Comments on: The myth of six-figure welders https://michiganfuture.org/2019/10/the-myth-of-the-six-figure-welders/ A Catalyst for Prosperity Mon, 16 Aug 2021 16:00:20 +0000 hourly 1 By: Lou Glazer https://michiganfuture.org/2019/10/the-myth-of-the-six-figure-welders/#comment-33865 Mon, 16 Aug 2021 16:00:20 +0000 https://www.michiganfuture.org/?p=12179#comment-33865 In reply to molly.

The information on how much welders make comes from employers. Unless you believe they are providing the federal government inaccurate information on what the welders they employ earn for a year-round, full time job, the information they report is the most reliable information of what all welders earn.

]]> By: molly https://michiganfuture.org/2019/10/the-myth-of-the-six-figure-welders/#comment-33857 Sun, 15 Aug 2021 02:28:55 +0000 https://www.michiganfuture.org/?p=12179#comment-33857 if you need proof that welders make over six figures please email me …I would gladly show you my tax returns the past 6 years ALONE ….you must of had your butt beat by a welder because your definitely falsifying information

]]> By: Matt https://michiganfuture.org/2019/10/the-myth-of-the-six-figure-welders/#comment-33083 Thu, 06 May 2021 18:49:15 +0000 https://www.michiganfuture.org/?p=12179#comment-33083 As a Welding Instructor with 18 years of experience, you are doing a massive disservice to this Trade. Going to school for welding is actually quite affordable, with the bulk of students recieving grants and aid. I, self taught until the 6 year mark, went from $8.50/hr to over $25/hr in three years, and that was over a decade ago. These were basic shop jobs at that time. Keep in mind, the small town I started in, much like I would assume the guy you wrote about, paid squat for ANY profession. These welders that you are claiming make nothing, are on a scale that is typical for their area. A shop that pays $15/hr is most likely only paying their engineer 18-20/hr. It’s all relative. If you are in an area with very little manufacturing competition, you will have low prevailing wages. The last shop I was in, as Weld Engineering Supervisor, saw top wages rise from $27/hr to $35/hr in a year and a half, due to competition. The six figure mark was attainable, in a shop, with OT. Now, show me ANY job with a four year degree that makes six figures, without exceeding 40hrs per week. I’ve played both ends of this game. yea, the white collar gives the 100k+ salary with bonuses, and the “prestige”. However, your work/life balance is no better, and often worse. You are, more often than not, required to pull 50+hr weeks, long nights, weekends away, etc… I’ll gladly keep my jeans and tee, enjoy my beer after work, and earn the bread when I want. You are perpetuating the myth that one needs a degree to be successful. This is why our manufacturing and quality of products have suffered. Keep the suit and tie, we will keep this country alive. Without the Trades, everyones way of life is not possible. BTW, over 50% of the products produced are welded and in the modern world you never more than six feet from something welded. Enjoy flushing your toilet, driving your car, and eating your food. We helped make that possible.

]]> By: Lou Glazer https://michiganfuture.org/2019/10/the-myth-of-the-six-figure-welders/#comment-32871 Mon, 29 Mar 2021 11:39:22 +0000 https://www.michiganfuture.org/?p=12179#comment-32871 In reply to Josh C.

The national data on median wages is in the same ballpark as Michigan.The story in the post from the book The Years That Matter Most is about a welder from North Carolina. The data come from employers. It is what they report as the wages they pay welders on a full time year round basis. Employer reports are far more reliable source of what all workers in an occupation earn than what we hear about or from individual workers.

]]> By: Josh C https://michiganfuture.org/2019/10/the-myth-of-the-six-figure-welders/#comment-32868 Sun, 28 Mar 2021 13:24:47 +0000 https://www.michiganfuture.org/?p=12179#comment-32868 In reply to Lou Glazer.

But that isn’t what you were claiming. Consodering spme welder male more than some of our government officials, it seems kind of asinine to even comment on here trying to argue your point further. Michigan is a terrible example to use for welder pay, as it doesn’t even reflect rhe reality of the situation. In Washington i know a handful of welders in one neighborhood who male enough to own several suburban households of more than 400k each home and are only 40

]]> By: John Livingston II https://michiganfuture.org/2019/10/the-myth-of-the-six-figure-welders/#comment-32571 Fri, 12 Feb 2021 04:22:15 +0000 https://www.michiganfuture.org/?p=12179#comment-32571 Welding is a field where you will only get out of it what you are willing to put into it. If you’re expectation is to work in a factory production setting 40 hrs a week than you’re going to have a hard time with making good wages. Those aren’t the jobs that the highly skilled and high paid welders are doing. $100k a year is very attainable but you will have to work hard for it and you’re not going to get there without solid work ethic. I also have a problem with “ Besides, even those good-paying welding didn’t pay that well––maybe $30 or $40 an hour, if he got lucky.” $40/hr is $83,200 a year and that’s a damn fine job for most people! We probably need to add a disclaimer that 6 figure salaries come with lots of hard work no matter what career field your in. One other comment is that as a person who went to welding school, and then a 4 year apprenticeship, if you’ve spent $19,000 and still haven’t complete a 2 year degree in welding, you need to either find a different career field or find a different welding school because something is seriously wrong with your plan.

]]> By: Lou Glazer https://michiganfuture.org/2019/10/the-myth-of-the-six-figure-welders/#comment-32500 Fri, 29 Jan 2021 11:17:15 +0000 https://www.michiganfuture.org/?p=12179#comment-32500 In reply to Preston.

The post doesn’t say that there are no highly paid welders. What it says is that in Michigan the median wage (1/2 make more, 1/2 make less) as reported by employers is less than $37,000. By the way this year’s data is that the median is now $38,770. And at the 90th percentile it is $57,360. So those making six figures are few and far between.

]]> By: Preston https://michiganfuture.org/2019/10/the-myth-of-the-six-figure-welders/#comment-32490 Thu, 28 Jan 2021 18:36:08 +0000 https://www.michiganfuture.org/?p=12179#comment-32490 Best year I’ve had was 218,000
Average year is 120,000
You totally over looked pipeline welders, refinery welders, bookmakers
Yeah your not gonna make that right out of high school or trade school
It takes skill and making a name for yourself. If your welding brackets at a factory for 10$ hr well yeah your not gonna make much.

]]> By: Darren https://michiganfuture.org/2019/10/the-myth-of-the-six-figure-welders/#comment-32297 Tue, 05 Jan 2021 20:23:44 +0000 https://www.michiganfuture.org/?p=12179#comment-32297 I call bullshit bc I make 120 thousand a year but I also work on the road so I get travel pay and predium who ever wrote this article should probably get their research right and no I’m not working in oil fields or pipeline just convayor installations and second if this state is paying people 15 an hour to weld either the company is trash or the people they hire to weld just can’t weld worth a shit but what more can you expect from a democratic ran state

]]> By: Sean https://michiganfuture.org/2019/10/the-myth-of-the-six-figure-welders/#comment-31302 Mon, 09 Nov 2020 03:31:44 +0000 https://www.michiganfuture.org/?p=12179#comment-31302 Join a trade union, a 6 figure salary is very attainable. You can weld if you so desire. And most importantly the education costs zero dollars.

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