Aluminum welder vs combo welder

The differences between aluminum welders and combo welders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an aluminum welder and a combo welder. Additionally, a combo welder has an average salary of $46,985, which is higher than the $38,155 average annual salary of an aluminum welder.

The top three skills for an aluminum welder include GMAW, tig welding and arc welding. The most important skills for a combo welder are GMAW, FCAW, and arc welding.

Aluminum welder vs combo welder overview

	Aluminum Welder	Combo Welder
Yearly salary	$38,155	$46,985
Hourly rate	$18.34	$22.59
Growth rate	2%	2%
Number of jobs	7,063	8,266
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 35%	High School Diploma, 38%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	4	4

Aluminum welder vs combo welder salary

Aluminum welders and combo welders have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Aluminum Welder	Combo Welder
Average salary	$38,155	$46,985
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $48,000	Between $34,000 And $64,000
Highest paying City	Vancouver, WA	Olympia, WA
Highest paying state	Wyoming	Massachusetts
Best paying company	Premier Marine	SpaceX
Best paying industry	Automotive	Construction

Differences between aluminum welder and combo welder education

There are a few differences between an aluminum welder and a combo welder in terms of educational background:

	Aluminum Welder	Combo Welder
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 35%	High School Diploma, 38%
Most common major	Precision Metal Working	Precision Metal Working
Most common college	-	-

Aluminum welder vs combo welder demographics

Here are the differences between aluminum welders' and combo welders' demographics:

	Aluminum Welder	Combo Welder
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 94.3% Female, 5.7%	Male, 96.2% Female, 3.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%	Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 25.2% Asian, 2.5% White, 57.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%
LGBT Percentage	3%	3%

Differences between aluminum welder and combo welder duties and responsibilities

Aluminum welder example responsibilities.

Manage and run production parts through the brake.
Weld aluminum toolboxes on an assembly line using GTAW and GMAW processes.
Inspect castings for any visual defects, used grinders & air tools to remove remaining gates to contour of part.
Perform GMAW on aluminum surfaces.
Build and modify jigs for mass production parts.
Assemble then weld various aluminum and steel parts; assemble military environmental control and power generation trailers.

Combo welder example responsibilities.

Certify GTAW & GMAW welding on aluminum casting in a production shop.
Weld structure and pipe FCAW and TIG (carbon steel, stainless steel and aluminum).
Perform full penetration welds with SMAW and flux core welding applications.
Have supervised a team of at least 6 skil TIG and MIG welders.
Start and complete x-ray welds correctly the first time using the GTAW and SMAW weld processes.
Certify SMAW & GTAW on boiler tube and heaters; blueprint reading and fitting on the boiler construction.

Aluminum welder vs combo welder skills

Common aluminum welder skills

GMAW, 16%
Tig Welding, 15%
Arc Welding, 9%
Tape Measure, 4%
Grinders, 4%
Jigs, 4%

Common combo welder skills

GMAW, 13%
FCAW, 10%
Arc Welding, 8%
Engineering Drawings, 7%
Carbon Steel, 7%
MIG, 5%