The American Welding Society projects the U.S. will need 360,000 new welders by 2027 to keep up with demand from infrastructure, defense, energy, and advanced manufacturing. That shortage is driving up wages, sign-on bonuses, and relocation packages across the industry.
We combed through HireBuilt employer data, public careers pages, and industry reports to identify the 20 companies most aggressively hiring welders right now—along with what they pay, where they operate, and what certifications will get your foot in the door.
How We Ranked These Companies
We weighted four factors: number of open welding positions, reported pay ranges, geographic reach, and career advancement opportunities. Companies that offer in-house training, tuition reimbursement, or apprenticeship programs got extra consideration because those signal long-term investment in their welding workforce.
1. Lincoln Electric
Industry: Welding Equipment & Manufacturing | HQ: Cleveland, OH
Pay range: $22–$36/hour | Locations: Cleveland OH, Mentor OH, Fort Collins CO
Lincoln Electric doesn't just sell welding equipment—they employ hundreds of welders to test, fabricate, and demonstrate their products. The company runs one of the most respected welding training programs in the country through the Lincoln Electric Welding School. Employees get access to cutting-edge equipment and ongoing certification support.
Certs they want: AWS D1.1, MIG, TIG certifications preferred
2. Caterpillar
Industry: Heavy Equipment Manufacturing | HQ: Irving, TX
Pay range: $24–$38/hour | Locations: Peoria IL, East Peoria IL, Decatur IL, Lafayette IN, Corinth MS, Seguin TX
Caterpillar builds the heavy machinery that builds everything else. Their welders fabricate frames, booms, and structural components for excavators, loaders, and mining equipment. With over a dozen U.S. plants, Cat offers geographic flexibility most employers can't match. They run internal weld qualification programs and promote heavily from within.
Certs they want: AWS D1.1 structural, flux-core, some positions require D14.3 (earthmoving equipment)
3. SpaceX
Industry: Aerospace & Space Launch | HQ: Hawthorne, CA
Pay range: $28–$45/hour | Locations: Hawthorne CA, Starbase TX, Cape Canaveral FL, McGregor TX
SpaceX hires some of the most skilled TIG welders in the country to join stainless steel and exotic alloys for rocket engines and airframes. The work is demanding—tight tolerances, non-standard positions, and X-ray-quality welds are the norm. But the pay, overtime, and resume value are exceptional. Expect 50–60 hour weeks during launch campaigns.
Certs they want: AWS D17.1 (aerospace), TIG proficiency on stainless and Inconel
4. General Dynamics (Corporate)
Industry: Defense & Shipbuilding | HQ: Reston, VA
Pay range: $24–$40/hour | Locations: Multiple (see NASSCO and Electric Boat below for specifics)
General Dynamics is one of the largest defense contractors in the world. Across its divisions—NASSCO shipyards, Electric Boat submarine facilities, Land Systems tank plants—the company employs thousands of welders. Defense welding often comes with security clearance requirements but also offers some of the most stable, well-paying welding careers in the country.
5. Bechtel
Industry: Engineering, Construction & Project Management | HQ: Reston, VA
Pay range: $30–$52/hour (project-dependent) | Locations: Nationwide project sites, international
Bechtel builds power plants, refineries, LNG terminals, and major infrastructure. Their pipe welders routinely earn $60–$100/hour on travel assignments when you factor in per diem and overtime. Bechtel projects are temporary (12–36 months typical) but the pay during active projects is among the highest in the welding profession.
Certs they want: ASME Section IX, AWS D1.1, pipe welding certifications (6G position)
6. Fluor Corporation
Industry: Engineering & Construction | HQ: Irving, TX
Pay range: $28–$48/hour | Locations: Project sites across TX, LA, SC, and internationally
Similar to Bechtel, Fluor hires welders for large-scale industrial construction—refineries, chemical plants, power generation facilities. Structural welding and pipe welding are both in heavy demand. Fluor frequently partners with local unions, so many positions come with full union benefits including pension contributions and health insurance from day one.
Certs they want: AWS D1.1, ASME IX, 6G pipe certification
7. Jacobs Engineering
Industry: Engineering & Technical Services | HQ: Dallas, TX
Pay range: $26–$44/hour | Locations: Project-based across U.S.
Jacobs serves aerospace, defense, and infrastructure clients. Their welding positions range from production welding at government facilities to field welding on construction projects. The company has been growing its advanced manufacturing services division, which means more demand for welders who can work with specialty alloys and meet military specifications.
8. Newport News Shipbuilding (HII)
Industry: Shipbuilding & Defense | HQ: Newport News, VA
Pay range: $22–$38/hour | Locations: Newport News VA
Huntington Ingalls Industries' Newport News Shipbuilding division is the only shipyard in the U.S. that builds nuclear aircraft carriers and one of two that builds nuclear submarines. They employ over 3,000 welders and run a 4-year apprenticeship program that's widely considered one of the best in the country. Graduates emerge with journeyman credentials, AWS certifications, and zero student debt.
Certs they want: Will train through apprenticeship; AWS structural and pipe certs earned on the job
9. Electric Boat (General Dynamics)
Industry: Submarine Manufacturing | HQ: Groton, CT
Pay range: $24–$42/hour | Locations: Groton CT, Quonset Point RI
Electric Boat builds Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarines for the U.S. Navy. Submarine welding is among the most demanding work in the trade—every weld must pass radiographic inspection, and the consequences of failure are literally life and death. EB runs an intensive internal weld training program and consistently hires welders willing to relocate to southeastern Connecticut or Rhode Island.
Certs they want: MIL-STD-1688, AWS D1.6 (stainless structural), NAVSEA welding qualifications
10. Tesla
Industry: Electric Vehicles & Energy | HQ: Austin, TX
Pay range: $24–$38/hour | Locations: Austin TX, Fremont CA, Sparks NV
Tesla's Gigafactories employ welders for both production line work and tooling fabrication. The Austin Gigafactory in particular has been ramping welding headcount as Tesla expands its Cybertruck and Semi lines. Tesla tends to favor MIG welding and robotic weld cell operation, so experience with automated welding systems is a plus.
Certs they want: AWS D1.1, MIG proficiency, robotic weld cell experience preferred
11. John Deere
Industry: Agricultural & Construction Equipment | HQ: Moline, IL
Pay range: $25–$38/hour | Locations: Waterloo IA, Moline IL, Dubuque IA, Horicon WI, Coffeyville KS
Deere's welders fabricate frames, buckets, and structural components for tractors, combines, and construction equipment. Union positions (UAW) come with strong benefits packages including pension, profit sharing, and comprehensive healthcare. Deere also runs internal welding progression programs that move welders from entry-level to advanced positions over 2–3 years.
Certs they want: AWS D1.1, flux-core (FCAW), some positions require D14.3
12. PACCAR
Industry: Truck Manufacturing (Kenworth, Peterbilt) | HQ: Bellevue, WA
Pay range: $23–$36/hour | Locations: Renton WA, Denton TX, Columbus MS, Chillicothe OH
PACCAR builds Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks, and their frame assembly and cab fabrication lines need hundreds of welders. The company is known for clean, modern facilities and consistent schedules (less overtime volatility than construction welding). Good entry point for welders who want steady manufacturing work rather than project-based travel.
Certs they want: MIG/flux-core proficiency, AWS D1.1 preferred but will train qualified candidates
13. Nucor Steel
Industry: Steel Production | HQ: Charlotte, NC
Pay range: $22–$40/hour (base + production bonuses) | Locations: Crawfordsville IN, Hickman AR, Sedalia MO, Tuscaloosa AL, Berkeley County SC
Nucor is the largest steelmaker in the U.S. and operates a unique pay model: relatively modest base wages plus significant production bonuses that can double your effective pay. A welder at Nucor earning $24/hour base might take home $38–$45/hour with bonuses during good production months. The work is hot and physically demanding—you're welding in a steel mill—but the earning potential is outstanding.
Certs they want: Structural welding, FCAW, ability to pass internal qualification tests
14. Textron Aviation
Industry: Aircraft Manufacturing | HQ: Wichita, KS
Pay range: $24–$40/hour | Locations: Wichita KS
Textron (Cessna and Beechcraft) builds business jets and turboprops. Their welders work on exhaust systems, structural components, and engine mounts using TIG welding on thin-gauge stainless steel, chromoly, and titanium. Aerospace welding commands premium pay because the tolerances and quality requirements are extreme.
Certs they want: AWS D17.1 (aerospace fusion welding), TIG proficiency on exotic alloys
15. Spirit AeroSystems
Industry: Aerostructures Manufacturing | HQ: Wichita, KS
Pay range: $24–$38/hour | Locations: Wichita KS, Tulsa OK, Kinston NC
Spirit manufactures fuselages, nacelles, and structural components for Boeing and Airbus. Welders at Spirit work on critical airframe components where every joint must meet AS9100 quality standards. The company is expanding production capacity to meet Boeing's delivery targets, which means they're actively recruiting welders who can qualify on aerospace-grade materials.
16. Lockheed Martin
Industry: Aerospace & Defense | HQ: Bethesda, MD
Pay range: $26–$42/hour | Locations: Fort Worth TX, Marietta GA, Palmdale CA, Camden AR
Lockheed hires welders across its aeronautics, missiles, and space divisions. The F-35 program in Fort Worth is one of the largest welding employers in Texas. Lockheed offers comprehensive benefits, education reimbursement (up to $10,000/year), and long-term career paths from production welder to weld engineer.
Certs they want: AWS D17.1, MIG/TIG on aluminum and steel, some positions require security clearance
17. Raytheon (RTX)
Industry: Defense Electronics & Missiles | HQ: Arlington, VA
Pay range: $25–$40/hour | Locations: Tucson AZ, Andover MA, McKinney TX
Raytheon's missile production lines need precision welders who can join thin-wall housings and structural assemblies to military specification. The company also hires welders for prototype and R&D work, where you might be fabricating one-off test articles from engineering drawings.
Certs they want: TIG welding, AWS D17.1, MIL-STD experience preferred
18. BAE Systems
Industry: Defense Vehicles & Electronics | HQ: Falls Church, VA
Pay range: $24–$40/hour | Locations: York PA, Aiken SC, Sterling Heights MI, Minneapolis MN
BAE builds the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, the M109 Paladin howitzer, and various armored vehicles at its York, Pennsylvania plant. Welders there work on heavy armor plate using MIG and flux-core processes. BAE's Combat Vehicles division has been growing headcount as the Army modernizes its fleet, making this one of the more stable defense welding employers.
Certs they want: AWS D1.1, MIL-STD-1261 (armor welding), FCAW and GMAW proficiency
19. CB&I (McDermott International)
Industry: Storage Tanks & Industrial Construction | HQ: Houston, TX
Pay range: $28–$50/hour | Locations: Project sites nationwide
CB&I is the world leader in storage tank and pressure vessel construction. Their welders build massive above-ground storage tanks for oil, gas, water, and chemical facilities. This is field welding at its most demanding—working at heights, in weather, often in remote locations. But the pay reflects it, especially for pipe welders and those with 6G certifications.
Certs they want: API 650 (storage tanks), ASME Section IX, 6G pipe certification
20. Primoris Services
Industry: Infrastructure & Industrial Construction | HQ: Dallas, TX
Pay range: $26–$48/hour | Locations: Project sites across southern U.S., Midwest
Primoris builds pipelines, power plants, and industrial facilities. They hire structural and pipe welders for projects that typically last 6–24 months. Travel welders at Primoris can earn $80,000–$120,000 annually when factoring in overtime and per diem. The company has been expanding its renewable energy construction division, adding solar farm and battery storage projects to its welding work mix.
Certs they want: AWS D1.1, ASME IX, pipeline welding (API 1104) for pipeline projects
What Certifications Should You Prioritize?
Looking across all 20 employers, the most consistently requested certifications are:
- AWS D1.1 (Structural Steel) — Required or preferred by 15 of 20 companies
- ASME Section IX — Essential for pressure vessel and pipe welding employers
- AWS D17.1 (Aerospace) — Required by SpaceX, Lockheed, Textron, Spirit, and Raytheon
- 6G Pipe Position — The universal standard for pipe welding qualification
- TIG Proficiency — Aerospace and precision manufacturing employers all require it
If you're choosing where to invest your training time, AWS D1.1 structural certification opens the most doors. Add TIG welding proficiency and you'll qualify for most of the higher-paying positions on this list. For the absolute top-tier earning potential, pursue 6G pipe welding certification.
For more on welding career paths and salary data, see our guide to the top 10 highest-paying trade jobs in 2026. And if you're just starting out, check out the best welding schools in America to find a program near you.
How to Land One of These Jobs
- Get your foundational certifications — AWS D1.1 and basic MIG/TIG are table stakes
- Apply direct — Most of these companies prefer applications through their own careers portals. HireBuilt links you directly to employer job boards so you skip the recruiter middlemen
- Be ready for weld tests — Every company on this list will test you before hiring. Practice your test plates in the positions the employer specifies
- Consider relocation — The highest-paying welding jobs cluster in specific regions. Connecticut (submarines), Wichita (aerospace), and the Gulf Coast (petrochemical) consistently pay the most
- Start building your portfolio — Photograph your best welds, document your certifications, and be ready to show your work
Company and salary data sourced from HireBuilt employer database, public careers pages, Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 estimates), and industry compensation surveys. Pay ranges reflect base hourly wages; actual compensation may include overtime, shift differentials, per diem, and production bonuses. All data subject to change.
