Production · Holland code RC

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

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.

Also called: Fabricator, Machine Operator, Mig Welder, Spot Welder, Braze Operator, Certified Welder, Finishing Technician (Finishing Tech), Laser Operator.

O*NET 51-4122.00

At a glance

US median annual pay: $47,920; Middle half earn $40,560 to $57,390. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Most common education: Post-Secondary Certificate; 36% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
Preparation needed: Job Zone 2 of 5; Some preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.

What the work involves

The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.

Read blueprints, work orders, or production schedules to determine product or job instructions or specifications.
Inspect, measure, or test completed metal workpieces to ensure conformance to specifications, using measuring and testing devices.
Add chemicals or materials to workpieces or machines to facilitate bonding or to cool workpieces.
Record operational information on specified production reports.
Correct problems by adjusting controls or by stopping machines and opening holding devices.
Set up, operate, or tend welding machines that join or bond components to fabricate metal products or assemblies.
Select torch tips, alloys, flux, coil, tubing, or wire, according to metal types or thicknesses, data charts, or records.
Lay out, fit, or connect parts to be bonded, calculating production measurements, as necessary.

Skills and knowledge it leans on

Skills

Reading Comprehension3.0 / 5
Active Listening3.0 / 5
Speaking3.0 / 5
Critical Thinking3.0 / 5
Monitoring3.0 / 5
Active Learning2.6 / 5

Knowledge areas

Production and Processing3.8 / 5
Administration and Management3.5 / 5
Design3.1 / 5
Public Safety and Security2.9 / 5
English Language2.8 / 5
Mechanical2.8 / 5

Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.

Who tends to enjoy it

How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.

Realistic100
Investigative17
Artistic5
Social2
Enterprising8
Conventional48

The same work abroad

Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.

European occupation titles (ESCO)

brazier · DE Hartlöter/Hartlöterin · FR braseur/braseuse
solderer · DE Löter/Löterin · FR braseur brasage tendre/braseuse brasage tendre
welder · DE Schweißer/Schweißerin · FR soudeur/soudeuse
electron beam welder · DE Elektronenstrahlschweißer/Elektronenstrahlschweißerin · FR soudeur par bombardement d’électrons/soudeuse par bombardement d’électrons
laser beam welder · DE Laserschweißer/Laserschweißerin · FR soudeur laser/soudeuse laser
spot welder · DE Punktschweißer/Punktschweißerin · FR soudeur par point/soudeuse par point

Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)

Welding trades (5213)49,800 employed
Metal machining setters and setter-operators (5221)40,400 employed
Assemblers (electrical and electronic products) (8141)24,400 employed

Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.

Pay across Europe, for the whole group

Median annual earnings of all employees in “Craft and related trades workers”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.

Median annual earnings, Craft and related trades workers, by country
Country	Median pay
Belgium	€40,086
Germany	€38,638
Austria	€38,194
Sweden	€37,856
Netherlands	€37,077
Ireland	€36,098
France	€27,145
Italy	€26,488
Spain	€22,817
Portugal	€11,142
Poland	€10,099

Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.

Exposure to AI

This occupation sits in the lower third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of -1.00. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.

Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.

Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (51-4122).

Is it a fit for you?

Interest is one input, alongside ability, pay and what is hiring near you. The career interests test takes about thirteen minutes and ranks occupations by how closely their profile matches yours.

Take the career interests test