National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Welders earn a national median of $47,990/year vs Paralegals at $59,200/year. Paralegals earn 23% more nationally. The gap is $11,210 per year — or $934 per month.
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Welder
$47,990
national median/year
$3,999/mo • $23/hr
VS
Paralegal
$59,200
national median/year
$4,933/mo • $28/hr
Annual salary gap
$11,210
Paralegals earn 23% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $127,069.
Best states for Paralegals
vs Welders
California+$19,210
Maryland+$15,210
New York+$15,210
Massachusetts+$13,210
Virginia+$13,210
Best states for Welders
vs Paralegals
North Dakota+$12,790
Alaska+$10,790
Wyoming+$10,790
Louisiana+$6,790
West Virginia+$4,790
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Paralegals earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Welders is $47,990 versus $59,200 for Paralegals — a difference of $11,210 per year or $934 per month.
The national median salary gap between Welders and Paralegals is $11,210 per year. Paralegals earn 23% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $127,069.
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 Paralegals the highest median salary at $76,200 per year.
Salary is one factor — Paralegals earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers and Paralegals and Legal Assistants 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 Paralegals earn approximately $28 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.
