National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Welders earn a national median of $47,990/year vs Nurses at $89,010/year. Nurses earn 85% more nationally. The gap is $41,020 per year — or $3,418 per month.
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Welder
$47,990
national median/year
$3,999/mo • $23/hr
VS
Nurse
$89,010
national median/year
$7,418/mo • $43/hr
Annual salary gap
$41,020
Nurses earn 85% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $464,974.
Best states for Nurses
vs Welders
California+$74,480
Hawaii+$43,330
Washington+$43,330
Connecticut+$42,330
Oregon+$42,330
Best states for Welders
vs Nurses
North Dakota+$-13,330
South Dakota+$-17,330
Louisiana+$-18,330
Oklahoma+$-18,330
Wyoming+$-19,330
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Nurses earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Welders is $47,990 versus $89,010 for Nurses — a difference of $41,020 per year or $3,418 per month.
The national median salary gap between Welders and Nurses is $41,020 per year. Nurses earn 85% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $464,974.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, Alaska pays Welders the highest median salary at $66,990 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Nurses the highest median salary at $131,470 per year.
Salary is one factor — Nurses earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers and Registered Nurses 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, Welders earn approximately $23 per hour nationally and Nurses earn approximately $43 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.
