subject: How Can You Make $100k A Year As A Welder [print this page] How Can You Make $100k a Year as a Welder? Welding is a mis-understood industry. Contrary to common opinion, it is a deep and complex industry. Far from being a "Dinosaur", welding is the glue which holds our world together. So, where are the jobs in welding? Because shop class has been closed in favor of computer tech in many schools, the U.S. is short 200,000 welders when the economy is running at normal levels.
What kind of welding do you do? Unemployment in North Dakota in March, 2010 was 4.3% in the middle of the worse recession ever. Burger flippers were being offered signing bonuses! Why? Because North Dakota has huge shale oil deposits, and the technology is finally allowing it be pumped out "" it"s profitable at $70 a barrel oil prices. 6G pipe welders are in demand everywhere shale oil is being pumped.
What is a 6G Pipe Welder? Welders are certified for various positions and processes. The most common positions are 1G (flat) through 6G which is an open root (air gap) joint between two pieces of pipe (commonly 6" schedule 40 steel). Probably less than 5% of welders are certified 6G "code welders". 6G welders earn the biggest money in welding.
What can a 6G Pipe Welder earn? Although wages have declined from the boom years, pipe welders with their own "rig" (a welder on a truck) in Alberta, Canada were averaging $330,000 a year, according to the American Welding Society newsletter of October, 2007. 6G welders on off-shore oil rigs are making $100k a year right now. Any good 6G welder in the pipeline or oil industry - at the worse case is making $60,000 a year.
In the USA, if you"re good at 6G, and willing to travel, you"re working. In the USA, if you can master the hand-eye skill which is 6G welding, it doesn"t matter if you can read or write. Why? Pipe welds must past x-ray inspection because no one can see the inside of the weld. It doesn"t matter how much classroom education you have if can"t weld joints which will pass x-ray. All that matters is you "Own The Skill". It takes learning the basics of 6G, and then it takes practice, practice, practice.
Nothing worth having is easy. However, there are valid short cuts to becoming a 6G welder. Not everyone can do it. About 70% of existing structural welders are able to learn it. Probably 50% of the general population has the natural hand-eye ability to accomplish 6G.
Scott Linden has welded since age 13, is an International Code Council Certified Welding Inspector, author, and speaker. Scott has written "The $100K Welder" to help welders and people wanting to weld to accelerate their welding career. http://www100kwelder.com .
