National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Teachers earn a national median of $63,680/year vs Welders at $47,990/year. Teachers earn 25% more nationally. The gap is $15,690 per year — or $1,308 per month.
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Teacher
$63,680
national median/year
$5,307/mo • $31/hr
VS
Welder
$47,990
national median/year
$3,999/mo • $23/hr
Annual salary gap
$15,690
Teachers earn 25% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $177,851.
Best states for Welders
vs Teachers
North Dakota+$780
Hawaii+$-1,190
Oklahoma+$-1,830
Alaska+$-1,910
Louisiana+$-2,850
Best states for Teachers
vs Welders
New York+$30,250
California+$29,000
Massachusetts+$27,220
Connecticut+$27,130
Rhode Island+$24,330
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Teachers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Teachers is $63,680 versus $47,990 for Welders — a difference of $15,690 per year or $1,308 per month.
The national median salary gap between Teachers and Welders is $15,690 per year. Teachers earn 25% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $177,851.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, New York pays Teachers the highest median salary at $89,240 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 — Teachers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Elementary and Middle School Teachers 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, Teachers earn approximately $31 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.
