Side-by-side distribution
Plumber
$34.19/hr
per hour · USD
- Disclosing
- 47.9%
- Live roles
- 351
Welder
$26.00/hr
per hour · USD
- Disclosing
- 41%
- Live roles
- 769
Highest-paying jobs
1099 Master Plumber
1099 Master Plumber
Residential Plumber
1099 Master Plumber
1099 Master Plumber
Residential Service Plumber
1099 Master Plumber
Legacy - Licensed Residential Plumber
Residential Service Plumber
Service Plumber
Highest-paying jobs
Supervisor, Production (Orbital Tube Welder)
Senior Welder and Fabrication Technician
Dual Ticket Machinist - Apprentice Welder - Field
Orbital Tube Welder
Welder
Pipefitter Welder - Colorado Refinery
Welder V
Welder
Welder
Journey-Level Welder
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Renuity
|
$135,200 | 13 |
Mears Group
|
$50,674 | 11 |
| SI Sila | $72,800 | 9 |
Amentum
|
$65,520 | 7 |
|
Ace Hardware
|
$76,290 | 6 |
Superior Contracting & Maintenance
|
$117,000 | 5 |
| GV GE Vernova | $60,570 | 5 |
Comfort Systems USA
|
$67,080 | 4 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Valmont Industries
|
$54,746 | 22 |
Oshkosh Corporation
|
$52,125 | 21 |
The Toro Company
|
$50,648 | 16 |
|
SpaceX
|
$52,000 | 15 |
Chamberlain Group
|
$50,024 | 11 |
Caterpillar
|
$59,810 | 10 |
Terex
|
$49,400 | 10 |
| JC Johnson Controls | $64,459 | 9 |
Plumber salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $83,606 | 5 |
| London | $52,597 | 4 |
Plumber vs Welder: which pays more?
The median for Plumber is $34.19/hr per year (typically $27.50/hr–$40.86/hr), versus $26.00/hr for Welder ($24.00/hr–$29.80/hr). That puts Plumber about 31% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Plumber and Welder are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.