Instrument fitter vs journeyman pipe welder

The differences between instrument fitters and journeyman pipe welders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a journeyman pipe welder has an average salary of $63,075, which is higher than the $39,186 average annual salary of an instrument fitter.

The top three skills for an instrument fitter include switches, read p and safety regulations. The most important skills for a journeyman pipe welder are pipe systems, brazing, and tig welding.

Instrument fitter vs journeyman pipe welder overview

	Instrument Fitter	Journeyman Pipe Welder
Yearly salary	$39,186	$63,075
Hourly rate	$18.84	$30.32
Growth rate	2%	2%
Number of jobs	4,260	11,705
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 39%	High School Diploma, 33%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	-	-

Instrument fitter vs journeyman pipe welder salary

Instrument fitters and journeyman pipe welders have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Instrument Fitter	Journeyman Pipe Welder
Average salary	$39,186	$63,075
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $47,000	Between $46,000 And $85,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between instrument fitter and journeyman pipe welder education

There are a few differences between an instrument fitter and a journeyman pipe welder in terms of educational background:

	Instrument Fitter	Journeyman Pipe Welder
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 39%	High School Diploma, 33%
Most common major	Music	Precision Metal Working
Most common college	-	-

Instrument fitter vs journeyman pipe welder demographics

Here are the differences between instrument fitters' and journeyman pipe welders' demographics:

	Instrument Fitter	Journeyman Pipe Welder
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 93.6% Female, 6.4%	Male, 97.8% Female, 2.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 27.3% Asian, 1.8% White, 58.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.7% Asian, 1.9% White, 62.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	2%	2%

Differences between instrument fitter and journeyman pipe welder duties and responsibilities

Instrument fitter example responsibilities.

Cut, thread, using tools such as saws, cutting torches, and pipe threaders and benders.
Assist with the calibration and installation transmitters, switches, and other instrumentation.
Install flow meters, pressure transmitters, differential transmitters and pneumatic instrumentation.
Use of hand and power tools, plumb bobs, levels, wedges, dogs, or turnbuckles.
Used JLG to access top of building.
Follow proper PPE requirements as per site rules.

Journeyman pipe welder example responsibilities.

Silver brazing, working on piping systems from high pressure to fire suppression systems.
Fit up and weld pipe, blueprints, operate crane, forklift, torches and burn table
Complete extensive training in rigging, tool safety, PPE, scaffolding, fall protection and others.
Operate state-of-the-art production welding, brazing, and soldering equipment.
Perform MIG and stick welds and erecting structural steel utilize for building skeletons including specific/ detail measurements for accuracy.
Write JSA to identify the steps to do the job.

Instrument fitter vs journeyman pipe welder skills

Common instrument fitter skills

Switches, 20%
Read P, 13%
Safety Regulations, 12%
Transmitters, 7%
Gas Compressors, 7%
Process Lines, 6%

Common journeyman pipe welder skills

Pipe Systems, 27%
Brazing, 20%
Tig Welding, 9%
Carbon Steel, 8%
MIG, 6%
TIG, 5%

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Instrument Fitter vs Journeyman Pipe Welder

Updated January 8, 2025

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