A welder's salary per day in India in 2026 is ₹600-₹1,800: a helper earns ₹500-₹700/day, a skilled welder/fabricator ₹900-₹1,400/day, and a fabrication contractor ₹1,500-₹1,800+/day. For per-job welding charges in 2026: window/grill work is ₹90-₹350 per sq ft, a steel gate is ₹6,000-₹25,000, small repair welding is ₹150-₹600 per joint, and fabrication by weight is ₹40-₹90 per kg (labour). Taking jobs directly from customers, with no commission cut, is how welders keep the most.
Quick answer: welder pay & welding charges 2026
- Helper welder: ₹500-₹700 per day (₹13,000-₹18,000 per month)
- Skilled welder / fabricator: ₹900-₹1,400 per day (₹23,000-₹36,000 per month)
- MIG / TIG / stainless specialist: ₹1,200-₹1,700 per day
- Fabrication contractor (own workshop): ₹1,500-₹1,800+ per day equivalent
- Grill / window welding: ₹90-₹350 per sq ft (design-dependent)
- Steel main gate: ₹6,000-₹25,000 per gate
- Repair / spot welding: ₹150-₹600 per joint or small job
- Fabrication by weight: ₹40-₹90 per kg (labour only)
How much does a welder earn per day?
Welder wages depend on the welding type you can do. Basic arc (stick) welders sit at the lower end; MIG, TIG and stainless-steel welders command a premium because the work is cleaner and harder to master. Here is the 2026 daily-wage breakdown.
| Skill level | Per day (₹) | Per month (₹, ~26 days) | Typical work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helper | ₹500-₹700 | ₹13,000-₹18,000 | Cutting, grinding, holding, finishing |
| Arc / stick welder | ₹700-₹1,000 | ₹18,000-₹26,000 | Grills, gates, basic structural welds |
| Skilled fabricator | ₹900-₹1,400 | ₹23,000-₹36,000 | Reads drawings, full grill/gate/railing jobs |
| MIG / TIG / stainless | ₹1,200-₹1,700 | ₹31,000-₹44,000 | Clean welds, SS railings, auto, industrial |
| Fabrication contractor | ₹1,500-₹1,800+ | ₹39,000-₹47,000+ | Own workshop, quotes jobs, hires welders |
Arc vs MIG welding — which pays more?
Arc (stick / SMAW) welding is the most common and easiest to learn — it is what most grill and gate welders use. MIG (and TIG) welding is faster, cleaner, and needed for stainless steel, thin sheet, and auto/industrial work. Because fewer welders can do it well, MIG/TIG/stainless welders earn ₹300-₹500/day more than arc welders, and they can charge more per job for premium SS railings and furniture.
Welding charges per job in India 2026
When a welder takes a job directly (instead of working for a daily wage), pricing is by the job — usually per sq ft for grills, a flat rate per gate, per joint for repairs, or per kg for bulk fabrication. The figures below are LABOUR + standard material for common jobs; premium designs and stainless steel cost more.
| Job | Charge (₹) | Basis | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Window grill (plain) | ₹90-₹180 per sq ft | Per sq ft | MS square/round bar, simple design |
| Window grill (designer) | ₹180-₹350 per sq ft | Per sq ft | Decorative / laser-cut accents |
| Main steel gate | ₹6,000-₹25,000 | Per gate | Size + design + sliding mechanism |
| Balcony / staircase railing (MS) | ₹150-₹300 per ft | Per running ft | Plain mild-steel railing |
| Stainless steel railing | ₹350-₹700 per ft | Per running ft | SS 304, polished finish |
| Repair / spot weld | ₹150-₹600 | Per joint/job | Broken gate, frame, furniture |
| Bulk fabrication (labour) | ₹40-₹90 per kg | Per kg of steel | Sheds, frames, structural |
Welder salary city-wise 2026
Welder pay and welding charges rise in metros where fabrication demand and rents are higher. These are skilled-fabricator daily figures and typical plain-grill rates for 2026.
| City | Skilled welder per day (₹) | Per month (₹) | Plain grill /sq ft (₹) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mumbai | ₹1,100-₹1,500 | ₹28,000-₹39,000 | ₹120-₹200 |
| Delhi NCR | ₹1,000-₹1,400 | ₹26,000-₹36,000 | ₹110-₹190 |
| Bangalore | ₹1,000-₹1,450 | ₹26,000-₹38,000 | ₹110-₹190 |
| Hyderabad | ₹950-₹1,350 | ₹25,000-₹35,000 | ₹100-₹180 |
| Pune | ₹950-₹1,400 | ₹25,000-₹36,000 | ₹100-₹180 |
| Chennai | ₹900-₹1,300 | ₹23,000-₹34,000 | ₹100-₹170 |
| Indore (tier-2) | ₹700-₹1,100 | ₹18,000-₹29,000 | ₹90-₹150 |
| Lucknow (tier-2) | ₹650-₹1,050 | ₹17,000-₹27,000 | ₹90-₹140 |
How to earn more as a welder?
- Learn MIG/TIG and stainless steel — premium work pays ₹300-₹500/day more
- Quote whole jobs (per sq ft / per gate) instead of taking daily wage from a contractor
- Keep photos of finished grills, gates and railings to win new customers
- Offer on-site repair welding — broken gates and frames are quick, high-margin jobs
- Invest in your own inverter welding machine (₹6,000-₹15,000) to take independent jobs
- Get customers directly so no contractor margin or app commission eats your charge
A workshop owner used to pay me ₹1,000 a day while charging the customer ₹15,000 for the gate I built. Now customers find me on a free listing and call me straight — I quote the gate myself and keep the full amount.
Freelance welder vs commission platforms
A skilled welder loses the most income not to low rates but to middlemen — the workshop owner who keeps the gate margin, the commission platform that takes a cut of every job, and the lead-selling app that charges per enquiry whether or not it converts. On a single ₹15,000 gate, that can mean ₹3,000-₹6,000 gone. Listing directly to customers removes all of it.
| Route | Cost to you | Your take-home on a ₹15,000 gate |
|---|---|---|
| Under a workshop owner | Daily wage only | Your wage, not the gate value |
| Commission-based platform | 15-25% commission | ₹11,250-₹12,750 |
| Lead-selling app | Pay per lead, dud or not | ₹15,000 minus lead spend |
| Direct to customer (Solve24) | ₹0 commission, free listing | ₹15,000 (full amount) |
List free and keep every rupee you weld for
The biggest raise a welder can give themselves is to stop sharing the charge. Every workshop margin, platform commission and paid lead is money that should be in your pocket. Solve24 is a zero-commission marketplace where welders and fabricators list for FREE, customers in your city call you directly, and you keep 100% of what you charge. No commission, no booking fee, no paying for leads. If you are a welder, fabricator, or grill/gate specialist, register free on Solve24 today and start getting direct customer calls in your area.