Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Also called: Aluminum Welder, Arc and Gas Welder, Arc Welding Machine Operator, Billet Assembler, Braze Operator, Brazing Machine Operator, Brazing Machine Setter, Brazing Machine Setter Operator
Set up, operate, or tend welding, soldering, or brazing machines or robots that weld, braze, solder, or heat treat metal products, components, or assemblies.
What Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders do
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Select torch tips, alloys, flux, coil, tubing, or wire, according to metal types or thicknesses, data charts, or records.
- Lay out, fit, or connect parts to be bonded, calculating production measurements, as necessary.
- Prepare metal surfaces or workpieces, using hand-operated equipment, such as grinders, cutters, or drills.
- Mark weld points and positions of components on workpieces, using rules, squares, templates, or scribes.
- Set dials and timing controls to regulate electrical current, gas flow pressure, heating or cooling cycles, or shut-off.
- Turn and press knobs and buttons or enter operating instructions into computers to adjust and start welding machines.
- Assemble, align, and clamp workpieces into holding fixtures to bond, heat-treat, or solder fabricated metal components.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary
The median annual wage for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is $47,920 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $36,860 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $66,540. The mean annual wage is $50,220.
The mean hourly wage of $24.00 is 3.3× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $47,920 → in 3 years $51,600 → in 5 years $54,200 → in 10 years $61,300 (10-year range $52,700–$71,100). The model assumes pay growth of +2.5% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Skills, education and requirements for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 2 — some preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★☆☆☆☆ Easy to enter (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.