Welding & fabrication recruiters serving Wichita.
Aerospace structural fabricators for Boeing's and Textron's Wichita facilities run about 18% above national - the historic core of "Air Capital of the World."
The historic core of "Air Capital of the World."
Metro pay for every role we recruit is in the table below.
We recruit across the full org chart for welding and fabrication contractors in Wichita against that documented context.
Two named projects, the second-largest premium in the metro.
Named directly in the metro's own data.
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Boeing finalized reacquiring Spirit AeroSystems in December 2025, bringing roughly 15,000 employees back under Boeing and committing $1B to modernize the Wichita site - the named driver behind the metro's second-largest wage premium.
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Modernizing 50,000+ sq ft of manufacturing space on the east Wichita campus, creating an estimated 100 direct manufacturing jobs - the named driver alongside Boeing.
What welding & fabrication roles pay in Wichita.
In the Wichita metro, BLS puts the median for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers at $54,190 a year, in line with the $53,750 national median. Among the 112 metros BLS publishes for this occupation, Wichita ranks 54th on pay. Most of the market sits between $39,020 and $71,890. Of the other field roles, fabrication supervisor pays the most locally, at a $76,030 median. National benchmarks by role are in the 2026 Welding & Fabrication Salary Guide.
| Role | Wichita median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Welder / CutterWelders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers (51-4121) | $54,190 | $39,020–$71,890 | $53,750 | +1% | 1,460 |
| Structural Iron and Steel WorkerStructural Iron and Steel Workers (47-2221) | $58,100 | $45,370–$72,300 | $62,780 | −7% | 90 |
| Structural Metal Fabricator / FitterStructural Metal Fabricators and Fitters (51-2041) | $51,800 | $37,220–$65,980 | $51,330 | +1% | 80 |
| MachinistMachinists (51-4041) | $50,540 | $37,850–$74,920 | $58,750 | −14% | 1,630 |
| Fabrication SupervisorFirst-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers (51-1011) | $76,030 | $49,310–$132,200 | $74,450 | +2% | 1,720 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Wichita 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 Wichita welding and fabrication hiring actually plays out in 2026.
Why we name both Boeing and Textron specifically
Boeing's $1B Wichita site investment and Textron Aviation Defense's $38M+ modernization are both named directly in the metro's own data as drivers of the second-largest wage premium the hub tracks.
Why "the historic core of Air Capital of the World" is honest context here
Wichita's aerospace manufacturing base runs deeper than any single named project - the hub frames the 18% premium as tied to the region's historic aerospace identity, not just current capital investment.
What this means for sourcing
We source against verified aerospace-grade, code-critical structural fabrication experience for Boeing and Textron-adjacent roles - genuinely scarce, not a general commercial welding pool.
Realistic timelines
Aerospace structural fabrication roles run longer than standard commercial welding given the genuinely scarce, code-critical certification requirement. First slate of vetted candidates within 48 hours regardless.
The welding and fabrication positions we fill, most often.
Across all Wichita welding and fabrication clients, these are the highest-volume roles we've recruited for in the last 24 months.
- Aerospace structural fabricator (Boeing Wichita)
- Code-critical structural welder (Textron Aviation)
- Standard commercial welder
- Welding & fabrication project manager
For the broader picture across every commercial trade in Wichita, see the Wichita 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 Wichita, plainly.
Same approach we use in every market - but tuned for what works in Wichita's welding and fabrication segment specifically:
- Same-day intake call. We get the role, the project context, the budget, your dealbreakers. For Wichita welding work, we also confirm whether the role requires aerospace/code-critical certification or standard commercial scope.
- Candidate sourcing within 48 hours. We pull from our existing Wichita welding and fabrication candidate network, filtered for verified aerospace-grade structural 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. We help with offer math against Wichita's documented second-largest trade premium.
Wichita runs 77% more welding and fabrication workers per job than the country as a whole — well above the national concentration. More per job means more people to reach, and more employers reaching 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 Wichita's welding and fabrication market compares
In 2023 the Wichita metro had 7 nonresidential structural steel contractors (counted by business location). BLS publishes that count but withholds headcount and pay here, which it does when a category is small enough that the figures could identify individual employers. That works out to 1.1 per 100,000 residents, close to the 1.2 national rate.
In 2023 the Wichita metro had 12 structural metal fabricators (counted by business location), with about 435 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $54,741, 26.8% below the national average of $74,756 for the same kind of employer. Headcount fell 25% 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. The number of these employers fell 14.3%, as firms merged, closed or moved out. That works out to 1.8 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, Wichita ranks 50th for headcount, 46th for median pay and 8th for concentration for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers. That puts it among the deepest welding and fabrication labor markets in the country.
What this means for hiring:For welding and fabrication employers in Wichita, the local pool is deeper than most, so a well-run search can usually fill field roles from inside the metro.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Wichita metro. Employers are counted by business location.
How Wichita's welding & fabrication market has changed since 2018.
Wichita lost nonresidential structural steel contractors between 2018 and 2023, from 8 business locations to 7 (down 12%), behind the 4% growth nationally. With so few firms, one opening or closing moves that percentage a long way. How many people those 7 locations employ is not published: with a category this small, BLS would effectively be reporting individual employers' payrolls. The number of structural metal fabricators in Wichita rose from 9 in 2018 to 12 in 2023, up 33%, ahead of the 13% national rise. Headcount at those firms went up 15%, to about 435 people. Average annual pay there went from $43,402 to $54,741 (+26%), in step with the 26% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential structural steel contractors: business locations | 8 | 7 | −12% |
| Structural metal fabricators: business locations | 9 | 12 | +33% |
| Structural metal fabricators: employment | 378 | 435 | +15% |
| Structural metal fabricators: average annual pay | $43,402 | $54,741 | +26% |
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 Wichita.
What are Wichita's named welding demand centers?
Boeing's $1B Wichita site investment (following an $8.3B Spirit AeroSystems reacquisition bringing roughly 15,000 employees back under Boeing) and Textron Aviation Defense's $38M+ manufacturing modernization.
Is welding and fabrication talent expensive to staff in Wichita?
Aerospace structural fabricators for Boeing and Textron run about 18% above national, the second-largest premium the hub tracks - genuinely scarce, code-critical work tied to the historic "Air Capital of the World."
What do welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers earn in Wichita?
BLS puts the Wichita median for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers at $54,190 a year, about the same as the $53,750 national median. That ranks 54th of 112 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Most of the market sits between $39,020 and $71,890, a 1.8x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience.
Is it hard to hire welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in Wichita?
Not by national standards. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers make up 77% more of the Wichita workforce than they do nationally, about 1,460 people. The 12 structural metal fabricators here average about 36 employees per location, which means a handful of large operators set the pace on pay. There are 12% fewer of those firms than in 2018, so experienced people have fewer local employers to move between.
Which welding & fabrication roles pay the most in Wichita?
Of the roles we recruit for, Fabrication Supervisor pays the most in Wichita, a $76,030 median. Machinist is the lowest-paid field role at $50,540. Machinist trails national pay the most (14% below).
How many nonresidential structural steel contractors operate in Wichita?
BLS counted 7 nonresidential structural steel contractors in Wichita in 2023. Down from 8 in 2018, a 12% decline against 4% growth nationally. BLS withholds their combined headcount and pay here, which it does when a category is small enough that the figures could identify individual employers. BLS counted 12 structural metal fabricators in Wichita in 2023, employing about 435 people between them. Up from 9 in 2018, a 33% increase against 13% growth nationally. That averages 36 people per location, so a few large operators dominate hiring. They pay an average of $54,741, 27% below the $74,756 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Wichita for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Tulsa (130 miles, about 4,520, $53,550 median), Oklahoma City (154 miles, about 2,200, $48,760 median) and Kansas City (178 miles, about 2,710, $57,370 median). Tulsa has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Kansas City pays 6% more, which is where Wichita employers tend to lose people.
Hiring welding & fabrication talent in Wichita?
Tell us the role. We'll tell you timeline and where we'd source the candidate - in under 30 minutes.