Welder salary and the national full‑time average
If you’re looking for a precise welder salary figure, the most authoritative source – the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours – does not publish median weekly earnings for the occupation Welders (First Class) (ANZSCO 322313). Jobs and Skills Australia notes that median weekly earnings are not available for six‑digit ANZSCO occupations, so we cannot give you a single number. Instead, this article explains where a welder’s pay is likely to sit against the Australian full‑time average, using the benchmarks we do have.
The national full‑time average: $108,352 per year
The ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026 reports that full‑time adult ordinary‑time earnings averaged $2,083.70 per week. Multiplied by 52 weeks, that’s about $108,352 a year. This is the ‘line’ on Average line – the figure every salary is measured against. For context:
- Men’s full‑time ordinary‑time average: $2,181.00 per week ($113,412 per year)
- Women’s full‑time ordinary‑time average: $1,934.50 per week ($100,594 per year)
- Full‑time median (all employees): about $90,532 per year (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025)
- All‑employees median: about $74,100 per year
These are the key reference points. A welder’s salary will almost certainly fall somewhere between the national minimum wage and the full‑time average, but without a published median we can only estimate.
What we know about welders from official sources
Jobs and Skills Australia’s profile for Welders (First Class) (based on the 2021 Census and the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025) tells us:
- 19,900 employed
- 87% work full‑time
- Average full‑time hours: 44 per week (same as all occupations)
- Median age: 42
- Female share: 1%
Importantly, the median weekly earnings field is marked ‘N/A’. The ABS does not release median earnings for six‑digit occupations because the sample sizes are too small to be reliable. For a broader group – Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers (ANZSCO 3223) – a median may be available, but it is not included in the search results we have.
Where welders sit against the national average
Without a direct median, we can look at industry and award context. The ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026, shows that the ‘Other services’ industry (which includes some repair and maintenance) has a full‑time ordinary‑time average of $1,621.70 per week – well below the national average. However, welders are more commonly employed in manufacturing, construction, or mining. The ABS industry breakdown for ‘Manufacturing’ is not shown in the search results, but the national private‑sector full‑time average is $2,034.10 per week ($105,773 per year).
A welder’s actual pay is typically set by an award or enterprise agreement. The Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award 2020, for example, has minimum rates that increase with skill level. From 1 July 2026, the national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour ($1,004.90 per week, $52,255 per year on 38 hours). Award minimums rose by 4.75% in the same adjustment. A qualified welder (C10 or C9 classification) would earn more than the minimum, but likely less than the national full‑time average of $108,352. In mining or resources, welders can earn significantly more, sometimes exceeding the average.
State and territory averages
If you’re comparing a welder’s salary in a specific state, here are the full‑time ordinary‑time averages from the ABS (May 2026):
- New South Wales: $2,108.80 per week ($109,658 per year)
- Victoria: $2,041.10 ($106,137)
- Queensland: $2,039.70 ($106,064)
- South Australia: $1,970.20 ($102,450)
- Western Australia: $2,227.40 ($115,825)
- Tasmania: $1,846.30 ($96,008)
- Northern Territory: $1,984.10 ($103,173)
- Australian Capital Territory: $2,290.20 ($119,090)
These figures help you see how a local welder’s wage might compare. For example, a welder in Western Australia earning $110,000 would be slightly below the state average, while the same wage in Tasmania would be well above it.
How to use this site
If you have a specific welder salary in mind – your own or an advertised role – you can place it on the line to see how it compares to the national full‑time average. The tool shows the weekly and hourly equivalent (based on a 38‑hour week) and the distance from the $108,352 benchmark. You can also explore job medians for other trades and professions, or check industry medians to see how different sectors stack up.
The bottom line
Because the ABS does not publish a median weekly earnings figure for Welders (First Class), we cannot give a definitive answer on where the ‘typical’ welder salary sits. What we can say is that the national full‑time average is $108,352, and that welders’ earnings are influenced by award rates, industry, and location. For a personalised comparison, use the line tool with the salary you have.
For more detail on how the figures are set, see How the figures are set. To understand the difference between averages, medians, and minimum wages, visit the Guides section.