Salario de Soldador en Colorado (2026)
El salario promedio de un Soldador en Colorado es de $75,000/año. Después de impuestos, tu sueldo neto estimado es de $59,001/año ($4,917/mes).
Desglose del Sueldo Neto
| Categoría | Cantidad |
|---|---|
Sueldo Neto Anual | $59,001 |
Sueldo Neto Mensual | $4,917 |
Sueldo Neto Quincenal | $2,269 |
Sueldo Neto por Hora basado en 2,080 hrs/año | $28/hr |
Impuesto Federal | $7,670 |
Impuesto Estatal | $2,592 |
Impuestos FICA | $5,738 |
Tasa Efectiva de Impuesto impuestos totales ÷ salario bruto | 21.33% |
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Rangos de Salario de Soldador en Colorado
No todas las Soldadors ganan lo mismo — ni de cerca
CO welding work splits across heavy industrial / aerospace manufacturing (Lockheed Martin Space Systems Littleton, Ball Aerospace Boulder, Sierra Nevada Corporation Centennial, Vestas Wind Systems Pueblo + Brighton, Suncor Refinery Commerce City), structural steel + ironwork (Iron Workers Local 24 Denver, Local 27 Salt Lake-CO border), pipefitting + plumbers (Plumbers + Pipefitters Local 208 Denver), boilermakers (Boilermakers Local 101 Denver), federal-research labs (NREL Golden, NIST Boulder, USGS Lakewood), commercial general contractors (PCL Construction, Mortenson, Hensel Phelps), specialty (TIG / pipe / underwater / rig / cleanroom), residential service, mountain-town construction + ski-resort lift maintenance (Vail, Aspen, Steamboat, Breckenridge), and emerging EV battery + green-hydrogen build-out (Vestas Pueblo + various DOE-funded sites). CO Department of Regulatory Agencies licenses electrical contractors; welders licensed via shop / employer credentials + AWS certifications.
Apprentice / Entry Welder
$36,000-$52,000
Front Range Community College welding + Iron Workers Local 24 / Plumbers Local 208 JATC · 5-year apprenticeship
Journeyman Welder (manufacturing)
$58,000-$78,000
Lockheed Martin Aerospace + Ball Aerospace + Vestas + Suncor + Sierra Nevada Corp · AWS certification base
Senior / Certified Welder (AWS D1.1)
$78,000-$105,000
7-12 yr · AWS structural certs · OT-heavy · aerospace + Vestas wind turbine premium
Pipe Welder (ASME B31.1 / B31.3)
$85,000-$125,000
Plumbers + Pipefitters Local 208 · Suncor Refinery + power gen + cleanroom Vestas
Pipefitter / Boilermaker (UA / Local 208 / Local 101)
$92,000-$135,000
Refinery + power plant + Vestas wind + DOE NREL renewable fabrication
Specialty Welder (TIG / aerospace / cleanroom)
$108,000-$165,000
TIG cert + aerospace AS9100 + Lockheed Martin / Ball Aerospace / Sierra Nevada · uncapped OT
Mountain-Town Construction / Lift Maintenance Welder
$72,000-$118,000
Vail / Aspen / Steamboat / Breckenridge · ski-resort lift maintenance + construction · housing-stipend often included
Welding Inspector (CWI / SCWI)
$85,000-$125,000
AWS Certified Welding Inspector · QA / QC at Lockheed / Ball / Vestas / Suncor
Vale la pena saber: Lockheed Martin Space Systems (Littleton, ~9,500 employees) is the largest CO aerospace manufacturer — produces space systems (Orion crew capsule, GPS satellites, Mars exploration vehicles) with substantial AWS-certified + AS9100 aerospace welder employment. Ball Aerospace (Boulder, ~5,000 CO employees, owned by BAE Systems since 2024) operates aerospace + space-systems fabrication. Sierra Nevada Corporation (Centennial, plus Sparks NV HQ) operates Dream Chaser spaceplane + military / commercial aerospace fabrication. Vestas Wind Systems (Pueblo + Brighton + Windsor, ~3,500 CO employees) operates the largest US wind turbine manufacturing footprint — substantial pipe + structural welder employment. Suncor Refinery (Commerce City, ~600 employees) is the only CO refinery and operates substantial pipefitter + boilermaker work. NREL Golden (DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory) + NIST Boulder + USGS Lakewood add federal-research welder employment. The IIJA + IRA infrastructure cycle drove substantial CO infrastructure work expansion 2024-2027 — particularly DIA airport gates expansion, RTD light rail extensions, Front Range water infrastructure, and Vestas wind turbine production scaling.
OBBBA overtime, IBEW pension, and the flat-4.40% CO state retirement-favorable math
$12,500
OBBBA single OT premium federal deduction cap (tax years 2025-2028)
$25,000
OBBBA MFJ OT premium federal deduction cap
0%
CO estate (since 2005) + CO inheritance · favorable welder retirement
4.40%
CO flat state · no local · vs MD 8.95% combined · between AZ 2.5% and MA 5%
$108-165K
Specialty welder (TIG / aerospace / cleanroom) · Lockheed Martin / Ball Aerospace / Vestas wind premium
Welder OT is structural to the comp model in CO heavy industrial + aerospace manufacturing. Lockheed Martin Aerospace + Ball Aerospace + Sierra Nevada Corp + Vestas Wind production schedules routinely run 50-60 hr/week during ramp + delivery cycles; Suncor refinery turnarounds run 60-80 hr/week with substantial pipe welder volume. Mountain-town construction + ski-resort lift maintenance (Vail / Aspen / Steamboat / Breckenridge) run 50-60 hr/week peak season May-October (off-season for ski-tourism = on-season for construction). Total OT typically 400-700 hrs/year for mid-career certified welder = supplemental $18-32K. Pushes mid-career welder total comp from $72K base to $90-115K all-in.
The 2025 law (One Big Beautiful Bill Act) created a federal-only deduction on the premium portion of overtime pay for tax years 2025-2028 — up to $12,500 single / $25,000 . Premium portion equals the half of time-and-a-half. For a CO welder with 500 OT hrs/year × $35/hr regular rate = $17,500 total OT compensation, the premium half roughly $5,800 — fully qualifies for OBBBA federal deduction at single filer. Federal savings 22% bracket × $5,800 = $1,276/year federal back.
Colorado has not formally conformed to . The OT premium is fully CO 4.40% taxable. For a CO welder: full $17,500 OT × 4.40% CO = $770 state tax on the OT compensation. The OBBBA federal deduction applies only to federal — the CO state stays. Net OBBBA benefit at CO welder OT comp tier: $1,276/year federal (offset by ongoing CO state tax of $770 = roughly $500/year true net benefit). CO's flat 4.40% (no local) is below MD's combined 8.95% but above AZ's 2.5% flat — at 4.40% CO OT cost on $5,800 premium = $255 vs MD's $464 at the same OT volume.
phaseout: $100/$1K over $150K single / $300K . Most CO journeyman welders ($90-115K total comp) stay below the threshold — full OBBBA deduction available. Specialty welders + pipefitters at $115-165K may approach phaseout depending on filing status. MFJ filers with high-earner spouse most exposed.
Real numbers for a CO journeyman welder at $32/hr × 2,080 base hrs = $66,560 base + $14K OT (350 hrs × $40/hr OT premium) + $5K AWS D1.1 cert premium = $86K total. CO state tax = 4.40% × $86K = $3,784/year. federal OT deduction $4,700 × 22% = $1,034 federal back. Compared to MD: $6,880/year MD combined. CO saves $3,096/year vs MD at this tier. Compared to AZ (2.5%): AZ $2,150. AZ saves $1,634/year vs CO. Compared to TN (0%): TN saves $3,784/year. The Lockheed Martin / Ball Aerospace + Vestas wind + Front Range outdoor lifestyle density unavailable in TN.
Union pension stacking is the dominant late-career lever for trades welders. Plumbers + Pipefitters Local 208 (Denver) provides multi-employer DB pension + Annuity Fund (DC) — combined typically $4,500-6,500/month at age 65 with 30 years' service ($54-78K/year). Iron Workers Local 24 (Denver) similar structure. Boilermakers Local 101 similar. Non-union manufacturing welders rely on employer at $24,500/year + match — Lockheed Martin, Ball Aerospace, Vestas, Suncor all offer 6-8% match plus pension or depending on role.
Most CO welders retire in-state — CO's 0% estate (since 2005) + 0% inheritance + flat 4.40% on retirement income + low 0.55% effective property tax + Front Range outdoor lifestyle (skiing, hiking, mountain access) makes the late-career math favorable. Pre-distribution relocation to FL / TN / NV is rare for CO welders compared to MA / MD peers. Common in-state retirement: stay in Denver suburbs / Boulder / Fort Collins, or migrate to mountain-town downvalley (Glenwood Springs, Steamboat-area) or southern CO (Pueblo, Grand Junction) for retirement lifestyle.
Colorado for welders — the honest take
CO welding work clusters along the Front Range I-25 corridor + I-70 mountain corridor. The Denver metro corridor (Lockheed Martin Space Systems Littleton + Ball Aerospace Boulder + Sierra Nevada Corporation Centennial + Suncor Refinery Commerce City + DIA airport + RTD rail infrastructure + Plumbers + Pipefitters Local 208 + Iron Workers Local 24 + Boilermakers Local 101) houses the densest unionized welder market. The Boulder / NREL Golden / NIST Boulder corridor anchors federal-research + tech welder density. The Pueblo / Brighton corridor (Vestas Wind Systems wind turbine manufacturing) anchors south + east Front Range. The Fort Collins corridor (Woodward Inc, plus regional manufacturing) anchors north Front Range. Mountain-town construction + ski-resort lift maintenance (Vail / Aspen / Steamboat / Breckenridge) provides seasonal premium work May-October.
Housing on a journeyman welder + OT income tier ($88-115K total comp): Denver outer (Aurora outer, Westminster, Thornton, Federal Heights) $375-525K · Aurora outer / Centennial $400-625K · Castle Rock / Parker (Douglas County) $475-700K · Boulder outer (Lafayette, Louisville, Erie) $525-800K · Fort Collins (Larimer) $475-700K · Pueblo (Pueblo County) $250-425K · Colorado Springs (El Paso) $375-575K. Mountain-town housing extreme premium ($750K-$5M+ in Aspen / Vail / Steamboat) — most mountain-town welders in downvalley (Eagle / Glenwood Springs / Avon) or employer-stipend housing.
Most CO welders retire in-state on union pension (Local 208 / Local 24 / Local 101) or non-union accumulation. CO's 0% estate (since 2005) + 0% inheritance + flat 4.40% retirement tax structure + Front Range outdoor lifestyle is materially favorable. Common in-state retirement: stay in Denver suburbs / Boulder / Fort Collins for grandkid proximity, or migrate to Pueblo / Grand Junction / mountain-town downvalley for outdoor lifestyle + lower COL.
How Colorado taxes work for welders (and where the levers are)
CO charges flat 4.40% state income tax (since 2022). No local income tax statewide. For a journeyman welder at $86K total: CO = 4.40% × $86K = $3,784/year. Same comp in MD: $6,880/year combined. CO saves $3,096/year vs MD at journeyman tier. Compared to AZ (2.5%): AZ $2,150. AZ saves $1,634/year vs CO. Compared to TN (0%): TN saves $3,784/year. The Lockheed Martin / Ball Aerospace / Vestas wind density unavailable in TN.
federal OT deduction (2025-2028) is the active-duty lever. $12,500 single / $25,000 cap on premium portion. For most CO welder comp tiers ($88-148K), full OBBBA deduction available — saves $500-1,400/year federal-net after CO non-conformity offset.
Union pension stacking (Plumbers + Pipefitters Local 208, Iron Workers Local 24, Boilermakers Local 101) is the dominant late-career lever for unionized welders. Multi-employer DB pension accruing hourly + Annuity Fund (DC) rolled-over-able at retirement. Plus union at $24,500/year + match. Pre-tax shelter at journeyman comp tier is $24,500 (401k) + ~$3-5/hr employer-contribution annuity (~$6-10K/year) = $30-35K/year combined federal pre-tax. Saves $9-11K/year combined federal + 4.40% CO at top marginal. Non-union manufacturing welders (Lockheed Martin, Ball Aerospace, Vestas, Suncor) rely on 401(k) + 6-8% match + pension or .
CO retirement-state tax favorability is the dominant late-career lever for senior welders. 0% estate (since 2005) + 0% inheritance + flat 4.40% state on retirement income + low 0.55% effective property tax + Front Range outdoor lifestyle. A senior welder retiring in Colorado Front Range pays CO flat 4.40% on retirement income vs MA's 5% + estate cliff or MD's 8% combined. Over 30-year retirement at $60K annual pension + draws: CO ~$72K total state tax vs MA $90K + MD $144K. CO saves $18-72K vs MA / MD on retirement income tax alone, and saves $0 vs MA $2M / MD $5M estate exposure for senior welder asset bases.
- → federal OT deduction (2025-2028): $12,500 single / $25,000 on premium portion · saves $500-1,400/year fed-net at journeyman tier
- →AWS certifications (D1.1 structural, ASME B31.1 / B31.3 pipe, AS9100 aerospace, 6G pipe) drive · $5-15/hr cert premium
- →Pursue specialty welder track (TIG / aerospace / cleanroom): $108-165K · Lockheed Martin / Ball Aerospace / Sierra Nevada Corp / Vestas premium
- →Pipefitter / Plumbers + Pipefitters Local 208 path: union pension + Annuity Fund · $54-78K/year retirement at 30 years
- →Vestas wind turbine + DOE NREL renewable energy fabrication (2024-2027) · GMP cleanroom + green-hydrogen specialty premium
- →Mountain-town construction + ski-resort lift maintenance (Vail / Aspen / Steamboat) · $72-118K + housing stipend · seasonal premium May-October
- →Max at $24,500/year + employer match (6-8% at Lockheed Martin / Ball Aerospace / Vestas / Suncor) · saves $9-11K/year combined fed + CO
- →Stay in CO for retirement: 0% estate (since 2005) + 0% inheritance + flat 4.40% retirement income · saves $18-72K vs MA / MD over 30 years
The Colorado welder career arc — apprentice to specialty / supervisor
Years 0-3 (apprentice / entry): $36-58K. Front Range Community College welding program, Pikes Peak Community College welding (Colorado Springs), or Trinidad State Junior College welding + OJT. Starting at manufacturing shop floor (Lockheed Martin Aerospace, Ball Aerospace, Vestas Wind, Sierra Nevada Corp, Suncor) or union apprenticeship (Plumbers + Pipefitters Local 208, Iron Workers Local 24, Boilermakers Local 101 — typically 5-year programs). AWS Certified Welder cert at $20-30/hr. Decision point at year 3: union path (Local 208 / 24 / 101 with multi-employer pension) vs non-union manufacturing (Lockheed Martin / Ball Aerospace / Vestas / Sierra Nevada Corp with + match) vs specialty welder track (TIG / aerospace / cleanroom training).
Years 3-12 (journeyman / certified welder / specialty): $58-115K total comp. Manufacturing journeyman scale $58-78K base + 400-700 OT hrs/year drives total comp $78-105K. Certified pipe welder (ASME B31.1 / B31.3 / 6G) with Plumbers Local 208 reaches $85-125K base + premium OT. Aerospace welder at Lockheed Martin / Ball Aerospace / Sierra Nevada Corp + AS9100 cert reaches $108-165K total. Vestas wind turbine welder + GMP cleanroom $95-135K. Maxing + (where available at corporate) is the active-duty stack. federal OT deduction on premium portion.
Years 12-30+ (senior welder / supervisor / specialty / retirement): $85-165K depending on track. Welding foreman / supervisor at $85-125K running multi-crew operations. CWI (Certified Welding Inspector) at $85-125K QA/QC role. Specialty welder (TIG / aerospace / cleanroom / ski-resort) at $108-165K with uncapped OT. Year 30 union retirement decision: full DB pension (typically $54-78K/year at 30 years' Local 208 / 24 / 101 service) + Annuity Fund rollover. Most CO welders retire in-state — favorable 0% estate (since 2005) + 0% inheritance + flat 4.40% retirement structure with Front Range outdoor lifestyle.
Where Colorado welders actually live
CO welder housing tracks employer + commute. Denver-corridor welders (Lockheed Martin Littleton, Ball Aerospace Boulder, Sierra Nevada Corp Centennial, Plumbers Local 208, Iron Workers Local 24) cluster in Westminster / Thornton / Federal Heights (cheaper Denver tier), Aurora outer / Centennial, Castle Rock / Parker. Suncor Commerce City welders in Commerce City / Brighton / Westminster. Vestas Pueblo welders in Pueblo County. Boulder Ball Aerospace + NREL Golden welders in Boulder outer (Lafayette, Louisville, Erie). Mountain-town welders in downvalley communities (Eagle / Glenwood Springs / Avon for Vail-area).
Westminster / Thornton / Federal Heights (Denver outer)
$375-525K · 4.40% flat state · Denver-corridor manufacturing commute · cheapest Front Range tier
Aurora outer / Centennial (Arapahoe)
$400-625K · 4.40% flat state · Sierra Nevada Corp + Suncor + Lockheed commute
Boulder outer (Lafayette / Louisville / Erie)
$525-800K · 4.40% flat state · Ball Aerospace + NREL Golden + tech corridor
Pueblo (Pueblo County)
$250-425K · 4.40% flat state · Vestas wind turbine manufacturing · cheapest CO welder tier
Eagle / Glenwood Springs (Vail downvalley)
$425-700K · 4.40% flat state · mountain-town construction + ski-resort lift maintenance · downvalley residency
CO's aerospace + Vestas wind + Suncor + DOE NREL + IIJA infrastructure density + 0% estate retirement structure (since 2005) + Front Range outdoor lifestyle make CO one of the deepest US Mountain West manufacturing welder markets through 2030. Vestas wind turbine production + green-hydrogen + DOE NREL renewable energy fabrication is uniquely concentrated in CO among major US states.
¿Es la decisión correcta?
Colorado welder — who it's best for
A tu favor
- +Aerospace manufacturing density: Lockheed Martin Space Systems + Ball Aerospace + Sierra Nevada Corporation · AS9100 + TIG specialty premium $108-165K
- +Vestas Wind Systems Pueblo + Brighton + Windsor: largest US wind turbine manufacturing footprint · 2024-2027 IRA scaling
- +Union pension stacking (Plumbers + Pipefitters Local 208 + Iron Workers Local 24 + Boilermakers Local 101) · DB + Annuity Fund · $54-78K/year pension at 30 years
- +OBBBA federal OT deduction (2025-2028): $12,500 single / $25,000 MFJ · saves $500-1,400/year fed-net at journeyman tier
- +CO 0% estate (since 2005) + 0% inheritance + flat 4.40% retirement state + Front Range outdoor lifestyle · favorable retirement vs MA / MD
Vale la pena saber antes de firmar
- −CO 4.40% state higher than AZ (2.5%) at welder comp tier · $1,634/year more than AZ at $86K · need specialty cert to offset
- −CO does not formally conform to OBBBA · OT premium fully 4.40% CO-taxable
- −Mountain-town housing extreme premium ($750K-$5M+) · most mountain-town welders in downvalley or employer stipends
- −Aerospace + Vestas wind cycles subject to project-specific scheduling · gaps between major NASA + DOD + IRA contracts
- −Suncor refinery is the only CO refinery · turnaround windows (every 4-5 years) drive concentrated pipefitter demand spikes
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