National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Welders earn a national median of $47,990/year vs Operations Managers at $107,580/year. Operations Managers earn 124% more nationally. The gap is $59,590 per year — or $4,966 per month.
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Welder
$47,990
national median/year
$3,999/mo • $23/hr
VS
Operations Manager
$107,580
national median/year
$8,965/mo • $52/hr
Annual salary gap
$59,590
Operations Managers earn 124% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $675,470.
Best states for Operations Managers
vs Welders
California+$81,590
New York+$77,590
Massachusetts+$73,590
Virginia+$71,590
Maryland+$69,590
Best states for Welders
vs Operations Managers
North Dakota+$-23,590
Wyoming+$-27,590
Alaska+$-29,590
Louisiana+$-31,590
West Virginia+$-31,590
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Operations Managers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Welders is $47,990 versus $107,580 for Operations Managers — a difference of $59,590 per year or $4,966 per month.
The national median salary gap between Welders and Operations Managers is $59,590 per year. Operations Managers earn 124% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $675,470.
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 Operations Managers the highest median salary at $138,580 per year.
Salary is one factor — Operations Managers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers and General and Operations Managers 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 Operations Managers earn approximately $52 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.
