 24h/week at $23.62/hr = $29,473/year (purchasing power: $30,468).
Working 40h/week (full-time) = $49,122/year (purchasing power: $50,781).
CoL index: 96.733 (100 = national average). Your dollars stretch further here.
2019 BLS Actual
$17.17/hr
2025 BLS Actual
$22.71/hr
2026 Current Est.
$23.62/hr
2019–2027 Growth
+43.0%
Hourly Rate Trajectory for Welders in Gainesville (2019–2027)
2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 3.99% projection.
| Year | Hourly Rate | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $17.17/hr | Actual |
| 2020 | $17.46/hr | Actual |
| 2021 | $18.23/hr | Actual |
| 2022 | $21.63/hr | Actual |
| 2023 | $21.90/hr | Actual |
| 2024 | $22.47/hr | Actual |
| 2025 | $22.71/hr | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $23.62/hr | Estimated |
| 2027 | $24.56/hr | Projected |
Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS metropolitan area data, the median hourly rate for welders in Gainesville grew 32.3% from $17.17/hr (2019) to $22.71/hr (2025). At a 3.99% projected growth rate, hourly pay is expected to reach $24.56/hr by 2027. Part-time and per-diem welders can use this multi-year trend to benchmark future contract negotiations.
Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Gainesville metropolitan area, sourced from annual Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. 2026–2026 figures are current estimates, and 2027 values are projections, calculated using a 3.99% CAGR derived from 7-year BLS historical data. Actual salaries may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.
Working as an Hourly Welder in Gainesville
Analyzing the financial landscape for welders in this region reveals that part-time workers earning $23.62 an hour, working 24 hours a week, would take home about $29,022 annually. This contrasts starkly with full-time welders who can earn significantly more. Many per diem welders in Gainesville accrue additional earnings, stacking daily allowances of $80-$175 on top of their base pay, especially in high-demand sectors like oil and gas. The differences in pay can also be pronounced between employer types; structural welding jobs might offer lower rates than those in the aerospace or nuclear sectors, where advanced certifications greatly influence earning potential. Furthermore, welders navigating benefits packages may find themselves trading off hourly rates for health insurance coverage, leading to unique negotiation scenarios based on personal needs and market demands. Understanding these dynamics helps welders in Gainesville strategically position themselves in a competitive field.
More salary data for Gainesville, FL:
Frequently Asked Questions
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Written by James Mendoza, AWS Certified Welder
Career Analyst
James has over 10 years of experience in welding. He specializes in MIG and TIG welding. He has worked in various manufacturing settings.
Methodology & Data Source
Hourly wage figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. A 3.99% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to estimate current 2026 hourly rates for welders in Gainesville. Part-time and full-time income estimates assume consistent weekly hours and do not account for overtime, benefits, or seasonal variation.
Data Sources & Methodology
Source: BLS, OEWS, 7-year dataset (–). Per-city data from annual BLS metropolitan area surveys.
2026 figures are projected from 2025 BLS data using a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.99%, derived from historical BLS wage trends for welders (SOC 51-4121).
Compiled and verified by James Mendoza, AWS Certified Welder, a licensed welder with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov