WELDER
Joins metal. Everything from your car frame to nuclear submarines. The trade with the highest variance in pay. Idaho is a right-to-work state — union density is lower than the national average, but licensed tradespeople still command solid wages on prevailing wage projects.
The License.
Check with Idaho directly — licensing for weldervaries by municipality in this state. There is no single state board that we can point to with confidence for this trade. Contact your local city or county building department, or check the state labor department's website.
The Money.
Pay data for this trade in Idaho. BLS metro-level data was not available for this combination. National medians shown below.
| Stage | Hourly range | Approx. annual |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 apprentice | $17–$22/hr | $34,000 – $44,000 |
| Journeyman scale | $28–$65/hr | $56,000 – $130,000 |
| BLS national median | — | $50,630 |
| BLS top 10% | — | $71,820 |
Idaho is a right-to-work state. Union scale in major Idaho metros typically runs 10–20% above the national median on public projects with prevailing wage requirements; non-union pay can run 15–30% below union scale on private work.
The Path.
In Idaho, apprenticeships are administered through the federal RAPIDS system via the U.S. Department of Labor. To find registered programs, go to apprenticeship.gov and filter by state. Most joint apprenticeship training committees (JATCs) also accept direct applications.
- · Boilermakers
- · Ironworkers
- · UA (welder classification)
- · SMART
The Exam.
Industrial trade licensing in Idaho often falls under boiler, pressure vessel, or contractor rules. Confirm the applicable exam provider and code edition with the relevant board. Note: prevailing wage rules in Idaho apply primarily to public projects — private-sector jobs in this right-to-work state are exempt.
Be honest about pass rates. Many licensing boards do not publish them. When they do, first-time pass rates for journeyman exams in the trades typically run 50–75%. Preparation time varies — most serious candidates spend 60–120 hours on exam prep. Use code books from the correct edition, not what's currently in print.
What recruiters won't tell you.
- 01Trade school welding programs vary wildly. Community college is usually a better bet than for-profit.
- 02Pipeline welding pay is real but the work is feast-or-famine and brutally far from home.
- 03Underwater welding pays huge but has a fatality rate to match — research it honestly.
- 04Many welders develop lung issues, back issues, or eye damage — PPE discipline matters from day one.