Structural Welder Jobs in Houma, LA
Weld hulls, decks, bulkheads, and steel structures — new build and repair.
What structural welders earn around Houma
The median, range, and annual figures above are market data — Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics for Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA 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.
Structural Welders in the Houma market
Houma sits at the heart of Louisiana's shipbuilding and offshore-marine corridor along the Houma Navigation Canal, running down through Larose and Galliano — home to Bollinger Houma and Edison Chouest's North American Shipbuilding, some of the largest offshore-service builders on the Gulf Coast. AMS has crews working Houma right now, and it's the market where the next couple of weeks matter most.
Structural Welders working Houma are on the plate and structural work — bulkheads, framing, foundations — that carries the vessel's load, through yards like Bollinger Houma (BHS) and Edison Chouest / North American Shipbuilding (Larose), Gulf Island Fabrication, Thoma-Sea Marine. What that means day to day depends on whether the yard is running new construction or repair — the fit-up problems are not the same.
- Bollinger Houma (BHS)
- Edison Chouest / North American Shipbuilding (Larose)
- Gulf Island Fabrication
- Thoma-Sea Marine
Named as public-record market activity — where marine work happens in this area, not a statement of AMS contracts.
- City population
- 32,760
- Median household income
- $54,637
- Average commute
- 20 min
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 88.38
Source: U.S. Census ACS 5-year · BEA Regional Price Parities. Figures are for Houma city, Louisiana, not the wider metro area.
What a structural welder does in Houma
Structural welders build and repair the steel that holds a vessel together — hulls, bulkheads, decks, foundations, catwalks, and platforms — welding to structural code on onshore and offshore projects, new constructions, retrofits, and repairs. Flux-core, stick, and MIG in tight, out-of-position spots. AMS handles every aspect to the highest quality standards.
Why Houma needs structural welders right now
Structural steel is the backbone of the corridor's order book. Bollinger — anchored on the bayou, with ten ISO-certified yards across Louisiana and Mississippi — builds the Coast Guard's Fast Response Cutters and holds the service's Polar Security Cutter (PSC) program, and every one of those hulls starts as plate: bulkheads, decks, and foundations that structural welders burn together. Offshore-fleet repair supplies the other half of the work — boats come in beat up, and hull inserts and renewals don't wait.
Louisiana's private shipyards carried 4,366 jobs at an average pay of $76,741 in 2024 (BLS QCEW) — in this state, hull steel is an industry, not a niche. AMS pays $35–$40 an hour plus overtime opportunities and has active crews working the Houma market, so the work is here, not a hotel room away. Travel jobs with per diem exist for hands who want the road; staying home is the Houma advantage.
If you've welded hull plate at a Gulf yard — flux-core overhead on bulkheads, stick on foundations and fenders, MIG where the fit was tight — and you've passed a structural qualification test, you hold the ticket this trade can't mass-produce. Weld quality inside a real hull comes from hull time, nothing else. AMS pays $35–$40 an hour for that time and doesn't ask a proven hand to audition as a beginner.
Bring your experience to AMSStructural Welder jobs in Houma — FAQ
How much do structural welders make in Houma, LA?
In the Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA Metro Area, structural welders earn a median of about $27.40 per hour — typically $19.23–$35.86 per hour (BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics via the U.S. Department of Labor's CareerOneStop). With local prices at 88.38 against a national 100, that median buys roughly what $31.00 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 structural welders in Houma?
Yes. AMS has crews working the Houma market and hires structural 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 structural welder in Houma?
For structural welders, AMS looks first at flux-core, stick, mig and structural code. Every role also requires passing a shipyard safety orientation and a drug screen, and a TWIC card is usually needed for yard access at Bollinger Houma (BHS) and similar facilities. Bring your certifications — apply and an AMS representative will go over the specifics.
What is the commute like for Houma yard work?
Workers in Houma city, Louisiana report an average commute of about 20 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 structural welder in Houma?
Tell us your trade and experience — an AMS representative will follow up. Résumé optional.