Scattershot applications versus a targeted search: both put your name in front of employers, but only one gets you a weld test scheduled. Welders and fitters remain in steady demand across structural construction, manufacturing, pipe fabrication, and shipyard welding, and median pay for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers sits near $53,750 nationally as of 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics figures.
The catch is that welding and fitting jobs often fill within days of posting. Employers hire the first qualified hand who passes the weld test, so the seeker who searches the right titles, sets alerts, and reads listings carefully beats the one who waits.
On a board like Indeed, how you type a search and read a listing matters as much as your hood time.
How to Search Indeed for Welding and Fitting Jobs (Step by Step)
Where exactly do you type "welder fitter" on Indeed, and which filters actually narrow the results to Welding Jobs worth applying to? Here is the walkthrough.
Start With the Right Search Terms
On the Indeed homepage, one of many Welder Staffing Companies and Job Sites, use the "What" field for the job title and the "Where" field for a city or ZIP. Job titles vary shop to shop, so run several passes rather than one catch-all query. Good starting terms in 2026:
- welder fitter
- welder-fitter
- welding fitter
- pipe welder fitter
- structural welder fitter
- fabricator welder
Indeed's support for Boolean operators and exact-phrase quoting is unverified, so don't assume "welding AND fitting" forces both words. If you want combo results, run each term as its own search.
Apply Filters on the Results Page
Once results load, the filter row across the top typically includes Pay, Date posted, Location, Job type, Experience level, Education level, Work setting, Relevant skills, and Encouraged to apply. Not every filter appears on every search.
- Date posted: choose Last 24 hours, Last 3 days, Last 7 days, or Last 14 days for fresher listings.
- Location: after entering a city or ZIP, set a radius. Common values are 5, 10, 15, 25, 35, 50, or 100 miles.2
- Job type: Full-time, Part-time, Contract, Internship, or Seasonal, useful for isolating shop work versus travel contracts.
- Experience level: Entry level, Mid level, Senior level.
- Pay (or Salary estimate): filter by hourly or annual bands. These are Indeed estimates, and many postings omit pay entirely.
Read Freshness Signals and Save the Search
Look for "Urgently hiring" badges and "Encouraged to apply" tags, and sort by newest first. A recent date is not proof the posting is brand new: employers repost and refresh. Once you have a filter combo that works, save the search so you can set alerts, which are covered later.
The Best Job Titles to Use on Indeed: Welder, Fitter, Combo Welder, and More
Broad searches get you volume; specific titles get you the right work. Typing "welder" into Indeed pulls the widest net, including structural, pipe, fabrication, and some fit-up roles, but plenty of those listings involve little layout or assembly. Search only "fitter" and you flip the problem: you'll surface jobs built around blueprint reading, cutting, and positioning that may not put a hood on your head at all.
What Each Title Actually Returns
- Welder: The broadest term. High volume, inconsistent duty mix.
- Pipe welder: Narrows to pipe work, but misses structural fitter/welder postings.
- Structural welder: Targets structural steel. A Tulsa, OK posting at $24.50 an hour closed July 16, 2026, and a Houston employer advertised 15 openings for fluxcore welders and fitters at $23 to $25 an hour.
- Fitter: Assembly, layout, fit-up, positioning. Combine it with "welder" to filter out non-welding roles.
- Combo welder: Common in industrial and pipe fabrication for hybrid welding plus fit-up duties.
- Welder fabricator: Captures cutting, forming, assembling, and welding. Muskogee, OK listings for Welder/Fabricator/Fitter ran $24 to $28.75 an hour with a $4 shift differential.
- Weld technician: Process support, setup, inspection, troubleshooting. Rarely hands-on fit-up.
Stack Variations Into One Search
Use OR to run several titles at once: welder OR "fitter/welder" OR "combo welder" OR "welder fabricator". Slash order carries a hint, since "Fitter/Welder" often means fit-up is the core job while "Welder/Fitter" leads with the arc.
Your Welder Certifications decide which titles are worth chasing. A 6G Pipe Welding ticket makes pipe welder and combo welder searches productive; a structural plate qualification points you toward Structural Welder/Fitter postings instead.
Welding Salary Benchmarks: National Averages for Welders, Cutters, and Machine Setters
The figures below are 2025 national estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. Median annual pay for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers is around $53,750, while welding machine setters, operators, and tenders typically earn less and make up a smaller occupational group. These are approximate annual wages and do not reflect current job listings.
| Occupation | Total Employment | Mean Annual Wage | 25th Percentile | Median Annual Wage | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | 416,210 | $56,760 | $46,790 | $53,750 | $63,010 |
| Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 31,600 | $50,220 | $40,560 | $47,920 | $57,390 |
| Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Workers | 447,810 | $56,300 | $46,470 | $52,760 | $62,690 |
How Do You Run a Five-Step Welding Job Search on Indeed?
Move from a blank search to a steady stream of leads with this five-step workflow. Use it on Indeed first, then repeat on other job boards.
Setting up Indeed Job Alerts That Don't MISs New Listings
A job alert is the single fastest way to beat other applicants to a welder career posting, because welding and fitting jobs often fill within days of going live. Employers frequently hire the first qualified welder who passes the weld test, so seeing a listing on day one instead of day five changes your odds.
Create the Alert From Your Search
Run a search first, then set the alert on top of it. Type your title and location (for example, "combo welder" plus your city), apply any filters you want, and look for the prompt to create a job alert on the results page. Naming the alert clearly helps once you have several running. Because the alert inherits whatever filters are active when you save it, set your pay minimum, job type, and distance radius before you create it. That keeps warehouse and unrelated postings out of your inbox.
Choose a Fast Frequency
Pick daily or instant email delivery, not weekly. For trade work that moves quickly, a weekly digest means you learn about the good jobs after they are gone. Instant alerts push new listings the moment they post.
Run Several Alerts at Once
One alert rarely covers a welding job hunt. Build separate alerts for different title and location combinations: "pipe welder" in your metro, "fitter" within 50 miles, and "traveling welder" statewide if you are open to road work.
Manage everything from your account settings, where you can pause, edit, or delete alerts as your search narrows or your target radius changes.
How to Read a Welding Job Listing: Pay, Certifications, and Red Flags
More listings now show pay ranges upfront thanks to state disclosure laws, but plenty still hide behind vague language, and learning to decode that gap is worth more than any resume trick.
Pay: Range vs. Guarantee
A posted range like "$22 to $32 per hour" is not a promise of the top number. "Up to $32" usually means most hires land near the bottom, tied to tested skill level or certification. Treat the low end as your real starting assumption and confirm the actual offer before accepting an interview.
Certifications, Stated or Implied
Many postings never spell out AWS D1.1, ASME Section IX, or API 1104, but require them anyway through phrases like "must pass weld test" or "structural steel experience", the tested skills behind a 4G SMAW Certification. If the listing mentions pipe, pressure vessels, or code work, assume a specific certification or weld test, often 6g welding, is coming, and ask which one during the screening call.
Red Flags Worth Skipping
- No pay, just "competitive": Often signals below-market offers.
- Unpaid weld tests: Legitimate shops pay for test time or roll it into a paid trial shift.
- Heavy travel, no per diem mentioned: Assume the travel cost comes out of your pocket.
- No company name or address: Common with recruiter shells posting the same job dozens of times.
Posting Age, Reviews, and Who's Hiring
Check the posting date; anything over 30 days old may be stale or a permanent applicant-collection listing. Read employer reviews for turnover complaints. Finally, note whether the poster is a staffing agency (temp-to-hire, contract) or a direct employer, since pay structure and benefits differ significantly between the two.
Entry-Level Welding Job Titles and Typical Requirements on Indeed
The most beginner-friendly titles on Indeed are welder helper, welding apprentice, production welder with no experience, beginner welder, and entry-level welder, because listings explicitly state no prior welding experience is required or training is provided. Pay ranges below are for listed hourly wages gathered from active Indeed postings. Apprenticeship wage progression typically starts with paid learning, such as one welding-school trainee listing at $16 per hour, but standardized multi-step schedules are not published in the collected listings.
| Entry-Level Job Title | Typical Requirements | Pay Range (Hourly) | Where Found on Indeed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welder helper | Listings commonly emphasize willingness to learn; one listing states no previous welding or metal-fabrication experience is required, while a high-school diploma or equivalent is preferred and one year of welding experience is preferred. | $14.00 to $16.00 | Indeed search results for welding shop helper jobs |
| Welding apprentice | No prior welding experience is required; experience in construction, manufacturing, or metalwork is a plus. | $21.90 to $36.50 | Indeed search results for welding apprentice jobs requiring no experience |
| Entry-level welding technician | A high-school diploma or GED, valid driver's license, and strong written, verbal, and interpersonal skills are listed; no experience is required, but field experience is preferred and training may be provided. | $28.00 to $32.00 | Indeed search results for welding apprentice jobs |
| Entry-level fabricator | Previous fabrication, construction, or carpentry experience is preferred; no experience may be necessary. Typical qualifications include basic knowledge of welding processes and safety, ability to lift heavy materials and work in various positions, willingness to learn and take direction, and reliability. | $18.00 to $22.00 | Indeed search results for entry-level metal fabrication and welding jobs |
| Entry-level welder/fabricator | No experience is required; retail, farming, ranching, pet/equine, or welding knowledge may be preferred. | $18.00 to $32.00 | Indeed search results for no-experience welding part-time jobs |
| Production welder, no experience | Experience is not required; employers may provide training. One listing states workers are paid while learning to weld. | $16.00 to $18.00 | Indeed search results for entry-level welding jobs with no experience |
| Beginner welder | No prior welding experience is required; typical requirements include willingness to perform physical labor in a hot, fast-paced environment, ability to repeatedly lift 50+ pounds safely, dependability, and safety consciousness. | $19.00 to $23.00 | Indeed search results for beginner welding jobs |
| Entry-level welder | No prior welding experience is required; comprehensive training may be provided. The listed physical requirement is the ability to lift at least 50 pounds. | $22.00 to $24.00 | Indeed search results for welding apprenticeship jobs |
| Welding school trainee | The listing describes paid learning while the worker learns to weld; no prior experience requirement is stated in the search result. | $16.00 | Indeed search results for entry-level welding jobs with no experience |
Travel Welding Jobs and per Diem: What to Look for on Indeed
Traveling welding listings on Indeed commonly show per diem from about $30 to $210 per day, with weekly packages ranging from $600 to $700. That daily figure often covers meals and incidentals only.
Per diem, travel stipend, and mileage
Per diem is a daily allowance, usually for meals and incidentals, but sometimes split between lodging and food. A travel stipend is a fixed amount to cover getting to or from a project. Mileage reimbursement covers vehicle use per mile and is often listed separately or not at all. On Indeed, do not assume "per diem" includes lodging. Examples range from $50/day at Los Alamos to $90/day for a Samsung Taylor semiconductor project and $140/day for workers living 80+ miles away. Some listings advertise $45 to $65/day just for meals.
Search tactics and rotations
Search Indeed with titles like "travel welder," "pipe welder per diem," or "combo welder travel." Use the location field to filter by state or use "remote" only if the posting truly allows travel from anywhere; most travel welding jobs still show a project city. Check the project location field inside the posting, not just the headline city. Favorable rotations include 16 days on/5 days off and 10 days on/4 days off, but schedules vary. Travel radius requirements often appear as 50 to 80+ miles.
Overtime and total compensation
Hourly wages in travel listings range from about $24 to $55.08 per hour, with pipeline work like Kinder Morgan paying roughly $39.72 to $55.08 plus a 40% overtime premium. Some postings add a separate $15/hour travel pay on top of base and per diem. Stacking base wage, overtime, travel pay, and per diem can make a $26/hour robotic welder with $600/week per diem competitive. Always ask whether overtime is paid at time and a half or another multiplier.
Watch for red flags
Avoid jobs that advertise a low per diem that only covers meals while expecting transport and lodging out of pocket, or that say "per diem TBD." Some listings may mention a lodging-only per diem that leaves food costs unpaid. If a listing omits the dollar amount, message the recruiter before applying. Weekly figures like $700 may be calculated on all seven days, so verify the daily rate.
Welding Certification Costs and Common Weld Tests
Certification and weld test fees vary by standard, position, and testing provider. The ranges below reflect common 2026 costs for AWS D1.1, AWS D1.5, ASME Section IX, and API 1104 qualifications. Whether an employer covers the test fee is often not stated in job postings and can vary by employer.
| Certification / Weld Test | Typical Cost | Who Pays | Commonly Required For |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS D1.1 | $445 for AWS members; $540 for nonmembers | Varies by employer | Structural welders, construction welders, and jobs requiring welding tests to AWS D1.1 |
| AWS D1.5 | $275 for a single-position limited-thickness test with backing; $310 for a single-position unlimited-thickness test with backing; additional positions cost $145 or $210, respectively | Varies by employer | Bridge welders and bridge-construction welding jobs |
| ASME Section IX | $500 for a pipe test using a 6-inch Schedule 80, 6-inch Schedule 40, or 2-inch XXH coupon, one position, one welding process, and consumables | Varies by employer | Pipe welders and jobs involving pressure-vessel or piping qualification requirements |
| API 1104 | $500 for a pipe test using a 6-inch Schedule 80, 6-inch Schedule 40, or 2-inch XXH coupon, one position, one welding process, and consumables | Varies by employer | Pipeline welders, pipeline construction welders, and oil-and-gas transmission welding jobs |
| Employer-sponsored weld testing | N/A | Varies by employer; cited posting does not state | Welder jobs requiring applicants to pass a welding test |
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Welder/fitter Resume and Application Tips for Indeed
Indeed recommends adding 15 to 20 highly relevant skills to your resume profile1, then prioritizing 6 to 10 for each focused application. The strongest welder and fitter resumes mirror the exact welder resume keywords hiring managers type into Indeed search filters.2
Use the Employer's Exact Welding Vocabulary
Include both abbreviations and spelled-out terms: MIG (GMAW), TIG Welding (GTAW), stick welding (SMAW), FCAW, pipe welding, and all-position welding.2 Pair them with fitting-specific language like layout, fit-up, alignment, tack welding, jigs and fixtures, blueprint reading, and welding symbols.2 When a posting names a code, use that code only if your training or work record supports it. A 2026 welder-fitter posting listed MIG, stick welding, FCAW, GMAW, and GTAW alongside ASME Section IX, AWS D1.1/D1.4, and AWS D1.6.3 Structural-steel applications should emphasize structural steel, AWS D1.1, FCAW, and SMAW; pipe-welding applications should lean on pipe fit-up, 5G, 6G, GTAW/TIG, and ASME Section IX.2
Build Your Indeed Resume Profile for the Match Score
Set your resume headline to the target title, such as "Welder Fitter" or "Combo Welder." If your current internal title differs, add a common equivalent in parentheses. Complete all Resume Builder fields and upload a single-column, text-based resume file, like a .docx or text-based PDF, because design-heavy files can trip parsing software.1 Add 15 to 20 skills using exact wording from the posting, then reorder 6 to 10 of them for each job family.1 Upload certifications, OSHA cards, and weld test records where the profile allows.1 If you use the profile visibility setting, set it to Public if recruiter discovery matters to you.1
Show Proof, Not Generic Buzzwords
"Hardworking team player" and "attention to detail" do not tell a hiring manager what you can weld. Tie each process to a concrete, measurable project example when you have one: "MIG welded structural steel beams for a 40-ton bridge section" or "fit-up and tack welded 6-inch pipe in 6G position." Do not invent numbers. If a project lacked published specs, describe the material and position without a fake count. Avoid keyword-stuffing unrelated processes, certifications, materials, or codes. A resume that lists TIG but no TIG history gets flagged quickly in an interview.
Welding Pay by Metro Area: Los Angeles and Beyond
The table below lists the 15 metro areas with the largest number of welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers, according to 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Median annual pay ranges from about $49,600 in Atlanta to $78,200 in Baton Rouge. Los Angeles, home to 7,850 welders, has a median of $56,160, which is solid but may stretch less after accounting for the region's higher cost of living.
| Metro Area | Total Employment | Median Annual Wage |
|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 15,850 | $57,940 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 10,620 | $51,630 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 9,320 | $52,650 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 7,850 | $56,160 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 5,780 | $61,680 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 5,440 | $56,540 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 5,240 | $49,630 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 4,630 | $58,380 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 4,600 | $61,880 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 4,580 | $51,810 |
| Tulsa, OK | 4,520 | $53,550 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 3,810 | $52,050 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 3,740 | $62,670 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 3,690 | $78,170 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 3,600 | $53,610 |