WAGE DATA · SOC 51-4121

WELDER PAY
IN COLORADO.

Colorado welders earn a median of $27.50/hr (BLS 2024). 4,470 workers employed statewide. Compare market wages, federal prevailing rates, and per-diem baselines below.

// BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS · STATEWIDEOEWS · MAY 2024
HOURLY MEDIAN
$27.50/hr
MEAN HOURLY
$28.46/hr
ANNUAL MEDIAN
$57K
EMPLOYED
4,470
10th · $21.19MEDIAN · $27.5090th · $37.35
// DAVIS-BACON · FEDERAL PREVAILING WAGEDATA SOON

Federal Davis-Bacon prevailing wage rates for welders in Colorado will be imported from SAM.gov in our next data refresh. These are the legally-required minimum wages on federally-funded construction projects — crucial for comparing offers against the federal floor.

// GSA PER DIEM · FY 2026GSA

Lodging + M&IE by City

The federal government's per-diem rate is the baseline most contractors use. If your job's per diem is below this, you're subsidizing the contractor.

Aspen
Pitkin
$366
/day · meals $92
Vail
Eagle
$358
/day · meals $92
Telluride
San Miguel
$331
/day · meals $92
Silverthorne / Breckenridge
Summit
$294
/day · meals $92
Steamboat Springs
Routt
$290
/day · meals $92
Denver / Aurora
Denver / Adams / Arapahoe / Jefferson
$286
/day · meals $92
Crested Butte / Gunnison
Gunnison
$240
/day · meals $86
Grand Lake
Grand
$237
/day · meals $86
Montrose
Montrose
$230
/day · meals $74
Boulder / Broomfield
Boulder / Broomfield
$229
/day · meals $80
Durango
La Plata
$222
/day · meals $80
Colorado Springs
El Paso
$220
/day · meals $86
// ROADHAND COMMUNITY DATABE FIRST

What are workers actually earning?

Government data is a baseline. Real take-home pay — including per diem, OT rules, housing allowances — comes from workers on the ground. Submit your pay anonymously to help the next hand.

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OTHER TRADES IN COLORADO

ElectricianPipefitterIronworkerMillwrightBoilermakerCarpenterOperating EngineerPlumberInsulator

WELDER PAY IN OTHER STATES

AlaskaCaliforniaLouisianaMontanaNew MexicoNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaPennsylvaniaTexasWest VirginiaWyoming

FAQ

How much does a welder earn in Colorado?+
According to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (2024), welders in Colorado earn a median of $27.50/hr. That's roughly $57K/year for a full-time schedule at straight time.
What's the top pay for welders in Colorado?+
The top 10% of welders in Colorado earn more than $37.35/hr (BLS 2024). That represents experienced workers, supervisors, or those on high-per-diem travel contracts.
How many welders work in Colorado?+
BLS reports 4,470 welders employed in Colorado as of 2024. Numbers fluctuate with major construction cycles — when big projects like LNG terminals or data centers start, demand spikes.
Do welders in Colorado get per diem?+
Per diem is standard on travel contracts. The federal GSA baseline for Colorado is typically $150-$260/day depending on the city. Contractors may set their per diem higher or lower — if it's below the GSA floor, you're subsidizing the contractor's housing budget out of pocket.
What's Davis-Bacon prevailing wage?+
Davis-Bacon rates are the legally-required minimum wages on federally-funded construction projects — base pay plus fringe benefits. Every contractor working a federal job must pay at least the Davis-Bacon rate for that county and trade. Private-sector jobs don't have to match, but many do as a competitive floor.