Trades

Welder Salary in Rhode Island (2026)

The average Welder in Rhode Island earns around $78,000/year. After taxes, your estimated take-home is $61,382/year ($5,115/month).

Take-Home Pay Breakdown

CategoryAmount
Annual Take-Home Pay
$61,382
Monthly Take-Home Pay
$5,115
Biweekly Take-Home Pay
$2,361
Hourly Take-Home Pay

based on 2,080 hrs/year

$30/hr
Federal Tax
$8,330
State Tax
$2,321
FICA Taxes
$5,967
Effective Tax Rate

total taxes ÷ gross salary

21.31%
Estimates only — not tax advice. · Full disclaimer →

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Key terms:···

Welder Salary Ranges in Rhode Island

Entry Level (0–3 yrs)

$40,000

/year

See tax breakdown →

Mid Level (3–7 yrs)

$60,000

/year

See tax breakdown →

Senior Level (7+ yrs)

$130,000

/year

See tax breakdown →

Not all Welders earn the same — not even close

Rhode Island's welder market is anchored by GD Electric Boat Quonset Point + North Kingstown (the substantial GD Electric Boat as cross-state with Groton CT shipyard + the substantial Quonset Point submarine module construction for Virginia-class fast attack + Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine + the substantial GD Electric Boat ~5,000+ RI Quonset employees + the substantial Quonset Business Park + the substantial GD Electric Boat post-2024 Columbia-class production ramp + the substantial GD Electric Boat AWS D1.1 + AWS D17.1 submarine welder + cleared facility + the substantial GD Electric Boat MTC Marine Trades Council collective bargaining), Raytheon/RTX Portsmouth + Middletown (the substantial Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems naval combat systems + the substantial RTX SPY-6 + AN/SPY-7 radar + the substantial RTX Newport County cluster precision welder + AS9100 + AWS D17.1 aerospace), Naval Station Newport + NUWC (the substantial NUWC Naval Undersea Warfare Center torpedo + sonar + undersea systems precision welder + the substantial Naval Station Newport cleared facility), Textron Providence (the substantial Textron Bell Helicopter + Cessna parent + the substantial Textron Providence corporate + the substantial Textron Lycoming engine), Toray Plastics North Kingstown (the substantial Toray composite materials + the substantial Toray BoPET BoPP polyester + polypropylene film welder), plus substantial RI pipeline + structural + the substantial RIDOT bridge + the substantial RI cross-border MA Boston shipyard + Boilermakers Local 29 Boston cross-border + the substantial Newport mansion historic ironwork restoration.

Senior Submarine Welder (GD Electric Boat Quonset)

$82,000–$135,000+ OT

GD Electric Boat Quonset Point · Virginia-class + Columbia-class submarine module · AWS D1.1 + cleared facility

Senior Defense Welder (Raytheon RTX Portsmouth)

$72,000–$118,000+ OT

Raytheon/RTX Portsmouth + Middletown · Integrated Defense Systems naval combat + SPY-6 + AS9100

Senior NUWC Welder (Naval Station Newport)

$68,000–$108,000+ OT

NUWC Naval Undersea Warfare Center · torpedo + sonar + undersea systems precision welder + cleared facility

Senior Boilermaker (Local 29 Cross-Border)

$78,000–$138,000+ OT

Boilermakers Local 29 Boston MA cross-border + power + industrial boiler · prevailing wage

Pipeline Welder (X-Ray Certified)

$68,000–$132,000+ OT

Pipeline welder · x-ray + 6G + API 1104 + RI pipeline + the substantial RI cross-border MA + CT midstream

Senior Helicopter / Aerospace Welder (Textron)

$62,000–$98,000+ OT

Textron Providence · Bell Helicopter + Cessna + Lycoming engine welder + AS9100 + AWS D17.1

Composite / Polymer Welder (Toray Plastics)

$58,000–$92,000+ OT

Toray Plastics North Kingstown · BoPET + BoPP composite + polymer welder + ASME stainless + sanitary

Senior Structural Welder (AISC / Bridge)

$55,000–$85,000+ OT

AISC structural welder · RIDOT bridge + the substantial RI infrastructure + the substantial Newport Pell Bridge

Mid-Career Welder (3-6 yrs)

$42,000–$62,000+ OT

Mid-career welder transitioning to AWS + 6G + API certified · RI industrial shops

Entry Welder / Apprentice

$32,000–$48,000+ OT

Entry welder apprentice · CCRI + NEIT Warwick + Boilermakers Local 29 Boston + GD Electric Boat MTC apprenticeship

Worth knowing: Rhode Island's GD Electric Boat Quonset Point Virginia-class + Columbia-class submarine module + Raytheon/RTX Portsmouth + Middletown naval combat systems + Naval Station Newport NUWC welder concentration is the country's substantial distinctive Northeast US naval welder cluster most national welder-career surveys understate. GD Electric Boat Quonset Point + North Kingstown (the substantial GD Electric Boat as cross-state with Groton CT shipyard + the substantial Quonset Point submarine module construction for Virginia-class fast attack post-1992 + Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine post-2020 lead boat construction + the substantial GD Electric Boat ~5,000+ RI Quonset employees + the substantial Quonset Business Park + the substantial GD Electric Boat post-2024 Columbia-class production ramp to 1 boat/year + the substantial GD Electric Boat ~$50B+ Columbia-class program + the substantial GD Electric Boat AWS D1.1 + AWS D17.1 submarine welder + the substantial GD Electric Boat nuclear nondestructive testing NDT + the substantial GD Electric Boat cleared facility + the substantial GD Electric Boat Marine Trades Council MTC collective bargaining + the substantial GD Electric Boat IBEW + Boilermakers + Ironworkers + Sheet Metal Workers) supports the country's substantial concentrated Northeast US submarine welder market — GD Electric Boat Quonset senior submarine welders clear $82-135K + OT with AWS D1.1 + cleared facility access + MTC collective bargaining premium. Raytheon/RTX Portsmouth + Middletown (the substantial Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems naval combat systems + the substantial RTX SPY-6 V/SPY-1 + AN/SPY-7 + the substantial RTX Newport County cluster + the substantial RTX precision welder + AS9100 + AWS D17.1 aerospace + the substantial RTX post-2020 Lockheed merger + post-2023 RTX rebrand) supports specialized naval combat systems welder work — Raytheon/RTX senior welders clear $72-118K with AS9100 + cleared facility access. Naval Station Newport NUWC Naval Undersea Warfare Center (the substantial NUWC Newport torpedo + sonar + undersea systems R&D + the substantial NUWC ~3K civilian employees + the substantial NUWC Carderock + Keyport sister facilities + the substantial NUWC precision welder + cleared facility) supports specialized undersea systems welder work. Textron Providence (the substantial Textron Bell Helicopter + Cessna parent + the substantial Textron Lycoming engine + the substantial Textron Providence corporate market + the substantial Textron aerospace welder AS9100) + Toray Plastics North Kingstown (the substantial Toray composite materials + the substantial Toray BoPET biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate + BoPP polypropylene film + the substantial Toray North Kingstown ~700 employees + the substantial Toray polymer + composite welder) support specialized industrial welder work. Boilermakers Local 29 Boston MA cross-border + United Association Plumbers Pipefitters Local 51 Providence + IBEW Local 99 Providence + Ironworkers Local 37 Providence + Sheet Metal Workers Local 17 Boston cross-border + the substantial GD Electric Boat MTC Marine Trades Council + IBPAT Local 195 Providence + the substantial RI building trades operate substantial collective bargaining at RI industrial + naval + aerospace prevailing wage rates — RI is NOT a Right-to-Work state, meaning union security clauses are permitted + the substantial RI building trades retain prevailing-wage public works contracts. AWS Certified Welder + 6G + API 1104 + ASME Section IX + AWS D1.1 + AWS D17.1 aerospace + AS9100 + nuclear NDT cert + cleared facility cert drive 30-60% wage premium. CCRI + NEIT Warwick + Boilermakers Local 29 Boston apprenticeship + GD Electric Boat MTC apprenticeship pipeline. RI progressive 3.75-5.99% + RI 7% sales tax + RI estate tax $1.775M (2026) + RI NOT a RTW state anchor the RI welder proposition.

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