Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between iron workers and welders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an iron worker has an average salary of $41,422, which is higher than the $39,696 average annual salary of a welder.
The top three skills for an iron worker include hoisting, torches and ironworker. The most important skills for a welder are arc welding, aluminum, and hand tools.
| Iron Worker | Welder | |
| Yearly salary | $41,422 | $39,696 |
| Hourly rate | $19.91 | $19.08 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 28,258 | 9,463 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.25 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 55% | High School Diploma, 46% |
| Average age | 42 | 40 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
An ironworker specializes in establishing and installing steel or iron frames meant for the construction of a building and other structures. Their tasks primarily revolve around understanding blueprints, cutting and welding metal to specific shapes or customization, assembling and stacking materials, operating various devices and machinery, coordinating with other members of the construction team, and attaching essential tools. There may also be instances where an ironworker must climb up high places and repair installed structures. Furthermore, it is crucial to adhere to all safety standards and regulations to maintain a productive and safe work environment.
Welders are skilled workers who primarily work on metals and other metalworks. One of the most commonly known activities that welders do is fusing materials that are made of metal. They usually work on buildings, large pipes, and cars. They also fix holes or any other imperfection on metal materials. They do these by applying heat using welding torches or any other special tools that they have. Welders are also responsible for studying blueprints related to the items they will work on, ensuring that all needed materials are available, practicing occupational safety and health protocols, and maintaining the welding tools they use.
Iron workers and welders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Iron Worker | Welder | |
| Average salary | $41,422 | $39,696 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $53,000 | Between $29,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | Woburn, MA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | EMCOR Group | California Resources |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Automotive |
There are a few differences between an iron worker and a welder in terms of educational background:
| Iron Worker | Welder | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 55% | High School Diploma, 46% |
| Most common major | Precision Metal Working | Precision Metal Working |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between iron workers' and welders' demographics:
| Iron Worker | Welder | |
| Average age | 42 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% | Male, 93.9% Female, 6.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 1.6% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.0% | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 3.0% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 3% |