Welder Salary: Nashville, TN vs Seattle, WA
BLS reports this occupation as "Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers" (51-4121); every figure on this page is for that BLS occupation.
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for Welders in Nashville, TN and Seattle, WA, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Nashville, TN | Seattle, WA | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $49,460 | $66,240▲ | -$16,780 |
| 25th Percentile | $43,730 | $58,200▲ | -$14,470 |
| 75th Percentile | $61,100 | $75,210▲ | -$14,110 |
| 90th Percentile | $68,490 | $89,630▲ | -$21,140 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 96.3 | 111.1 | -14.8 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $51,340 | $59,604▲ | -$8,264 |
| Total Employment | 2,590 | 3,230 | -640 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, Seattle, WA pays $16,780 more (median: $49,460 vs $66,240). BEA's regional price parity is 96.3 in Nashville, TN and 111.1 in Seattle, WA (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $51,340 and $59,604, so Seattle, WA comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
5Reading This Comparison
The $16,780 gap between the two medians is a gap in dollars, not in what those dollars buy. Dividing each median by its area's regional price parity restates it at national-average prices: $51,340 for Nashville and $59,604 for Seattle, a difference of $8,264.
The price levels come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which describes them this way: “Regional price parities (RPPs) measure the differences in price levels across states and metropolitan areas for a given year and are expressed as a percentage of the overall national price level.” The figures used here are the all-items index for each whole metropolitan area (Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 2,590 Welder jobs in the Nashville area and 3,230 in the Seattle area. For broader context, see our Tennessee overview and the full Welder city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Welder salary higher in Nashville, TN or Seattle, WA?
Seattle, WA has the higher median wage for Welders ($66,240 per year, against $49,460 in Nashville, TN; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $51,340 in Nashville, TN and $59,604 in Seattle, WA.
How do prices compare between Nashville, TN and Seattle, WA?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 96.3 for the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metropolitan area and 111.1 for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 3.7% below the national level for Nashville, TN and 11.1% above the national level for Seattle, WA.
Which city pays Welders more once local prices are counted?
Seattle, WA: at national-average prices its median Welder wage is $59,604, against $51,340 for Nashville, TN. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.