Pipe Welder Jobs in Morgan City, LA
Weld marine pipe systems to code — carbon steel, stainless, aluminum, copper-nickel.
What pipe welders earn around Morgan City
The median, range, and annual figures above are market data — Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics for Southwest Louisiana Balance of State, via the U.S. Department of Labor's CareerOneStop. AMS pays $35–$40/hr plus overtime opportunities.
What a pipe welder does in Morgan City
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 Morgan City, pipe welders run from $15.49 at the 10th percentile to $34.52 at the 90th — a $19.03 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 Morgan City market
Morgan City grew up around the offshore-oil and shipbuilding trade at the mouth of the Atchafalaya, and Conrad's home yard still builds and repairs vessels here. It's a short reach from Houma and part of the Louisiana market AMS recruits from.
- Conrad Shipyard
- Bollinger Amelia
Named as public-record market activity — where marine work happens in this area, not a statement of AMS contracts.
- City population
- 11,208
- Median household income
- $56,729
- Average commute
- 29 min
Source: U.S. Census ACS 5-year. Figures are for Morgan City city, Louisiana, not the wider metro area.
Why Morgan City needs pipe welders right now
Workboats are pipe-dense machines, and Morgan City builds them. Conrad's yard turns out tugs, barges, ferries, and dredges — and a dredge in particular is as much pipe as hull, from suction and discharge runs to the hydraulics that drive it. Tug and ferry construction brings engine-room fuel, cooling, and exhaust systems that get welded to code and tested tight. It's a different rhythm from big-ship work: shorter builds, more variety, a new set of iso drawings every few months.
Louisiana welders overall post a $62,250 state median (BLS, May 2025) — the strongest welder figure of the five Gulf states — but a median is half the story. AMS pays $35–$40 an hour plus overtime opportunities, and for Morgan City hands it recruits into crews working other Gulf markets, with travel and per-diem work common. If you're welding pipe around Morgan City and the local boards run thin, AMS's reach across the coast is the practical fix.
If you've piped a new-build tug or dredge — run stick on carbon spools, TIG'd stainless service lines, chased hydro leaks on a system you welded yourself — you learned the trade in one of its most versatile classrooms. Workboat pipe welders switch systems constantly, and that range is exactly what a traveling marine contractor needs. AMS pays $35–$40 an hour for hands like that and hires them as journeymen, not trainees.
Bring your experience to AMSPipe Welder jobs in Morgan City — FAQ
How much do pipe welders make in Morgan City, LA?
In the Southwest Louisiana Balance of State, pipe welders earn a median of about $27.26 per hour — typically $15.49–$34.52 per hour (BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics via the U.S. Department of Labor's CareerOneStop). 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 Morgan City?
AMS recruits pipe welders across the Gulf Coast, including the Morgan City market, for marine fabrication and repair work. Apply and tell us your trade, your experience, and whether you can travel.
What do I need to get hired as a pipe welder in Morgan City?
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 Conrad Shipyard and similar facilities. Bring your certifications — apply and an AMS representative will go over the specifics.
What is the commute like for Morgan City yard work?
Workers in Morgan City city, Louisiana report an average commute of about 29 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 Morgan City?
Tell us your trade and experience — an AMS representative will follow up. Résumé optional.