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The differences between combination welders and maintenance 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 combination welder and a maintenance welder. Additionally, a combination welder has an average salary of $45,432, which is higher than the $40,659 average annual salary of a maintenance welder.
The top three skills for a combination welder include arc welding, tack and minor maintenance. The most important skills for a maintenance welder are MIG, arc welding, and hand tools.
| Combination Welder | Maintenance Welder | |
| Yearly salary | $45,432 | $40,659 |
| Hourly rate | $21.84 | $19.55 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 7,117 | 78,332 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | High School Diploma, 35% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Combination welders are the ones who prepare the welding materials to weld together metal components and maintain their equipment, such as a welding torch, grinder, or thermal cutters. They should know the various processes like oxy-fuel welding, arc welding, etc., to weld various metal components. Before starting their torches, they position the metals to stay in place using clamps. These welders work to fabricate or repair cracks, holes or increase the size of metal products like machine parts, plant equipment, automobiles, etc.
A Maintenance Welder diagnoses and repairs a variety of metal work including construction vehicles and equipment. They cut, fit, and weld metal using gas and electric welding equipment.
Combination welders and maintenance welders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Combination Welder | Maintenance Welder | |
| Average salary | $45,432 | $40,659 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $62,000 | Between $30,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bremerton, WA | Renton, WA |
| Highest paying state | Wyoming | Washington |
| Best paying company | Maxum Enterprises, LLC | BNSF Railway |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a combination welder and a maintenance welder in terms of educational background:
| Combination Welder | Maintenance Welder | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | High School Diploma, 35% |
| Most common major | Precision Metal Working | Precision Metal Working |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between combination welders' and maintenance welders' demographics:
| Combination Welder | Maintenance Welder | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.7% Female, 3.3% | Male, 92.8% Female, 7.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 24.3% Asian, 2.6% White, 57.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 2.6% White, 63.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 3% |