Combo welder vs welder operator

The differences between combo welders and welder operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a combo welder and a welder operator. Additionally, a combo welder has an average salary of $46,985, which is higher than the $31,669 average annual salary of a welder operator.

The top three skills for a combo welder include GMAW, FCAW and arc welding. The most important skills for a welder operator are MIG, arc welding, and hand tools.

Combo welder vs welder operator overview

	Combo Welder	Welder Operator
Yearly salary	$46,985	$31,669
Hourly rate	$22.59	$15.23
Growth rate	2%	2%
Number of jobs	8,266	51,229
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 38%	High School Diploma, 50%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	4	4

Combo welder vs welder operator salary

Combo welders and welder operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Combo Welder	Welder Operator
Average salary	$46,985	$31,669
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $64,000	Between $25,000 And $38,000
Highest paying City	Olympia, WA	Chicopee, MA
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	Wyoming
Best paying company	SpaceX	Capco
Best paying industry	Construction	Automotive

Differences between combo welder and welder operator education

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

	Combo Welder	Welder Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 38%	High School Diploma, 50%
Most common major	Precision Metal Working	Precision Metal Working
Most common college	-	-

Combo welder vs welder operator demographics

Here are the differences between combo welders' and welder operators' demographics:

	Combo Welder	Welder Operator
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 96.2% Female, 3.8%	Male, 85.6% Female, 14.4%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 2.8% White, 63.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7%
LGBT Percentage	3%	3%

Differences between combo welder and welder operator duties and responsibilities

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.

Welder operator example responsibilities.

Manage aluminum structural/pipe fabrication turnaround: cross-country CGIT/IPB megawatt electrical power conductors.
Weld carbon steel pipes using GTAW and SMAW.
Weld with (GMAW) on aluminum.
Maintain certifications in SMAW, GMAW, and GTAW.
Perform TIG and MIG welding processes on fabrications according to the blueprints specifications.
Weld heavy industrial clamps together using the MIG and TIG process on AR400 grade steel.

Combo welder vs welder operator skills

Common combo welder skills

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

Common welder operator skills

MIG, 12%
Arc Welding, 9%
Hand Tools, 8%
Safety Equipment, 7%
Tig Welding, 6%
GMAW, 5%