Welding Merit Badge History

Earned through 202086,233
Best year201811,981 earned
All-time popularity#150official, as of 2020#137by 2025 (estimate)

Earned by Year

First earned in 2012. Peak year 2018 with 11,981. Hover over or tap a year for its numbers.

20124,022 earned#84 of 132
201310,919 earned#36 of 129
201411,061 earned#54 of 136
201511,019 earned#51 of 138
201610,737 earned#53 of 138
201710,656 earned#49 of 139
201811,981 earned#46 of 139
201911,129 earned#48 of 139
20204,709 earned#74 of 137
2021No data available#44 of 137
2022No data available#39 of 138
2023No data available#36 of 138
2024No data available#41 of 138
2025No data available#39 of 141

Known count No data available

"—" means merit badges were earned that year but the exact number is not currently known. "#39 of 141" means the badge was number 39 of the 141 merit badges earned that year. National counts have not been published since 2020, but the rankings have. The grand total comes from official reports and includes the years without a known count. The 2025 all-time place is an estimate, because the counts for 2021 to 2025 are worked out from each year's official ranking and the total number of merit badges earned that year.

20124,022#84 of 132
201310,919#36 of 129
201411,061#54 of 136
201511,019#51 of 138
201610,737#53 of 138
201710,656#49 of 139
201811,981#46 of 139
201911,129#48 of 139
20204,709#74 of 137
2021—#44 of 137
2022—#39 of 138
2023—#36 of 138
2024—#41 of 138
2025—#39 of 141

Grand total through 2020:

This page keeps growing. More of this badge's history, including its patches and pamphlets, is being checked and will be added once it is confirmed.

Welding: workbook data

Printings (8)

HaveYearMonthCoverBackRun©BSA #UPCSKUSA #HCNotes
x201210Cback-1010b1201235974730176357010613561
2013not made
2014not made
2015not made
x201610Dback-1016b120163597473017635809362433701042-AL
x201710Dback-1016b2201635974730176358093624337no sfi logo
2018not made
x201910Dback-1019b1201635974730176350806650750358
2020not made
2021not made
x202210Dback-1019b12022359747301766569088656908358
2023not made
x202410Dback-1019b12024359747301766610513661051300062768358
202511Aback-1125202535974661051
202611Aback-1125202635974661051

Earned and rank by year

YearEarnedRankOf
20124,02284132
201310,91936129
201411,06154136
201511,01951138
201610,73753138
201710,65649139
201811,98146139
201911,12948139
20204,70974137
202144137
202239138
202336138
202441138
202539141