Where Are All the Welding Jobs? These States Have the Highest Employment

The energy industry is expanding, and our infrastructure is aging away. Welders are needed across the country now more than ever. ¹

But the job market still varies from city to city, and you, welder, will find more opportunity in some cities versus others.

Where you want to live and work is something you will have to decide for yourself, but we’ve compiled a list of the cities that have the highest demand for welders to make your search a little easier.

The Best Cities for Welding Jobs

1. Houston, TX

The Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro area in Texas employs 18,140 welders.

The Lone Star State is a magnet for welders because so much of its economy depends on industries that use welding:

• Automotive welding
• Industrial manufacturing
• Gas and oil pipeline transportation
• Ship and boat building

After Hurricane Harvey, the Houston area will need even more welders to help with the reconstruction and repair efforts. ²

2. Dallas, TX

In the Dallas-Plano-Irving metropolitan division, 7,060 people work as welders. The aviation and aerospace industry, for example, is one of the largest welding employers in the region. ³

3. Los Angeles, CA

The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale metro area keeps 6,700 welders working. Los Angeles County has a big aerospace industry with companies like Boeing, Lockheed, Raytheon SpaceX and Virgin Galactic. The region is also known for its booming transportation industry, as it is home to several car manufactures. ⁴

4. Chicago, IL

The Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights area, where 5,310 welders work, offers plenty of job opportunities for welders in these industries ⁵:

• Auto manufacturing
• Fabricated metals
• Energy production
• Food manufacturing

5. Atlanta, GA

Another big hub for welders is the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell metro area in Georgia, where the employment number is at 4,550. The region has many key industries that hire welders ⁶:

• Aerospace
• Defense Energy
• Manufacturing
• Transportation
• Cars

6. Minneapolis-St Paul, MN

The greater Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, which also covers Bloomington and parts of Wisconsin, is home to 4,360 welders. The Twin Cities have a big manufacturing sector, which includes defense and the energy industry. ⁷

7. Fort Worth, TX

Since Texas is the main state for welders in the U.S., it is no surprise that a third Texan city makes this list.

Fort Worth is adjacent to Dallas and employs 4,200 welders. The aviation industry is one of the town’s largest employers. American Airlines is also headquartered in Forth Worth. ⁸

8. Phoenix, AZ

Arizona has a thriving advanced manufacturing industry ⁹:

• Electrical machinery
• Aircraft
• Spacecraft
• Machinery
• Optics

In the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale region, where RSI offers a welding training program, 4,030 people work as welders.

9. New York, NY

4,010 welders work in the New York-Jersey City-White Plains metro area. Many of them are employed in these types of industries ¹⁰:

• Mining
• Quarrying oil
• Gas extraction

10. Baton Rouge, LA

Baton Rouge is home to 3,920 welders. Those looking for a welding job can find work in the city’s booming construction and energy extraction industries. In fact, the Louisiana capital is leading U.S. cities when it comes to job numbers in these two sectors. ¹¹

Welders can find jobs across the U.S. and in many different industries. RSI welder training graduates are especially lucky to find a host of potential employers in the vibrant Phoenix area. Our career services team can help you find the right welding job.

If you want to learn more about where a welding career can take you, read our post about three popular welding career choices.

Sources:
1 – https://www.bls.gov/ooh/production/welders-cutters-solderers-and-brazers.htm#tab-6
2 – http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2017/08/28/houston_might_not_have_enough_construction_workers_to_rebuild_after_harvey.html
3 – https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2016/07/15/the-list-here-are-the-industries-of-dfws-largest.html
4 – https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/meetla/top-industries-los-angeles
5 – http://www.worldbusinesschicago.com/key-industries/
6 – http://www.georgia.org/industries/
7 – https://www.greatermsp.org/key-industries/innovation-technology/
8 – http://www.fortworthecodev.com/expand-relocate/industry-clusters/
9 – https://www.azcommerce.com/industries/advanced-manufacturing/
10 – https://datausa.io/profile/geo/new-york-northern-new-jersey-long-island-ny-nj-pa-metro-area/#category_industries
11 – https://www.constructiondive.com/news/baton-rouge-la-leads-us-cities-in-construction-extraction-jobs/447407/