Pipe Welder Jobs in Mobile, AL
Weld marine pipe systems to code — carbon steel, stainless, aluminum, copper-nickel.
What pipe welders earn around Mobile
The median, range, and annual figures above are market data — Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics for Mobile, AL Metro Area, via the U.S. Department of Labor's CareerOneStop. Cost of living here runs about 12% below the national average — your paycheck goes further. AMS pays $35–$40/hr plus overtime opportunities.
What a pipe welder does in Mobile
Pipe welders join and repair the piping systems that run through a ship — welding carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and copper-nickel to ASME, AWS, and ABS code. The work is precise: reading isometric drawings, fitting spools, running TIG and stick in every position including 6G, and passing hydro and X-ray testing. It's the craft behind every pipe and structural project AMS delivers.
Around Mobile, pipe welders run from $21.33 at the 10th percentile to $35.83 at the 90th — a $14.50 an hour gap between the bottom and the top of the trade. That gap is what certification and a clean X-ray record are worth here.
Pipe Welders in the Mobile market
Mobile County is one of the largest shipbuilding centers on the Gulf Coast — Austal USA builds Navy vessels on the Mobile River, Alabama Shipyard runs a major repair yard nearby, and the marine trade runs south through Chickasaw and Theodore down to the boatbuilding town of Bayou La Batre, where Metal Shark and Steiner build for the Coast Guard and the commercial fleet. It's home ground for AMS, whose base sits just across the bay in Loxley, and crews are working here now.
- Austal USA
- Alabama Shipyard
- World Marine of Alabama
- Metal Shark & Steiner Shipyard (Bayou La Batre)
- MMIF & Silver Ships (Theodore)
Named as public-record market activity — where marine work happens in this area, not a statement of AMS contracts.
- City population
- 185,097
- Median household income
- $51,090
- Average commute
- 23 min
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 87.797
Source: U.S. Census ACS 5-year · BEA Regional Price Parities. Figures are for Mobile city, Alabama, not the wider metro area.
Why Mobile needs pipe welders right now
Pipe demand in Mobile runs on new construction. Austal USA is building Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPC) for the Coast Guard alongside T-ATS towing and salvage ships, TAGOS surveillance ships, and LCU landing craft — hulls full of piping systems that need code welds in carbon steel, stainless, and copper-nickel. Across the river, Alabama Shipyard's repair and conversion drydock adds a different kind of pipe work: rip-out and renewal on ships already in service, where fit conditions are tighter and the X-ray still has to pass.
The labor pool is real but tight — about 1,700 welders work in the Mobile metro across all industries (BLS, May 2025), with naval growth and steel fabrication pulling on the same pool. Tight supply is good news if you hold the certs. AMS pays $35–$40/hr plus overtime, runs active crews in the Mobile market now, and keeps travel and per-diem jobs across the Gulf on the board for pipe welders who want to chase a bigger check.
If you've run 6G TIG on stainless or copper-nickel aboard a cutter, passed hydro and X-ray on spools you fit yourself, or held a weld qualification at a Gulf yard, Mobile is a market where that resume works immediately. Experienced pipe welders are the hardest hires in shipbuilding — entry pipelines can be trained up, but code pipe inside a finished hull can't be faked. AMS pays $35–$40/hr for that experience and doesn't make you re-prove entry level.
Bring your experience to AMSPipe Welder jobs in Mobile — FAQ
How much do pipe welders make in Mobile, AL?
In the Mobile, AL Metro Area, pipe welders earn a median of about $29.53 per hour — typically $21.33–$35.83 per hour (BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics via the U.S. Department of Labor's CareerOneStop). With local prices at 87.797 against a national 100, that median buys roughly what $33.63 an hour would nationally. AMS pays $35–$40/hr plus overtime opportunities; the rate for a specific role is discussed when you apply.
Does AMS hire pipe welders in Mobile?
Yes. AMS has crews working the Mobile market and hires pipe welders for shipbuilding and ship repair. Apply through our Employment / Job Application page and tell us your trade and experience.
What do I need to get hired as a pipe welder in Mobile?
For pipe welders, AMS looks first at 6g / all-position and tig & stick. Every role also requires passing a shipyard safety orientation and a drug screen, and a TWIC card is usually needed for yard access at Austal USA and similar facilities. Bring your certifications — apply and an AMS representative will go over the specifics.
What is the commute like for Mobile yard work?
Workers in Mobile city, Alabama report an average commute of about 23 minutes (U.S. Census ACS). Yard start times are early, so most crews plan the drive around shift change rather than rush hour. If you would rather travel to the work than commute to it, AMS runs per-diem assignments across the Gulf Coast.
Ready to work as a pipe welder in Mobile?
Tell us your trade and experience — an AMS representative will follow up. Résumé optional.