How much do welders earn in Russia and other countries?

Welder is a prestigious profession. They get paid better than many others, because a high-quality welder is worth his weight in gold. But knowing how to cook using conventional methods is not a difficult task. As practice shows, after several attempts, even the most ordinary person can somehow weld one metal workpiece to another. That’s why people learn this profession, that’s why there is such a thing as the ranks of welders.

So, welders are assigned six categories, which depend on the qualifications of the worker. To improve your qualifications means to receive the next rank. And this is not only honor and respect, it is a substantial increase in wages. This is an opportunity to take part in more complex projects.

Before moving on to analyzing the categories of welders, it is necessary to understand the categories.

Categories of welders

They depend on the ability to use one or another welding technology.

• Welders who work on resistance spot welding equipment. There are no electrodes, and the process itself is quite simple.
• Workers who can work on diffusion-welding type installations. These are operations with a piece connection, which allows you to increase the characteristics of the weld.
• Ability to work on electron beam installations. Welding is carried out in a vacuum; workpieces made of special alloys are usually joined using this technology. Such an employee must know a lot; he usually has the highest qualifications.
• A welder who can perform thermite welding. The process itself is carried out on special presses, the welding molds of which are heated, and therefore the parts being joined are heated.
• Gas welding. Such a worker is called a gas welder. By the way, he can also cut metals using a gas cutter.
• And the last category is electric welder. The most popular profession in the welding category.

So, we’ve sorted out the categories, we can move on to the categories.

Salary levels in other countries

Knowing the average salary in Russia, it becomes interesting how much welders earn abroad.

Thus, the average salary in Europe will be 1,700 euros, however, everything will depend on whether it is the western or eastern part. So, in Eastern Europe, the average salary of a welder is 1,500 euros, and in Western Europe it tends to 2,000 euros and further - the further west, the higher. One of the highest salary levels - 2,700 euros - was recorded in Germany. It is important to consider here that each country has its own requirements for the qualifications of welders, and the amounts are indicated without tax deductions.

Welding discharges

A welder of the first category is, in fact, a novice master, or rather, an apprentice. Such workers are not classified as qualified; they are still learning and can perform simple operations of cutting and welding non-critical structures. Such categories are assigned to students of vocational schools.

A welder of the second category is a graduate of welding courses or an educational institution who can perform welding in a lower and vertical position. But at the same time, such a specialist cannot seal pipelines during welding joints.

A 3rd category welder is also a graduate of a specialized educational institution. But he has no experience in manufacturing or construction.

• Firstly, a 3rd category welder must be able to weld corner, vertical and bottom seams, plus weld hermetically sealed pipe structures.
• Secondly, he must understand welding equipment, know the principles of its operation, as well as safety precautions when carrying out welding operations.
• Thirdly, he must be able to read blueprints, because this was taught to him during his studies. And assemble structures according to the drawings. But only simple products are trusted to him.

A 4th category welder can work with structures and parts of average complexity. This is already a qualified specialist who can carry out welding in any position except the ceiling. In addition, he has the skills to create sealed seams when welding two pipes that will operate under pressure. Knowledge of drawings and other skills is required. A 4th grade welder earns more than all previous workers.

Welder 5th category. This category is assigned to those craftsmen who can weld in any position and cut any configuration from sheet material. At the same time, the fifth category indicates that its owner is allowed to weld any types of pipelines. At the same time, it can weld workpieces of any thickness, any grade of metal and its alloys.

Welder 6th category. This is the highest level. Its owner performs all operations, like the owner of the previous rank. But only he is trusted to carry out welding work related to joining workpieces from experimental alloys that no one has ever welded before. It is the sixth high that gives him the right to determine for himself how to cook, in what mode and with what consumables (electrodes, additives, gases, and so on).

List of professional responsibilities

After receiving the welding profession, specialists are assigned the 3rd category. Over time, having gained experience, a welder can become a 6th category professional. His responsibilities include a number of responsibilities. The welder must be able to:

• cut straight and oblique holes;
• work with any metals;
• eliminate defects in workpieces and equipment using a welding machine;
• cook products of any degree of complexity;
• prepare and clean the material;
• perform argon arc, gas, plasma welding;
• weld parts in hard-to-reach places.

How to increase the rank of a welder

For example, a 3rd category welder wants to upgrade his category to the fourth. What do I need to do. If he works in a large enterprise, then it must have a qualification commission. You need to contact it, after which the exam day will be set. You must pass this exam and receive a document that will confirm that you have received an increased rank.

If the enterprise is small, you will have to contact a training center where welders undergo advanced training. But it is necessary to clarify whether you will receive a document for the next grade, or you will only be given a certificate stating that you have attended a certain course. If this is the second option, then this does not bode well for you, because the certificate is only confirmation that you were just studying. Therefore, it is worth looking for a training center that will assign qualifications and issue the necessary document. It will need to be provided to the head of the enterprise, the human resources department and the accounting department. This will serve as proof that the employee can receive a salary increase and be involved in work with increased complexity. And a 4th grade welder gets more than a 3rd grade welder.

Advantages and disadvantages of the profession

The advantages include:

• Constant demand in the labor market.
• High salaries.

On the downside:

• Very often you have to work in difficult conditions, one might even say extreme.
• Eye strain even with protective glasses and masks.
• Welders constantly inhale industrial dust, so their occupational diseases are silicosis, asthma, and pneumoconiosis.

And yet the profession of a welder is very popular. Of course, salary plays a big role. But there will always be work for them, so young specialists who graduate from educational institutions with a degree in welding quickly find work. Many industries give quotas for their hiring, regardless of qualifications, because many progressive managers prefer to grow workers for themselves rather than hire them on the side, fulfilling the workers’ conditions.

Average wages of welders by city and region of the country

The average salary for a welder in Russia is 59,544 rubles. (816 USD) per month, which is almost 1.5-2 times higher than the average for other professions. How much this average varies from one subject to another is shown on the map of the country.

Rating of regions

Region	Average monthly	In dollar terms
Tyva Republic	79 657 ₽	$ 1 091
Chukotka Autonomous Okrug	78 882 ₽	$ 1 081
Chechen Republic	75 794 ₽	$ 1 038
Sakhalin region	75 028 ₽	$ 1 028
Nenets Autonomous Okrug	71 355 ₽	$ 977
The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)	69 968 ₽	$ 958
Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug	68 409 ₽	$ 937
Magadan Region	67 811 ₽	$ 929
Mari El Republic	67 797 ₽	$ 929
Orenburg region	67 615 ₽	$ 926
Murmansk region	67 201 ₽	$ 921
Kamchatka Krai	66 267 ₽	$ 908
Tula region	65 985 ₽	$ 904
Smolensk region	65 975 ₽	$ 904
Ryazan Oblast	65 780 ₽	$ 901

Region	Average monthly	In dollar terms
Tambov Region	65 515 ₽	$ 897
Chuvash Republic	65 065 ₽	$ 891
Stavropol region	64 896 ₽	$ 889
Volgograd region	64 870 ₽	$ 889
The Republic of Mordovia	64 856 ₽	$ 888
Tver region	64 706 ₽	$ 886
Kursk region	64 437 ₽	$ 883
Arhangelsk region	64 407 ₽	$ 882
Lipetsk region	64 261 ₽	$ 880
Ulyanovsk region	64 234 ₽	$ 880
Pskov region	63 917 ₽	$ 876
Republic of Bashkortostan	63 723 ₽	$ 873
Kurgan region	63 676 ₽	$ 872
Bryansk region	63 649 ₽	$ 872

Region	Average monthly	In dollar terms
Republic of Kalmykia	62 463 ₽	$ 856
Penza region	62 463 ₽	$ 856
Komi Republic	62 093 ₽	$ 851
Saratov region	62 022 ₽	$ 850
Jewish Autonomous Region	61 989 ₽	$ 849
Novgorod region	61 848 ₽	$ 847
The Republic of Khakassia	61 570 ₽	$ 843
Oryol Region	61 526 ₽	$ 843
Yaroslavl region	61 182 ₽	$ 838
Amur region	61 164 ₽	$ 838
Perm region	61 155 ₽	$ 838
Kostroma region	60 623 ₽	$ 830
Udmurt republic	60 449 ₽	$ 828
Samara Region	60 448 ₽	$ 828
Sverdlovsk region	60 262 ₽	$ 826
Vladimir region	60 094 ₽	$ 823
Khabarovsk region	60 075 ₽	$ 823

Region	Average monthly	In dollar terms
Vologda Region	59 980 ₽	$ 822
Rostov region	59 909 ₽	$ 821
Republic of Tatarstan	59 875 ₽	$ 820
Kirov region	59 753 ₽	$ 819
Astrakhan region	59 740 ₽	$ 818
Kaluga region	59 420 ₽	$ 814
Tomsk region	58 818 ₽	$ 806
Tyumen region	58 768 ₽	$ 805
Altai Republic	58 601 ₽	$ 803
Republic of Crimea	58 161 ₽	$ 797
Leningrad region	57 974 ₽	$ 794
Ivanovo region	57 766 ₽	$ 791
Moscow region	57 609 ₽	$ 789
Belgorod region	57 299 ₽	$ 785
Krasnodar region	57 242 ₽	$ 784
Chelyabinsk region	56 997 ₽	$ 781
Republic of Karelia	56 625 ₽	$ 776
Voronezh region	56 569 ₽	$ 775

Region	Average monthly	In dollar terms
Nizhny Novgorod Region	56 557 ₽	$ 775
Primorsky Krai	56 293 ₽	$ 771
Krasnoyarsk region	55 724 ₽	$ 763
Transbaikal region	55 296 ₽	$ 757
Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia	54 331 ₽	$ 744
Irkutsk region	54 081 ₽	$ 741
Kabardino-Balkarian Republic	53 564 ₽	$ 734
The Republic of Buryatia	53 285 ₽	$ 730
The Republic of Dagestan	53 160 ₽	$ 728
Novosibirsk region	53 034 ₽	$ 726
Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Ugra	51 414 ₽	$ 704
Kaliningrad region	50 939 ₽	$ 698
Republic of Adygea	50 382 ₽	$ 690
Omsk region	49 941 ₽	$ 684
Kemerovo region	48 939 ₽	$ 670
Republic of North Ossetia-Alania	46 199 ₽	$ 633
Altai region	46 079 ₽	$ 631

Rating by city

City	Average monthly	In dollar terms
Anadyr	79 691 ₽	$ 1 092
Kyzyl	79 657 ₽	$ 1 091
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk	73 423 ₽	$ 1 006
Naryan-Mar	72 314 ₽	$ 991
Salekhard	67 991 ₽	$ 931
Magadan	67 426 ₽	$ 924
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky	66 769 ₽	$ 915
Grozny	66 307 ₽	$ 908
Kursk	66 182 ₽	$ 907
Elista	66 092 ₽	$ 905
Smolensk	65 924 ₽	$ 903
Pskov	65 252 ₽	$ 894
Tula	64 633 ₽	$ 885
Yoshkar-Ola	64 597 ₽	$ 885
Tambov	64 485 ₽	$ 883
Orenburg	64 124 ₽	$ 878
Blagoveshchensk	64 034 ₽	$ 877

City	Average monthly	In dollar terms
Kaluga	63 951 ₽	$ 876
Saransk	63 947 ₽	$ 876
Bryansk	63 947 ₽	$ 876
Arkhangelsk	63 247 ₽	$ 866
Ryazan	63 214 ₽	$ 866
Vologda	63 052 ₽	$ 864
Syktyvkar	62 664 ₽	$ 858
Volgograd	62 605 ₽	$ 858
Vladimir	62 551 ₽	$ 857
Velikiy Novgorod	62 155 ₽	$ 851
Eagle	61 987 ₽	$ 849
Murmansk	61 888 ₽	$ 848
Lipetsk	61 823 ₽	$ 847
Ufa	61 535 ₽	$ 843

City	Average monthly	In dollar terms
Yakutsk	60 994 ₽	$ 836
Birobidzhan	60 916 ₽	$ 834
Moscow	60 915 ₽	$ 834
Nalchik	60 786 ₽	$ 833
Ivanovo	60 561 ₽	$ 830
Ulyanovsk	60 258 ₽	$ 825
Mound	59 858 ₽	$ 820
Saint Petersburg	59 821 ₽	$ 819
Tver	59 780 ₽	$ 819
Penza	59 579 ₽	$ 816
Cheboksary	59 328 ₽	$ 813
Voronezh	59 276 ₽	$ 812
Astrakhan	58 995 ₽	$ 808
Khabarovsk	58 748 ₽	$ 805
Yaroslavl	58 571 ₽	$ 802
Kostroma	58 326 ₽	$ 799
Rostov-on-Don	58 257 ₽	$ 798
Petrozavodsk	58 024 ₽	$ 795

City	Average monthly	In dollar terms
Belgorod	57 687 ₽	$ 790
Vladivostok	57 420 ₽	$ 787
Saratov	57 221 ₽	$ 784
Samara	57 076 ₽	$ 782
Stavropol	56 970 ₽	$ 780
Cherkessk	56 384 ₽	$ 772
Ekaterinburg	55 815 ₽	$ 765
Khanty-Mansiysk	55 791 ₽	$ 764
Makhachkala	55 317 ₽	$ 758
Gorno-Altaisk	55 036 ₽	$ 754
Permian	54 926 ₽	$ 752
Kazan	54 651 ₽	$ 749
Simferopol	54 555 ₽	$ 747
Izhevsk	54 405 ₽	$ 745
Irkutsk	53 647 ₽	$ 735
Abakan	53 431 ₽	$ 732

City	Average monthly	In dollar terms
Krasnodar	53 343 ₽	$ 731
Kirov	53 010 ₽	$ 726
Kemerovo	52 928 ₽	$ 725
Chelyabinsk	52 501 ₽	$ 719
Tyumen	51 890 ₽	$ 711
Ulan-Ude	50 603 ₽	$ 693
Nizhny Novgorod	49 928 ₽	$ 684
Tomsk	49 390 ₽	$ 677
Novosibirsk	48 642 ₽	$ 666
Kaliningrad	48 615 ₽	$ 666
Krasnoyarsk	48 309 ₽	$ 662
Maykop	48 071 ₽	$ 659
Chita	47 258 ₽	$ 647
Omsk	45 333 ₽	$ 621
Vladikavkaz	43 957 ₽	$ 602
Barnaul	43 598 ₽	$ 597