National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Registered Nurses earn a national median of $93,600/year vs Welders at $47,990/year. Registered Nurses earn 49% more nationally. The gap is $45,610 per year — or $3,801 per month.
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Registered Nurse
$93,600
national median/year
$7,800/mo • $45/hr
VS
Welder
$47,990
national median/year
$3,999/mo • $23/hr
Annual salary gap
$45,610
Registered Nurses earn 49% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $517,003.
Best states for Welders
vs Registered Nurses
North Dakota+$-16,210
Louisiana+$-21,410
Wyoming+$-21,410
Oklahoma+$-23,010
West Virginia+$-23,010
Best states for Registered Nurses
vs Welders
California+$76,310
Oregon+$53,410
Washington+$53,410
Massachusetts+$51,010
Hawaii+$49,810
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Registered Nurses earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Registered Nurses is $93,600 versus $47,990 for Welders — a difference of $45,610 per year or $3,801 per month.
The national median salary gap between Registered Nurses and Welders is $45,610 per year. Registered Nurses earn 49% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $517,003.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Registered Nurses the highest median salary at $133,300 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, Alaska pays Welders the highest median salary at $66,990 per year.
Salary is one factor — Registered Nurses earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Registered Nurses and Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Registered Nurses earn approximately $45 per hour nationally and Welders earn approximately $23 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
