Skilled Trades
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Set up, operate, or tend welding, soldering, or brazing machines or robots that weld, braze, solder, or heat treat metal products, components, or assemblies. Includes workers who operate laser cutters or laser-beam machines.
Median salary
$47,060
Typical range
$36k – $66k
Job outlook
See national outlook
AI exposure
Plan a path to Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Education
Typical entry: No degree required
Plan my path to this →Typical progression
Junior Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Entry / Junior
$35,780
~2 yrs to advance
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Established
$47,060
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Senior
$56,625
Key skills
A typical day
- •Read blueprints, work orders, or production schedules to determine product or job instructions or specifications.
- •Inspect, measure, or test completed metal workpieces to ensure conformance to specifications, using measuring and testing devices.
- •Record operational information on specified production reports.
- •Correct problems by adjusting controls or by stopping machines and opening holding devices.
- •Set up, operate, or tend welding machines that join or bond components to fabricate metal products or assemblies.
Fields of study
Any field
Top colleges for Skilled Trades
Explore all- Purdue University50% admit · $78,000 grad pay
- Ohio State University53% admit · $68,000 grad pay
- Pennsylvania State University55% admit · $70,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.