Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Median salary

$47,920

Average salary

$50,220

Employment

31,600

Projected growth

9% decline

Annual openings

3,200

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

What Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Do

Set up, operate, or tend welding, soldering, or brazing machines or robots that weld, braze, solder, or heat treat metal products, components, or assemblies. Includes workers who operate laser cutters or laser-beam machines.

See full salary breakdown & percentiles →

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience: None
On-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed: 6.4%

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

How Much Preparation Does This Take?

Job Zone 2 of 5

Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Experience: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
Education: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Job training: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

Source: O*NET Job Zones.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

Production and Processingimportance 3.8/5
Administration and Managementimportance 3.5/5
Designimportance 3.1/5
Public Safety and Securityimportance 2.9/5
English Languageimportance 2.8/5
Mechanicalimportance 2.8/5
Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 2.7/5
Engineering and Technologyimportance 2.7/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets4.9/5
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.7/5
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.5/5
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.4/5
Time Pressure4.3/5
Spend Time Standing4.3/5

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers98% skill match
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders96% skill match
Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers96% skill match
Motorboat Operators96% skill match
Pourers and Casters, Metal95% skill match
Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic95% skill match
Helpers--Production Workers95% skill match
Gas Plant Operators95% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

Operations Monitoringimportance 3.4/5
Operation and Controlimportance 3.3/5
Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.0/5
Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 2.8/5
Coordinationimportance 2.6/5
Time Managementimportance 2.6/5
Social Perceptivenessimportance 2.4/5
Equipment Maintenanceimportance 2.4/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Hot Technologies

Other Software Used

Email software
Tool center point TCP setting software

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

Attention to Detail
Dependability
Cautiousness
Integrity
Stress Tolerance
Achievement Orientation
Perseverance

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

RealisticHigh
ConventionalMedium
InvestigativeLow
EnterprisingLow
ArtisticLow
SocialLow

This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

Where This Career Is Most Concentrated

Metro areas where welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).