Pay guide
Welder Salary UK: What Welders Really Earn in 2026
Welder pay guidance from the National Careers Service runs from £25,000 to £45,000 a year, from starter to experienced.
| Measure | Pay or hours |
|---|---|
| Starter guidance | £25,000 a year |
| Experienced guidance | £45,000 a year |
| Typical working week | 40 to 46 hours |
A career range, not a measured current average, wage ceiling or self-employed day rate. NCS is England’s careers service; these figures do not establish separate regional or UK-nation rates.
Sources: National Careers Service: Welder (checked ).
Last checked . How we check facts.
The provisional ONS 2026 median for full-time welding trades is £35,977 a year, about £2,998 a month before tax. For an offer today, compare the process and qualifications required, guaranteed paid hours, shifts and overtime. The hourly advert figures below describe June to August 2026; they are historical evidence, not current offers.
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Welder pay by type
ONS 2026 full-time welding trades; NCS starter-to-experienced guidance; UKTJ Pay Index, 411 hourly adverts from 1 June to 7 August 2026. Monthly figures divide annual pay by 12. Weekly examples assume 40 paid hours, before tax.
- Pay measure
- Full-time employees (ONS)
- Annual or hourly pay
- £35,977 median a year
- Month or week
- About £2,998 a month
- Pay measure
- Starter to experienced (NCS)
- Annual or hourly pay
- £25,000 to £45,000 a year
- Month or week
- About £2,083 to £3,750 a month
- Pay measure
- Hourly welder adverts (UKTJ)
- Annual or hourly pay
- £17 median; middle half £15.25 to £19
- Month or week
- £680 a week at 40 paid hours
| Pay measure | Annual or hourly pay | Month or week |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time employees (ONS) | £35,977 median a year | About £2,998 a month |
| Starter to experienced (NCS) | £25,000 to £45,000 a year | About £2,083 to £3,750 a month |
| Hourly welder adverts (UKTJ) | £17 median; middle half £15.25 to £19 | £680 a week at 40 paid hours |
Sources checked 7 October 2026. How we review.
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Search by area and type: pipe, coded, TIG or fabrication.
See welder jobsWelder pay per year, month and hour
The National Careers Service gives £25,000 to £45,000 from starter to experienced. This is career guidance, rather than a measured average.
In the UKTJ Pay Index, 411 hourly welder adverts had a £17 median. At 40 paid hours that is £680 gross for a week. The £15.25 to £19 middle half describes half the adverts, not the full range.
Coded and pipe welder pay
Our 7 October advert check did not produce a sufficiently reliable separate pay estimate for coded or pipe welders. Some keyword matches said coding was optional or not required, and some pipe jobs did not require welding.
Compare the actual advertised rates in coded welder jobs, pipe welder jobs, TIG jobs and fabricator welder jobs. Offshore and underwater pay also need separate evidence; use the offshore welding route for entry requirements.
Overtime and contract work
Contract rates stop when the job does. Before swapping a staff job for a higher hourly rate, establish how many weeks and paid hours are guaranteed.
Going self-employed? Use the day-rate calculator with your expected paid days and costs.
Sources and method
UKTJ Pay Index: frozen 1 June to 7 August 2026 aggregate, 411 hourly welder adverts. Original advert rows were not retained. This is separate from the 7 October public search pull, whose specialist estimates were omitted after checking role and pay quality.
National Careers Service: £25,000 to £45,000 starter-to-experienced guidance, 40 to 46 hours. TWI welder approval: qualification scope and continued validity.
AI-assisted source recheck by UK Trade Jobs, 24 October 2026 (London). Earlier 7 October advert checks remain historical; no new advert sample was collected. How we review.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average welder salary in the UK?▼
The 2026 provisional ONS median for full-time welding trades was £35,977 a year. The middle half earned about £30,000 to £42,600. NCS gives £25,000 to £45,000 as starter-to-experienced career guidance.
How much do welders earn a month?▼
About £2,998 gross when £35,977 is divided by 12. NCS annual guidance of £25,000 to £45,000 converts to about £2,083 to £3,750 a month before tax.
How much do welders earn an hour?▼
The UKTJ Pay Index recorded a £17 median across 411 hourly welder adverts from June to August 2026. The middle half was £15.25 to £19. At 40 paid hours, £17 gives £680 gross a week.
Do coded welders earn more?▼
This review does not establish a separate coded-welder average or a guaranteed premium. Compare roles requiring your actual process, material and position, and the paid hours and test costs in each offer.
How much do pipe welders earn in the UK?▼
The general welding figures above do not establish a pipe-welder-only rate. The 7 October advert check included mixed pipefitting and welding roles, so no separate estimate is published. See current pipe welder adverts and their pay.
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