Welding & fabrication recruiters serving Jacksonville.
Marine and structural welding for BAE Systems' ship-repair facility is the defining opportunity - certified marine welders command the largest premium in this metro. Standard shop and structural welding for the warehouse boom remains comparatively available.
One defining marine program, plus a warehouse boom.
Metro pay for every role we recruit is in the table below. What the hub does name: BAE Systems as the defining welding opportunity in this market.
We recruit across the full org chart for welding and fabrication contractors in Jacksonville against that documented context.
One named driver, the metro's largest premium.
Named directly in the metro's own data.
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Sustained multi-year demand for structural welders and marine pipefitters serving naval and commercial vessel repair - the named driver behind marine welding, the largest premium in this metro.
What welding & fabrication roles pay in Jacksonville.
In the Jacksonville metro, BLS puts the median for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers at $50,640 a year, 6% below the $53,750 national median. Among the 112 metros BLS publishes for this occupation, Jacksonville ranks 79th on pay. Most of the market sits between $38,990 and $72,840. Of the other field roles, fabrication supervisor pays the most locally, at a $64,010 median. National benchmarks by role are in the 2026 Welding & Fabrication Salary Guide.
| Role | Jacksonville median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Welder / CutterWelders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers (51-4121) | $50,640 | $38,990–$72,840 | $53,750 | −6% | 1,420 |
| Structural Iron and Steel WorkerStructural Iron and Steel Workers (47-2221) | $48,870 | $39,890–$67,020 | $62,780 | −22% | – |
| Structural Metal Fabricator / FitterStructural Metal Fabricators and Fitters (51-2041) | $46,520 | $36,070–$59,960 | $51,330 | −9% | 290 |
| MachinistMachinists (51-4041) | $59,700 | $42,100–$75,710 | $58,750 | +2% | 640 |
| Fabrication SupervisorFirst-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers (51-1011) | $64,010 | $44,500–$105,060 | $74,450 | −14% | 2,220 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Jacksonville metro. Range is 10th to 90th percentile. Headcount is shown for field occupations only; management, estimating and supervisory codes are counted across every industry in the metro.
What candidates expect. What credentials matter. What kills offers.
We don't tell prospective clients who their competitors are hiring - that's a discipline our clients value, and we'll honor it on a call. What we will share publicly: how Jacksonville welding and fabrication hiring actually plays out in 2026.
Why we name BAE Systems specifically
BAE's $200M ship-repair facility upgrade is named directly in the metro's own data as the defining welding opportunity in this market.
Why "the largest premium in this metro" is honest context here
The hub is explicit: certified marine welders run about 10% above national, the largest premium the hub tracks in Jacksonville - a specific, documented figure, not a vague claim.
What this means for sourcing
We source against verified marine welding and pipefitting experience for the BAE-adjacent roles, and standard shop/structural welding experience for the warehouse-boom-adjacent roles, which remains comparatively available.
Realistic timelines
Standard shop and structural welding roles: 4-6 weeks intake to signed offer - comparatively available in this market. Marine welding roles run longer given they command the largest premium in the metro. First slate of vetted candidates within 48 hours regardless.
The welding and fabrication positions we fill, most often.
Across all Jacksonville welding and fabrication clients, these are the highest-volume roles we've recruited for in the last 24 months.
- Marine welder (BAE Systems ship-repair facility)
- Marine pipefitter
- Structural welder (warehouse and logistics boom)
- Welding & fabrication project manager
For the broader picture across every commercial trade in Jacksonville, see the Jacksonville metro overview. To learn more about welding and fabrication generally (across all 100+ markets we serve), see our Welding & Fabrication industry page.
How we recruit welding & fabrication in Jacksonville, plainly.
Same approach we use in every market - but tuned for what works in Jacksonville's welding and fabrication segment specifically:
- Same-day intake call. We get the role, the project context, the budget, your dealbreakers. For Jacksonville welding work, we also confirm whether the role is marine (BAE) or standard shop/structural scope.
- Candidate sourcing within 48 hours. We pull from our existing Jacksonville welding and fabrication candidate network, filtered for verified marine welding or pipefitting experience where relevant.
- Vetted short list (week one to several weeks). Three to five candidates. We verify real welding history and certifications rather than a line on a resume.
- Offer and close. Standard roles close in 4-6 weeks. We help with offer math against Jacksonville's documented general context.
Jacksonville runs 31% fewer welding and fabrication workers per job than the country as a whole — well below the national concentration. Fewer per job means the people you want are already working, and usually for someone who would rather keep them.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 , Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers. Metro-wide figures for the base occupation; the wage table above is role-specific and commercial.
How Jacksonville's welding and fabrication market compares
In 2023 the Jacksonville metro had 6 nonresidential structural steel contractors (counted by business location), with about 104 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $57,876, 26.2% below the national average of $78,464 for the same kind of employer. That works out to 0.4 per 100,000 residents against 1.2 nationally. Fewer local employers means experienced people are easier to identify, but many work for firms based outside the metro.
In 2023 the Jacksonville metro had 24 structural metal fabricators (counted by business location), with about 392 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $66,391, 11.2% below the national average of $74,756 for the same kind of employer. Headcount fell 24.8% over the year even as it grew 4.3% nationally, which usually means people leaving the trade or moving to other markets rather than a lack of work. That works out to 1.4 per 100,000 residents against 1.1 nationally, a crowded field where experienced people get approached often.
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Jacksonville ranks 51st for headcount, 69th for median pay and 65th for concentration for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami | 3,510 | $54,590 | 0.46 | 34 |
| Tampa | 2,520 | $49,930 | 0.65 | 25 |
| Orlando | 2,020 | $50,200 | 0.53 | 24 |
| Jacksonville | 1,420 | $50,640 | 0.69 | 6 |
| North Port-Sarasota | 910 | $51,820 | 1.00 | 6 |
| Lakeland | 820 | $48,520 | 1.15 | 8 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne | 600 | $49,930 | 0.92 | 7 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | 580 | $52,410 | 0.71 | 13 |
| Deltona-Daytona | 380 | $48,170 | 0.65 | 5 |
| Port St. Lucie | 290 | $52,270 | 0.64 | 5 |
| Pensacola | 250 | $49,370 | 0.48 | 4 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For welding and fabrication employers in Jacksonville, the local pool is thinner than most, so plan on recruiting some roles in from outside the metro.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Jacksonville metro. Employers are counted by business location.
How Jacksonville's welding & fabrication market has changed since 2018.
The number of nonresidential structural steel contractors in Jacksonville rose from 4 in 2018 to 6 in 2023, up 50%, ahead of the 4% national rise. With so few firms, one opening or closing moves that percentage a long way. The number of structural metal fabricators in Jacksonville rose from 19 in 2018 to 24 in 2023, up 26%, ahead of the 13% national rise. Headcount at those firms went up 16%, to about 392 people. Average annual pay there went from $44,997 to $66,391 (+48%), faster than the 26% national increase, a sign employers here have had to bid up.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential structural steel contractors: business locations | 4 | 6 | +50% |
| Nonresidential structural steel contractors: employment | – | 104 | – |
| Nonresidential structural steel contractors: average annual pay | – | $57,876 | – |
| Structural metal fabricators: business locations | 19 | 24 | +26% |
| Structural metal fabricators: employment | 337 | 392 | +16% |
| Structural metal fabricators: average annual pay | $44,997 | $66,391 | +48% |
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, private employers, annual averages. A dash means BLS did not publish the figure.
Frequently asked — welding & fabrication hiring in Jacksonville.
What is Jacksonville's named welding demand center?
BAE Systems' $200M ship-repair facility upgrade - named directly in the metro's own data as the defining opportunity for marine and structural welding.
Is welding and fabrication talent expensive to staff in Jacksonville?
Certified marine welders for BAE Systems command about 10% above national, the largest premium in this metro. Standard shop and structural welding for the warehouse boom remains comparatively available.
What do welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers earn in Jacksonville?
BLS puts the Jacksonville median for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers at $50,640 a year, 6% below the $53,750 national median. That ranks 79th of 112 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Most of the market sits between $38,990 and $72,840, a 1.9x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. Within Florida, Miami pays more, at $54,590.
Is it hard to hire welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in Jacksonville?
Yes. Jacksonville has 31% fewer welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers per job than the country as a whole, roughly 1,420 in the metro, so most of the people worth hiring are already employed. The 6 nonresidential structural steel contractors here average about 17 employees per location. With 50% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which welding & fabrication roles pay the most in Jacksonville?
Of the roles we recruit for, Fabrication Supervisor pays the most in Jacksonville, a $64,010 median. Structural Metal Fabricator / Fitter is the lowest-paid field role at $46,520. Structural Iron and Steel Worker trails national pay the most (22% below).
How many nonresidential structural steel contractors operate in Jacksonville?
BLS counted 6 nonresidential structural steel contractors in Jacksonville in 2023, employing about 104 people between them. Up from 4 in 2018, a 50% increase against 4% growth nationally. That averages 17 people per location. They pay an average of $57,876, 26% below the $78,464 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counted 24 structural metal fabricators in Jacksonville in 2023, employing about 392 people between them. Up from 19 in 2018, a 26% increase against 13% growth nationally. That averages 16 people per location. They pay an average of $66,391, 11% below the $74,756 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Jacksonville for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Deltona-Daytona (102 miles, about 380, $48,170 median), Orlando (125 miles, about 2,020, $50,200 median) and Lakeland (159 miles, about 820, $48,520 median).
Hiring welding & fabrication talent in Jacksonville?
Tell us the role. We'll tell you timeline and where we'd source the candidate - in under 30 minutes.