How Much Does an Underwater Welder Make? (2022 Update)

Underwater welding has always been exciting to people who have an interest in welding technology. If you want to know how much does an underwater welder makes, then I will let you know every detail about it.

Like the underwater electrician, the welders also need to dive into the deep water for welding. As the work is challenging for a lack of visibility options, the welders get a handsome salary. However, you should know more about the wage and the profession.

So, in this content, you will know about the underwater welder salary, the highest paid underwater welder, advanced welding salary, welders’ yearly income, underwater welder hourly wage, and many more with the tips to join as an underwater welder.

On Salary: How Much Does an Underwater Welder Make?

I know you want to know about underwater welding, how much does it pay? Well, today I’ll talk about the payment, and I hope this tempted information will encourage you to take underwater welding as your career.

So the options are as bellow –

• Income from Island
• Offshore Welding Salaries
• Onshore Welding Income
• Over Timing Salary

Income from Island

If you are living in a dock area or on an island, then there should be a high chance of getting an underwater welding job. So, you can earn there a handsome amount of salary. In most cases, you can earn $40,000 – $80,000 every year, which is a very healthy amount of income.

One thing you should remember is that an island diver can’t go for offshore diving and welding there. So, if you are an island welder, then you can’t work for offshore welding. For you, there may not be lots of underwater constructional work, so it’s very competitive.

Offshore Welding Income

In the deep sea, you can earn more than in the local underwater area, and there are plenty of work too. But, the type of work is a bit risky, and I have talked about the risk letter. In that case, you can earn $40,000 – $100,000 or even more in a year from this type of underwater welding.

 If you think that the underwater welding salary is low, then you should see this. You will find more jobs to do as there is a lot of underwater construction in the offshore area. There are many navy ships that require fixing from time to time, and a welder can do this job only by diving into the water.

If you have the experience, then you can do this job then you are going to have more payment in this field. So, you have seen that offshore welding pays you more than you think.

Onshore welding Income

Like other welding jobs, underwater welding jobs are very admirable as there are many risks. But for the handsome salary and the advancer people choose marine welding jobs as a profession. For the onshore welders, the pay starts from $25,000 to $40,000 in a year.

If you can gather 3-5 years of experience, then you earn $50,000-$80,000 in a year as an onshore welder.

Over Timing Salary

Like every other job, the underwater welding job also has over-timing availability. In the US over-timing isn’t cheap, and as an underwater welder, you are going to get 50% incensement of your salary. With salary benefits, you should also know that you need to take hard work sessions during diving.

Over-timing may harm your health. So, my recommendation to you is that don’t do overtime.

Quick Look

Now I am going to demonstrate the condition of an underwater welder in the US. If you are thinking is underwater welding a good career or not, then have a quick look over them –

• $29,225 (Lower 15%)
• $45,880 (Medium 55%)
• $84,375 (Upper 90%)

This stat is from the Bureau of labor, and they provide the stat in almost every year. You should also know that an employee can get from $1 to $4 per foot in the depth of the water. So, depth is a factor in underwater welding. But, a diver can dive into the bottom of 500 feet and welding there comfortably.

Read More: 9 Different Types Of Welding Jobs (Explained)

How Can You Take Underwater Welding as your Career?

If you want to be an underwater technician or more specifically an underwater welder, then you need to take certificates from welding colleges over this. There are many popular programs you will find from many colleges where underwater welding is taught.

You can also learn varieties of welding technologies in those colleges, and different colleges take different times to deliver your certificates. So, make sure your program has an underwater welding course.

If you want to take underwater welding as a career, then you need to be a good diver into the water because a good diver can reach the place in the depth of water and can comfortably do his job.

Risks in Underwater Welding and Solution

There are many kinds of threats in the underwater welding job. When we think about welding earnings, we forget about the danger. So, let’s check out the chances that you may face-

Health Risk

If you dive into the water continuously, then your body parts may face various problems. Take a look at the bullet points to find out the sensitive body parts.

• Ears
• Skin
• Skin
• Brain
• Joints
• Spinal Cord

Solution

You need to wear the suit correctly, and before diving, you need to check the suite. After that, you also need to check the gloves, mask, cylinder, and helmet precisely so that the pressure of the water can’t harm you. Again you should protect your eyes from the welding spark.

A commercial welder always checks these things before diving into the water.

Hyperbaric Welding Risk

Though hyperbaric welding salary is pretty high, it’s risky for the beginner welder. Underwater welding had started for only the past ten years, and researchers are doing their research on it. So, before diving into the deep sea, you need to make sure of your driving skills.

Without proper diving skills, you don’t need to go for a hyperbaric welding zone. And it’s the only solution.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the highest-paid welding job?

– There are many welding jobs available in this world, and among them, the industrial pipeline welders make money. In the second position, there are underwater welders which is the second highest-paid welding job.

2. How often do underwater welders die? 

– Though the rate is low if you are weak in diving and afraid of water, then you should not pick this job as your career. Approximately 5 out of 3,000 welders die in welding at underwater welding.

Professional Tips: On Building Career

A professional welder follows some rules and the rules are the tips for you to stay safe and build a bright career in underwater welding. So let’s check them

• Before diving into the water, you should check the cable which will carry you and make sure the safety switch works perfectly. If you face any problem or dangerous underwater creature, then don’t forget to push the safety switch.
• Sometimes due to water density and depth of the water, there may be excessive pressure which can kill you. So, you need to check the pressure first and then dive.
• There is a rule of an explosion in the guide of underwater welding. You should check the electrode you are using is waterproofed.

Last Words

I hope that you have known how much does an underwater welder make and what risks they face. If you are ready to take this profession as your career, then you should be very careful and stay away from the risk factors.