Welding & fabrication recruiters serving St. Louis.
Boeing Defense's advanced-manufacturing expansion is the core driver - aerospace-grade certified welders are in the tightest supply regionally. Structural steel fabrication for CITYPARK and Gateway South adds steady commercial demand.
Boeing Defense's expansion, and the region's tightest welding supply.
St. Metro pay for every role we recruit is in the table below. What the hub does name: Boeing Defense's St. Louis expansion as the driver of aerospace-grade welding demand, and CITYPARK plus Gateway South as the drivers of structural-steel fabrication demand.
We recruit across the full org chart for welding and fabrication contractors in St. Louis against that documented context.
Two named drivers, two different scopes.
Both named directly in the metro's own data.
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New advanced-manufacturing and production facilities tied to the F/A-18, MQ-25, and T-7A programs - the named driver behind aerospace-grade welding demand, the tightest supply in the region.
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Continued hospitality, mixed-use, and reclaimed south-riverfront acreage for advanced manufacturing - the named drivers behind steady structural-steel fabrication demand.
What welding & fabrication roles pay in St. Louis.
In the St. Louis metro, BLS puts the median for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers at $51,640 a year, 4% below the $53,750 national median. Among the 112 metros BLS publishes for this occupation, St. Louis ranks 71st on pay. Most of the market sits between $38,770 and $72,140. Of the other field roles, structural iron and steel worker pays the most locally, at a $81,640 median. National benchmarks by role are in the 2026 Welding & Fabrication Salary Guide.
| Role | St. Louis median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Welder / CutterWelders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers (51-4121) | $51,640 | $38,770–$72,140 | $53,750 | −4% | 2,820 |
| Structural Iron and Steel WorkerStructural Iron and Steel Workers (47-2221) | $81,640 | $50,380–$97,970 | $62,780 | +30% | 670 |
| Structural Metal Fabricator / FitterStructural Metal Fabricators and Fitters (51-2041) | $50,170 | $38,590–$70,780 | $51,330 | −2% | 200 |
| MachinistMachinists (51-4041) | $62,210 | $47,230–$89,950 | $58,750 | +6% | 5,620 |
| Fabrication SupervisorFirst-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers (51-1011) | $75,210 | $47,480–$103,420 | $74,450 | +1% | 5,920 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, St. Louis 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 St. Louis welding and fabrication hiring actually plays out in 2026.
Why we name Boeing Defense, CITYPARK, and Gateway South specifically
All are named directly in the metro's own data as the drivers behind the two real niches: aerospace-grade welding and structural-steel fabrication.
Why "tightest supply regionally" is honest context here
The hub is explicit: aerospace-grade certified welders for the Boeing Defense expansion are in the tightest supply of any welding specialty in this market.
What this means for sourcing
We source against verified aerospace-grade certifications for the Boeing Defense-adjacent roles, and standard structural-steel fabrication experience for the CITYPARK- and Gateway South-adjacent roles.
Realistic timelines
Standard structural fabrication roles: 4-6 weeks intake to signed offer. Aerospace-grade welding specialty roles run longer given the tightest regional supply. First slate of vetted candidates within 48 hours regardless.
The welding and fabrication positions we fill, most often.
Across all St. Louis welding and fabrication clients, these are the highest-volume roles we've recruited for in the last 24 months.
- Aerospace-grade certified welder (Boeing Defense)
- Structural steel fabricator
- Structural welder (stadium district / riverfront redevelopment)
- Welding & fabrication project manager
For the broader picture across every commercial trade in St. Louis, see the St. Louis 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 St. Louis, plainly.
Same approach we use in every market - but tuned for what works in St. Louis's welding and fabrication segment specifically:
- Same-day intake call. We get the role, the project context, the budget, your dealbreakers. For St. Louis welding work, we also confirm whether the role is aerospace-grade or standard structural fabrication scope.
- Candidate sourcing within 48 hours. We pull from our existing St. Louis welding and fabrication candidate network, filtered for verified aerospace-grade certification 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 St. Louis's documented general context.
St. Louis runs 22% fewer welding and fabrication workers per job than the country as a whole — 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 St. Louis's welding and fabrication market compares
In 2023 the St. Louis metro had 16 nonresidential structural steel contractors (counted by business location), with about 391 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $74,195, 5.4% below the national average of $78,464 for the same kind of employer. Headcount fell 12.1% over the year even as it grew 2.3% nationally, which usually means people leaving the trade or moving to other markets rather than a lack of work. The number of these employers rose 6.7%, more firms competing for the same crews. That works out to 0.6 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 St. Louis metro had 29 structural metal fabricators (counted by business location), with about 911 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $82,037, 9.7% above the national average of $74,756 for the same kind of employer. Headcount grew 17.5% over the year, faster than the 4.3% national increase, so local employers were adding people quicker than most of the country. The number of these employers rose 3.6%, more firms competing for the same crews. That works out to 1.0 per 100,000 residents, close to the 1.1 national rate.
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, St. Louis ranks 24th for headcount, 61st for median pay and 55th for concentration for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | 2,820 | $51,640 | 0.78 | 16 |
| Kansas City | 2,710 | $57,370 | 0.92 | 22 |
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 St. Louis, the local pool is thin and local employers have been cutting headcount. Senior hires often come from outside the metro or from adjacent trades, so start searches earlier than you would elsewhere.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, St. Louis metro. Employers are counted by business location.
How St. Louis's welding & fabrication market has changed since 2018.
The number of nonresidential structural steel contractors in St. Louis rose from 15 in 2018 to 16 in 2023, up 7%, ahead of the 4% national rise. The number of structural metal fabricators in St. Louis rose from 24 in 2018 to 29 in 2023, up 21%, ahead of the 13% national rise. Headcount at those firms went up 45%, to about 911 people. Average annual pay there went from $56,265 to $82,037 (+46%), 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 | 15 | 16 | +7% |
| Nonresidential structural steel contractors: employment | – | 391 | – |
| Nonresidential structural steel contractors: average annual pay | – | $74,195 | – |
| Structural metal fabricators: business locations | 24 | 29 | +21% |
| Structural metal fabricators: employment | 628 | 911 | +45% |
| Structural metal fabricators: average annual pay | $56,265 | $82,037 | +46% |
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 St. Louis.
What are St. Louis's named welding demand centers?
Boeing Defense's ~$1.8B St. Louis expansion (tied to the F/A-18, MQ-25, and T-7A programs) for aerospace-grade welding, plus the CITYPARK stadium district and Gateway South riverfront redevelopment for structural-steel fabrication - all named directly in the metro's own data.
Is welding and fabrication talent expensive to staff in St. Louis?
Aerospace-grade certified welders for the Boeing Defense expansion are in the tightest supply regionally, while structural-steel fabrication for CITYPARK and Gateway South stays comparatively steadier.
What do welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers earn in St. Louis?
BLS puts the St. Louis median for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers at $51,640 a year, 4% below the $53,750 national median. That ranks 71st of 112 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Most of the market sits between $38,770 and $72,140, a 1.9x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. Within Missouri, Kansas City pays more, at $57,370.
Is it hard to hire welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in St. Louis?
Yes. St. Louis has 22% fewer welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers per job than the country as a whole, roughly 2,820 in the metro, so most of the people worth hiring are already employed. The 16 nonresidential structural steel contractors here average about 24 employees per location.
Which welding & fabrication roles pay the most in St. Louis?
Of the roles we recruit for, Structural Iron and Steel Worker pays the most in St. Louis, a $81,640 median. Structural Metal Fabricator / Fitter is the lowest-paid field role at $50,170. Relative to national pay, Structural Iron and Steel Worker is the strongest-paying role here (30% above). Welder / Cutter trails national pay the most (4% below).
How many nonresidential structural steel contractors operate in St. Louis?
BLS counted 16 nonresidential structural steel contractors in St. Louis in 2023, employing about 391 people between them. Up from 15 in 2018, a 7% increase against 4% growth nationally. That averages 24 people per location. They pay an average of $74,195, 5% below the $78,464 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counted 29 structural metal fabricators in St. Louis in 2023, employing about 911 people between them. Up from 24 in 2018, a 21% increase against 13% growth nationally. That averages 31 people per location, so a few large operators dominate hiring. They pay an average of $82,037, 10% above the $74,756 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with St. Louis for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Indianapolis (230 miles, about 2,790, $51,070 median), Kansas City (238 miles, about 2,710, $57,370 median) and Memphis (240 miles, about 1,590, $48,600 median). Kansas City pays 11% more, which is where St. Louis employers tend to lose people.
We have not closed a welding & fabrication search in St. Louis yet. Here is what we have closed.
These are other trades in the same market. We would rather show you the searches we have actually run in St. Louis than imply a record in this trade that we do not have yet.
- Senior Freight DispatcherA decade of carrier relationships and margin management, placed on a freight desk in three weeks.
- Local CDL Class A DriverScreened, offered, onboarded and driving the same day - two weeks end to end.
- Sprinkler Layout TechnicianNICET Level II and eight years of fire protection design - a specialist, not a generalist.
Hiring welding & fabrication talent in St. Louis?
Tell us the role. We'll tell you timeline and where we'd source the candidate - in under 30 minutes.