How much do welders make at a nuclear power plant?

Welders at nuclear power plants usually earn well above the average for the trade, mostly through outage work, overtime, and per diem, though pay depends on the role, the site, and union status. Nuclear plant welding is held to some of the strictest quality standards in the industry, and employers pay for welders who can meet them. Several factors shape earnings:

• Outage work, when crews work long shifts to maintain or refuel a plant on a tight schedule

• Qualification to nuclear and pressure piping standards, often under ASME rules, with documented weld procedures

• Specialty skills such as TIG welding on stainless steel and alloy pipe

• Travel, per diem, and union scale for contract and outage crews

These jobs also come with extra requirements, including background checks, safety and radiation training, and detailed record keeping. Pay can be uneven, since much of the work is seasonal and tied to outage schedules. Learn about related work on our page on power plant welding and maintenance. Our posts on steam pipe welding and stainless steel TIG welding explain skills that carry over. If this is your goal, build pipe and TIG experience first, then pursue the code qualifications plants require.