Welder in Green Bay, WI

The Salary Picture: Where Green Bay Stands

If you're a welder eyeing Green Bay, the first thing you need to know is that the pay here is a bit below the national average, but the low cost of living more than makes up for it. The median salary for a welder in the Green Bay metro area is $48,414/year, which translates to an hourly rate of $23.28/hour. For context, the national average for welders is $49,590/year. That’s a difference of about $1,176 annually—a small gap that feels even smaller when you factor in the local economy.

The job market isn't exploding, but it's stable. There are approximately 211 welder positions available in the metro area at any given time, with a 10-year job growth projected at 2%. This isn't a boomtown for welders, but it's a reliable one. The key is targeting the right industries: paper, food processing, and custom fabrication.

Here’s a more granular look at salary by experience level, based on local job postings and industry surveys. Remember, these are estimates, and specialization can push you to the higher end.

Experience Level	Estimated Annual Salary	Hourly Rate
Entry-Level (0-2 years)	$36,000 - $42,000	$17.31 - $20.19
Mid-Career (3-7 years)	$44,000 - $52,000	$21.15 - $24.99
Senior (8-15 years)	$52,000 - $62,000	$24.99 - $29.80
Expert/Supervisor (15+ yrs)	$62,000 - $75,000+	$29.80 - $36.05+

Insider Tip: The median salary of $48,414 sits squarely in the mid-career bracket. If you're coming in with solid experience and certifications, you can immediately hit or exceed that median. For entry-level folks, union shops (like those at the Paper Valley) often start higher than non-union small shops.

How Green Bay Compares to Other Wisconsin Cities:

• Milwaukee: Higher salaries (median ~$52,000) but much higher cost of living. Rent for a 1BR can be 40-60% higher.
• Madison: Similar cost of living to Green Bay, but salaries are slightly higher (median ~$50,000) due to state government and tech influences.
• Appleton: Very similar to Green Bay in both salary and cost of living. It’s a sibling market.
• Racine/Kenosha: Salaries are closer to Milwaukee's but with a less robust industrial base. More competition for fewer specialized jobs.

The Real Take-Home: After Taxes and Rent

Let's get real about your budget. The median salary of $48,414 is a gross figure. After federal taxes, Social Security, Medicare, and Wisconsin state tax (which is progressive), your take-home pay will be roughly $3,600 - $3,800 per month. This can fluctuate based on your W-4 withholdings and if you contribute to a 401(k) or health insurance.

The average 1-bedroom apartment in Green Bay rents for $841/month. This is a key advantage. Here’s a sample monthly budget for a single welder earning the median salary:

Category	Estimated Monthly Cost	Notes
Take-Home Pay	$3,700	After taxes & deductions
Rent (1BR)	$841	In a decent area; can go lower in suburbs
Utilities	$150 - $200	Includes heat (natural gas), electric, internet
Groceries	$350 - $400	For one person; shop at local Pick 'n Save or Festival Foods
Car Payment/Insurance	$400 - $600	Essential; public transit is limited
Fuel	$120 - $150	Based on a 30-mile daily commute
Health Insurance (if not employer-paid)	$200 - $400	A major variable; many employers offer plans
Miscellaneous (Phone, etc.)	$150
Total Expenses	$2,211 - $2,541
Leftover for Savings/Debt/Leisure	$1,159 - $1,489

Can you afford to buy a home? Absolutely. With a monthly surplus of over $1,000, saving for a down payment is feasible. The median home price in Brown County is around $250,000 - $280,000. A 20% down payment is $50,000 - $56,000. At a savings rate of $1,000/month, that’s 4-5 years. However, with an FHA loan, you could get in with as little as 3.5% down ($8,750 - $9,800), making homeownership achievable within 1-2 years of saving. Property taxes in Brown County are moderate, typically 1.5-1.8% of the home's value.

Where the Jobs Are: Green Bay's Major Employers

Green Bay’s welding jobs are tied to its industrial backbone. You’re not looking at aerospace or high-tech defense, but at paper mills, food plants, and equipment manufacturers. Here are the major players:

1. Georgia-Pacific (Broadway Plant): A massive employer in the Allouez neighborhood. They produce paper products and are in constant need of welders for maintenance on process equipment. Hiring is steady, with a strong preference for welders with experience in industrial settings. Union (United Steelworkers) shop with excellent benefits.
2. Appleton (Part of the Appleton Coated complex): Located in the Depere area. This is a specialty paper and packaging manufacturer. Their maintenance welders work on high-precision equipment. They often post jobs directly on their website and value AWS certifications.
3. Schreiber Foods: Headquartered in De Pere, this is a global cheese and dairy processor. Their plants require welders for sanitary piping and equipment fabrication. This is a unique niche—welding for food-grade applications (TIG welding for stainless steel is a huge plus here).
4. Ariens Company (Brillion): While not in Green Bay proper (it's a 30-minute drive south in Calumet County), this maker of lawn and garden equipment is a major regional employer. They need welders for their fabrication lines. The commute is easy via I-43.
5. Kohler Co. (Door County Plant): Another nearby option (about a 45-minute drive northeast in Sturgeon Bay). Kohler manufactures sinks and bathtubs and has a significant need for welders in their metal fabrication division. The Door County lifestyle is a major draw for some.
6. Local Fabrication Shops: Dozens of smaller shops like Northeast Fabricators or Packerland Plastics & Steel serve the region's agricultural and industrial needs. These are often the best places to start if you're new to the area, as they have lower barriers to entry and a wide variety of work.
7. Fox River Paper (Neenah): A bit further south (about a 45-minute drive), but part of the larger Fox Valley manufacturing corridor. For welders willing to commute, this opens up a significant number of additional opportunities.

Hiring Trends: The trend is toward welders with GMAW (MIG) and FCAW (Flux-Cored) skills for production work, and GTAW (TIG) for specialty food-grade or sanitary work. Experience with stainless steel and aluminum is increasingly valuable. Most of these employers post jobs on their own career pages and on local job boards like Indeed and Green Bay Job Network.

Getting Licensed in WI

Wisconsin does not require a state-level license to be a welder. You do not need to pass a state exam or pay for a state license to work. This is a significant advantage and lowers the barrier to entry.

However, certification is a different story and is often required by employers. The most common and respected certification is from the American Welding Society (AWS). Here’s the practical path:

1. Get Certified: The most common entry-level certification is the AWS D1.1 Structural Steel Code, typically for GMAW (MIG) and SMAW (Stick). You can get this through a local technical college like Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) in Green Bay.
2. Cost: A certification course at NWTC can cost between $1,500 and $3,000, depending on the level and number of processes. This is often worth the investment, as many local employers (like Georgia-Pacific) prefer or require it.
3. Timeline: A full-time certificate program can take 6 months to 1 year. Part-time evening classes can take 1-2 years. If you are already certified and just need to test, you can often test directly at a testing facility for a few hundred dollars.
4. Specialty Certs: For food-grade or sanitary welding (like at Schreiber Foods), ASME Section IX or 3A Sanitary Standards certifications are gold. These are often provided by the employer on the job, but having them on your resume makes you stand out.

Insider Tip: Connect with the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS). While they don’t license welders, they oversee the trades and can be a resource for understanding any local municipal requirements. For the most part, your AWS certification is your ticket.

Best Neighborhoods for Welders

Where you live in Green Bay impacts your commute, lifestyle, and social scene. Here’s a breakdown of the best areas for a working welder.

Neighborhood	Vibe & Commute	Avg. 1BR Rent	Why It's Good for Welders
Allouez	Quiet, residential, close to the Fox River. 10-15 min drive to major employers (GP, Schreiber).	$800 - $900	You can walk or bike to work at Georgia-Pacific. Strong sense of community, good parks.
De Pere	A separate town but part of the metro. Lively downtown, more young professionals. 15-20 min commute to Green Bay.	$850 - $950	Home to Schreiber Foods and NWTC campus. Great restaurants and a college-town feel without the college chaos.
Ashwaubenon	Suburban, family-friendly. Adjacent to Lambeau Field. 10-15 min commute to most industrial areas.	$825 - $925	Very safe, excellent schools. Easy access to I-41 and I-43. Plenty of shopping and amenities.
East Side (Bay Settlement)	More rural, spacious lots, closer to Door County. 20-25 min commute to downtown.	$750 - $850	If you want more land and a quieter life, this is it. Easy commute to the bay and Door County recreation.
Downtown Green Bay	Urban core, walkable, apartments in old buildings. 10-20 min commute to industrial areas.	$900 - $1,100	For those who want nightlife, breweries, and festivals. Not the most practical for a welder with a truck, but an option.

Insider Tip: The area immediately north of downtown, around Mason Street, has some older, more affordable apartments and is a quick 10-minute drive to the Broadway Paper Valley. It’s a practical, no-frills choice.

The Long Game: Career Growth

The 2% job growth isn't dazzling, but it doesn't tell the whole story. The real growth is in specialization and advancement.

• Specialty Premiums: Moving into a niche can boost your pay by $5 to $15 per hour over the median. The highest premiums are for:
  • Stainless Sanitary Welding (TIG): Critical for dairy and food plants (Schreiber, other food processors). Can push you into the $30+/hour range.
  • Certified Welding Inspector (CWI): A major career step. With AWS CWI certification, you move from production to quality control. Salaries can jump to $65,000 - $80,000+. You'll find these roles at larger manufacturers and engineering firms.
  • Underwater Welding: Not common locally, but knowledge of it can open doors to regional projects (e.g., on the Great Lakes or pipelines).
• Advancement Paths:
  1. Welder → Lead Hand/Foreman: You move from welding to managing a small crew. Requires leadership skills and deep job knowledge. Salary bump to $55,000 - $65,000.
  2. Welder → Fabricator: Shift from repair/maintenance to custom design and fabrication. Often in smaller shops where you build projects from scratch. Pay is similar to senior welder but with more creative freedom.
  3. Welder → CWI (Certified Welding Inspector): The classic upward move. Requires AWS CWI exam (costs ~$1,000 for the seminar and exam). Opens doors in construction, manufacturing, and third-party inspection.
• 10-Year Outlook: The 2% growth indicates stability, not expansion. The key will be replacing an aging workforce. Many senior welders in Green Bay’s paper mills are nearing retirement. This creates opportunities for mid-career welders to step into higher-paying, senior roles. The push for automation will change some jobs, but skilled welders for custom, repair, and complex work will remain in demand.

The Verdict: Is Green Bay Right for You?

Pros	Cons
Extremely Low Cost of Living: Your salary stretches much further here.	Limited Job Market: Only 211 jobs and 2% growth. Less variety than larger metros.
Stable, Dense Industrial Base: Paper, food, and dairy offer reliable, long-term employers.	Weather: Harsh, long winters. Snow and cold from November to April.
Outdoor Recreation: Unparalleled access to the Fox River, Lake Michigan, and Door County.	Cultural Scene: It's a mid-sized city. If you crave big-city museums and international cuisine, you'll be underwhelmed.
Communities are Tight-Knit: Easy to meet people through work, sports, or community events.	Car Dependency: You need a reliable vehicle. Public transit is minimal.
Union Presence: Strong unions (USW, UAW) in major plants mean better benefits and job security.	Racism and Inclusivity: As a predominantly white city, it can be challenging for welders of color or LGBTQ+ individuals. Research communities carefully.

Final Recommendation: Green Bay is an excellent choice for a welder who values job stability, a low cost of living, and a good work-life balance with outdoor access. It's ideal for those with 2-7 years of experience who are looking to buy a home and build a life. It is not the best choice for a welder seeking rapid career growth, a vibrant nightlife, or a highly diverse social environment. If you're a specialist (TIG for food grade), you'll thrive. If you're entry-level, it's a great place to get your foot in the door with a major employer.

FAQs

Q: I'm an entry-level welder with a 6-month certificate. Can I find a job in Green Bay?
A: Yes, but you'll likely start in a production or helper role at a fabrication shop or a larger plant's maintenance team. Be prepared to start at the lower end of the pay scale ($17-$19/hour). Getting your AWS D1.1 certification from NWTC will make you a much stronger candidate than someone without it.

Q: Do I need to know how to weld on aluminum or stainless steel?
A: It depends on the employer. For general structural fabrication, mild steel MIG welding is king. For the food industry (Schreiber) or aerospace (if you commute to Oshkosh), stainless TIG is essential. Having a broad skill set is always an advantage. If you're unsure, focus on GMAW (MIG) and FCAW (Flux-Cored) to start, as that's the most common need.

Q: What's the best way to find a welding job in Green Bay?
A: 1) Check the career pages of the major employers listed above (GP, Schreiber, etc.). 2) Use Indeed and set alerts for "Welder Green Bay." 3) Contact local staffing agencies that specialize in industrial jobs, like Aerotek or Manpower. 4) Visit the NWTC career center—they have direct pipelines to local employers.

Q: Is the union scene strong?
A: Yes. If you get into a paper mill (Georgia-Pacific) or certain manufacturing plants, you'll likely join the United Steelworkers (USW) or UAW. Union jobs offer better wages, pensions, and healthcare. However, many smaller fabrication shops are non-union. Both