Welder vs Certified Nursing Assistant
If you're reconsidering your career and Welder and Certified Nursing Assistant are both on the table, you're probably weighing stability, physical demand, and retraining burden more than prestige. The data below reflects that.
Welders earn more — a $53,750 national median vs $42,260 for certified nursing assistants, a $11,490/yr gap.
payments Salary
Who earns more?
Welders earn $11,490 more per year at the median. That's roughly $958/month before taxes — a gap that compounds over a career but needs to be weighed against any difference in training time or upfront costs.
State-by-state pay
| State | Welder | Certified Nursing Assistant | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $80,840 | $46,370 | +34,470 |
| Hawaii | $79,000 | $45,350 | +33,650 |
| Washington | $63,020 | $49,180 | +13,840 |
| New Hampshire | $62,360 | $47,870 | +14,490 |
| Connecticut | $64,880 | $44,790 | +20,090 |
| Maine | $62,220 | $47,070 | +15,150 |
| Oregon | $59,450 | $49,830 | +9,620 |
| Massachusetts | $62,570 | $46,680 | +15,890 |
| Vermont | $60,890 | $47,130 | +13,760 |
| District of Columbia | $60,180 | $47,700 | +12,480 |
checklist Requirements at a glance
| Factor | Welder | Certified Nursing Assistant |
|---|---|---|
| Typical time | 1-5 years | 4-8 weeks |
| Est. total cost | $50 | — |
| Exam | AWS Welding Certification Test | National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP) via Credentia |
| License required | Some states | Most states |
| Education | High school diploma or GED recommended; formal welding training program often preferred by employers. | 75-hour state-approved training program |
| CE hours / cycle | 80 hrs | 20 hrs |
Barrier to entry
Timeline differs: Welder typically takes 1-5 years, while Certified Nursing Assistant takes 4-8 weeks. Certified Nursing Assistant licensing is more universal — required in 98% of states versus 16% for Welder.
trending_up Job market
Market outlook
Growth projections are similar — Welder at +2.2% and Certified Nursing Assistant at +2.3%. Volume-wise, Certified Nursing Assistant is the bigger market (204,100 openings per year vs. 45,600). The smaller field isn't bad — niche often pays better per job — but market depth is a real factor if you value mobility.
flag Bottom line
Welder pays $11,490/year more at the national median. Over a 10-year career, that's roughly $114,900 in gross earnings — though Welder may require more training upfront.
Clock time to credential: 1-5 years for Welder, 4-8 weeks for Certified Nursing Assistant. Your answer to 'is the longer path worth it' depends mostly on how much your current income replaces what you'd earn while in school.
Frequently asked questions
Who makes more, welder or certified nursing assistant? expand_more
Is it harder to become a welder or a certified nursing assistant? expand_more
Is welder or certified nursing assistant more in demand? expand_more
Which states require licenses for welder vs. certified nursing assistant? expand_more
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Moving states? Check license reciprocity
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source Sources
- Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), most recent annual release.
- Career outlook and annual openings: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
- Licensing requirements: compiled per-state from primary state licensing boards; per-state sources are cited on each Welder and Certified Nursing Assistant state page.
See our full methodology for data refresh schedule and known limitations. Updated 2026.