Career comparison
Welder vs. Electrician
Electricians earn more: a median of $63,190, $9,440 (18%) above welders at $53,750.
Electricians have the stronger outlook: +9% projected growth through 2035, vs. +2%.
Getting in is faster for welders: about 9 months vs. 4.6 years for someone with a bachelor's in another field.
At a glance
| Welder | Electrician | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $53,750 | $63,190 |
| Top 10% earn over | $77,530 | $108,510 |
| Growth to 2035 | +2% | +9% |
| Openings per year | 40,300 | 72,700 |
| Jobs today | 437,700 | 821,000 |
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Time to qualify* | 9 months | 4.6 years |
| Training cost* | $5.3K–$22K | $100–$5.5K |
* Starting from a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025. Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35.
Pay
Welder
Electrician
Switching from one to the other
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Getting in
Welder
- Entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
Required: AWS welding certifications (per process and position)
Electrician
- Entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Apprenticeship
- Prior experience
- None
Required: Journeyman electrician license exam (most states)
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Welder: 35% usually work over 40 hours a weekElectrician: 35% usually work over 40 hours a week
Welder: core tasks
- Operate safety equipment and use safe work habits.
- Examine workpieces for defects and measure workpieces with straightedges or templates to ensure conformance with specifications.
- Weld components in flat, vertical, or overhead positions.
- Detect faulty operation of equipment or defective materials and notify supervisors.
- Recognize, set up, and operate hand and power tools common to the welding trade, such as shielded metal arc and gas metal arc welding equipment.
Electrician: core tasks
- Prepare sketches or follow blueprints to determine the location of wiring or equipment and to ensure conformance to building and safety codes.
- Place conduit, pipes, or tubing, inside designated partitions, walls, or other concealed areas, and pull insulated wires or cables through the conduit to complete circuits between boxes.
- Work from ladders, scaffolds, or roofs to install, maintain, or repair electrical wiring, equipment, or fixtures.
- Use a variety of tools or equipment, such as power construction equipment, measuring devices, power tools, and testing equipment, such as oscilloscopes, ammeters, or test lamps.
- Assemble, install, test, or maintain electrical or electronic wiring, equipment, appliances, apparatus, or fixtures, using hand tools or power tools.
Skills: what carries over
Both rely on: Quality Control Analysis, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Active Listening, Speaking, Reading Comprehension.
New for a welder moving to electrician: Troubleshooting, Repairing, Active Learning, Installation.
New for an electrician moving to welder: Monitoring, Operations Monitoring, Time Management, Operation and Control.
Interests (Holland codes): Welder: Realistic, Conventional, Investigative. Electrician: Realistic, Conventional, Investigative.
Outlook to 2035, and AI
Welder
+2%
about as fast as average · 40,300 openings a year
BLS lists no specific factors, including AI, changing demand for this job.
Electrician
+9%
faster than average · 72,700 openings a year
BLS lists no specific factors, including AI, changing demand for this job.
Quoted notes: BLS Employment Projections, factors affecting occupational utilization (Table 1.12). Average growth across all jobs: +3.5%.
Questions people ask
Who makes more, a welder or an electrician?
Electricians earn more: a median of $63,190, $9,440 (18%) above welders at $53,750.
Which has the better job outlook?
Electricians have the stronger outlook: +9% projected growth through 2035, vs. +2%.
How long does it take to become an electrician?
For someone with a bachelor's degree in another field, about 4.6 years, with tuition of roughly $100 to $5,500. Required: Journeyman electrician license exam (most states).
How long does it take to become a welder?
For someone with a bachelor's degree in another field, about 9 months, with tuition of roughly $5,300 to $21,500. Required: AWS welding certifications (per process and position).