Drill press operator vs welder-machine operator

The differences between drill press operators and welder-machine operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a drill press operator, becoming a welder-machine operator takes usually requires 3-6 months. Additionally, a welder-machine operator has an average salary of $37,171, which is higher than the $35,232 average annual salary of a drill press operator.

The top three skills for a drill press operator include blueprint specifications, jigs and tape measure. The most important skills for a welder-machine operator are arc welding, safety equipment, and stainless steel.

Drill press operator vs welder-machine operator overview

	Drill Press Operator	Welder-Machine Operator
Yearly salary	$35,232	$37,171
Hourly rate	$16.94	$17.87
Growth rate	-5%	-5%
Number of jobs	44,485	68,316
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 54%	High School Diploma, 53%
Average age	46	40
Years of experience	2	6

Drill press operator vs welder-machine operator salary

Drill press operators and welder-machine operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Drill Press Operator	Welder-Machine Operator
Average salary	$35,232	$37,171
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $43,000	Between $27,000 And $49,000
Highest paying City	-	Fontana, CA
Highest paying state	-	Nevada
Best paying company	-	BWX Technologies
Best paying industry	-	Technology

Differences between drill press operator and welder-machine operator education

There are a few differences between a drill press operator and a welder-machine operator in terms of educational background:

	Drill Press Operator	Welder-Machine Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 54%	High School Diploma, 53%
Most common major	Business	Precision Metal Working
Most common college	-	Dunwoody College of Technology

Drill press operator vs welder-machine operator demographics

Here are the differences between drill press operators' and welder-machine operators' demographics:

	Drill Press Operator	Welder-Machine Operator
Average age	46	40
Gender ratio	Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3%	Male, 84.6% Female, 15.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% Asian, 1.7% White, 71.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%
LGBT Percentage	3%	3%

Differences between drill press operator and welder-machine operator duties and responsibilities

Drill press operator example responsibilities.

Certify machine operator for Amada press break of stainless steel
General mig welding for any project that is needed.
Drill and tap aerospace parts such as steel and aluminum structures.
Use of work orders to follow ISO procedures, and complete product quantity for each job perform.
Used tooling consist of Oxygen/acetylene torches, grinders, welding equipment including MIG and flux-core wire using noble gas shields.
Perform basic troubleshooting of extrusion machinery and plastics processes.

Welder-machine operator example responsibilities.

Weld required parts using GMAW, GTAW, and SMAW.
Require to weld a wide veriety of assemblies, fabricate parts and maintain equipment and fixtures employing GMAW and GTAW techniques.
Operate the welding robots and do rework with the MIG welder.
Weld both steel and aluminum pressure tanks for both train and truck air brake systems.
Dismantle metal assemblies and cut scrap metal, using thermal-cutting equipment such as flame-cutting torches or plasma-arc equipment.
Position, align, fit, and weld together parts, using jigs, welding torch, and hand tools.

Drill press operator vs welder-machine operator skills

Common drill press operator skills

Blueprint Specifications, 19%
Jigs, 16%
Tape Measure, 11%
CNC Machines, 8%
Safety Practices, 5%
Drill Holes, 5%

Common welder-machine operator skills

Arc Welding, 7%
Safety Equipment, 7%
Stainless Steel, 6%
CNC, 6%
Tig Welding, 5%
Tape Measure, 5%

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Drill Press Operator
Drill Press Operator vs Welder-Machine Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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