Welders, Cutters & Solderers salary in Memphis, TN
Median pay for welders, cutters & solderers in Memphis, TN: $45,260/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $31,900 – $65,020 · about 1,450 employed locally
Below the typical metro median ($48,615) by −$3,355 (-7%).
What it's really worth in Memphis
With Memphis's cost of living at 92 (US=100), that $45,260 has the buying power of about $49,224 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $62,178 · median home $247,229 · median rent $1,441/mo.
How Memphis ranks for this job
On raw pay, Memphis, TN is 167th of the 186 metros we hold welders, cutters & solderers wages for. Once Memphis's cost of living is applied, it ranks 132nd.
Pay here goes further than the headline number suggests — Memphis is one of the places where welders, cutters & solderers gain ground in real terms, because local costs are low relative to what the job pays.
What that salary buys in Memphis
A median home in Memphis, TN costs $247,229 — about 5.5× 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 $1,441/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 Memphis.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Memphis | Rent vs Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | $76,540 | +69% | 2.1× |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $70,010 | +55% | 1× |
| Bremerton, WA | $66,310 | +47% | 1.4× |
| Virginia Beach, VA | $63,630 | +41% | 1.3× |
Same job elsewhere in TN
| Metro | Median pay | vs Memphis | Rent vs Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarksville, TN | $49,190 | +9% | 0.9× |
| Kingsport, TN | $49,080 | +8% | 0.9× |
| Chattanooga, TN | $47,280 | +4% | 1.1× |
| Nashville, TN | $47,110 | +4% | 1.2× |
Staying in TN keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires welders, cutters & solderers around Memphis
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Smith & Nephew · Manufacturing
Other jobs in Memphis
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.