What Welders and Metalworkers Earn Across Europe, by the Numbers

Welder and metalworker salaries across Europe

NewLuxJob's own job ad data shows how pay for welder and metalwork roles varies by country. In France, the median salary listed across 1,441 postings is 23,520 EUR, with the middle half of ads falling between 21,840 and 25,450 EUR. In Germany, the median from 417 postings is 33,600 EUR, with the middle half spanning 30,391 to 37,800 EUR. In Czechia, the median across 1,097 postings is 17,380 EUR, with the middle half between 14,897 and 19,862 EUR. In the Netherlands, the median reaches 39,000 EUR, with the middle half ranging from 33,600 to 42,600 EUR, drawn from 89 postings.

Where the pay is highest and lowest

Among these four countries, the Netherlands shows the highest median at 39,000 EUR, though that figure comes from a smaller set of 89 job ads. Germany follows with a median of 33,600 EUR from 417 postings. France's median of 23,520 EUR is based on a much larger pool of 1,441 postings, and Czechia's median of 17,380 EUR comes from 1,097 postings. The sample sizes differ considerably: the French and Czech figures rest on far more job ads than the Dutch one.

What skills employers list in welder job ads

Welding itself tops the skills list in every country covered. In Ireland, 93% of 98 postings mention welding, the highest share seen. Poland follows at 90% of 665 postings, Belgium at 87% of 1,120 postings, the Netherlands at 85% of 325 postings, France at 80% of 1,104 postings, and Germany at 55% of 1,140 postings.

Beyond welding itself, metal fabrication is named often: 39% of German postings, 34% of Dutch postings, 25% of Belgian postings, and 20% of Irish postings. Assembly also appears across several markets: 34% of German postings, 29% of Polish postings, 26% of French postings, 24% of Belgian postings, and 17% of Dutch postings.

Welding techniques and certifications that stand out

Specific welding methods are listed at different rates from country to country. TIG/WIG welding appears in 50% of Belgian postings, 43% of Dutch postings, 36% of French postings, 34% of Polish postings, and 32% of Irish postings. MIG/MAG welding is named in 55% of Polish postings, 54% of Dutch postings, 43% of Irish postings, 33% of French postings, 27% of German postings, and 25% of Belgian postings.

Blueprint reading shows up in 42% of French postings and 28% of Irish postings. Steel-related skills are mentioned in 47% of Irish postings, 29% of French postings, 5% of Polish postings, and 3% of Dutch postings. Fitting is named in 32% of German postings, CNC skills in 29% of German postings and 3% of Belgian postings, and MMA/Stick welding in 2% of Polish postings.

What this means if you're job hunting

The pattern across these job ads is consistent: welding is the baseline skill everywhere, but the method employers care about most shifts by market. TIG/WIG stands out more in Belgium and the Netherlands, while MIG/MAG leads in Poland and the Netherlands. Blueprint reading and steel-related skills feature more heavily in French and Irish ads than elsewhere in this data. If you're preparing a CV for welder or metalwork roles in a specific country, matching the listed skills to that country's ad patterns, and checking the salary range for that market, can help set realistic expectations before you apply. Browse current openings on NewLuxJob to see the latest ads behind these figures.