Welders, Cutters & Solderers salary in Lancaster, PA
Median pay for welders, cutters & solderers in Lancaster, PA: $48,400/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $38,140 – $62,010 · about 1,170 employed locally
Below the typical metro median ($48,615) by −$215 (+0%).
What it's really worth in Lancaster
With Lancaster's cost of living at 97 (US=100), that $48,400 has the buying power of about $50,024 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $81,458 · median home $388,207 · median rent $1,526/mo.
How Lancaster ranks for this job
On raw pay, Lancaster, PA is 98th of the 186 metros we hold welders, cutters & solderers wages for. Once Lancaster's cost of living is applied, it ranks 122nd.
The headline number flatters Lancaster. Once housing and everyday costs are taken into account, welders, cutters & solderers here keep less of what they earn than the raw salary implies.
What that salary buys in Lancaster
A median home in Lancaster, PA costs $388,207 — about 8× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is harder here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,526/mo works out at 38% of gross pay — above the conventional 30% affordability ceiling, so renting would stretch this salary.
Where welders, cutters & solderers earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Lancaster.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Lancaster | Rent vs Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | $76,540 | +58% | 2× |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $70,010 | +45% | 0.9× |
| Bremerton, WA | $66,310 | +37% | 1.4× |
| Virginia Beach, VA | $63,630 | +31% | 1.2× |
Same job elsewhere in PA
| Metro | Median pay | vs Lancaster | Rent vs Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PA | $54,080 | +12% | 1.3× |
| Allentown, PA | $50,430 | +4% | 1.2× |
| Harrisburg, PA | $50,310 | +4% | 1× |
| Reading, PA | $49,920 | +3% | 1× |
Staying in PA keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Other jobs in Lancaster
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 186 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.