Bridge welder vs pipe welder

The differences between bridge welders and pipe welders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a bridge welder and a pipe welder. Additionally, a pipe welder has an average salary of $46,364, which is higher than the $42,281 average annual salary of a bridge welder.

The top three skills for a bridge welder include AWS, arc welding and DOT. The most important skills for a pipe welder are carbon steel, MIG, and hand tools.

Bridge welder vs pipe welder overview

	Bridge Welder	Pipe Welder
Yearly salary	$42,281	$46,364
Hourly rate	$20.33	$22.29
Growth rate	2%	2%
Number of jobs	7,835	7,738
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 55%	High School Diploma, 42%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	4	4

Bridge welder vs pipe welder salary

Bridge welders and pipe welders have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Bridge Welder	Pipe Welder
Average salary	$42,281	$46,364
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $56,000	Between $33,000 And $63,000
Highest paying City	-	North Kingstown, RI
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Forum Energy Technologies
Best paying industry	-	Construction

Differences between bridge welder and pipe welder education

There are a few differences between a bridge welder and a pipe welder in terms of educational background:

	Bridge Welder	Pipe Welder
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 55%	High School Diploma, 42%
Most common major	Precision Metal Working	Precision Metal Working
Most common college	-	-

Bridge welder vs pipe welder demographics

Here are the differences between bridge welders' and pipe welders' demographics:

	Bridge Welder	Pipe Welder
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 98.3% Female, 1.7%	Male, 96.0% Female, 4.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 2.8% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%	Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 2.7% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%
LGBT Percentage	3%	3%

Differences between bridge welder and pipe welder duties and responsibilities

Bridge welder example responsibilities.

Manage and run production parts through the brake.
use of cutting torches when need.
Operate various forms of welding machines to include FCAW, GTAW, SMAW as well as oxy-acetylene torches.
Weld mainly stick, but includes MIG and TIG.
Operate CNC drilling machines as needed.
Perform MIG and stick welds and erecting structural steel utilize for building skeletons including specific/ detail measurements for accuracy.

Pipe welder example responsibilities.

Silver solder, TIG, SMAW, GMAW, FCAW weld mild steel stainless steel aluminum and copper nickel respectively.
Weld carbon and stainless steel pipe in position and roll out machines utilizing GTAW, GMAW, FCAW and SMAW processes.
Skil in all types of welding, including MIG, TIG, stick, aluminum and stainless steel.
Work with TIG and MIG welding systems, as well as forklifts and overhead cranes up to 30 tons.
Work safely under OSHA safety and PPE standards.
Used aluminum GMAW for structural supports and some larger fabrications.

Bridge welder vs pipe welder skills

Common bridge welder skills

AWS, 64%
Arc Welding, 13%
DOT, 10%
Torches, 8%
SMAW, 5%

Common pipe welder skills

Carbon Steel, 16%
MIG, 10%
Hand Tools, 8%
TIG, 6%
SMAW, 6%
GTAW, 6%