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The differences between lead welders and combination 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 lead welder and a combination welder. Additionally, a lead welder has an average salary of $45,718, which is higher than the $45,432 average annual salary of a combination welder.
The top three skills for a lead welder include aluminum, stainless steel and safety equipment. The most important skills for a combination welder are arc welding, tack, and minor maintenance.
| Lead Welder | Combination Welder | |
| Yearly salary | $45,718 | $45,432 |
| Hourly rate | $21.98 | $21.84 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 8,274 | 7,117 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 39% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Lead Welder inspects welds to ensure that code and quality control standards are met. They also test and inspect welded surfaces and structures to discover flaws.
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.
Lead welders and combination welders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Welder | Combination Welder | |
| Average salary | $45,718 | $45,432 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $62,000 | Between $32,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Bremerton, WA |
| Highest paying state | - | Wyoming |
| Best paying company | - | Maxum Enterprises, LLC |
| Best paying industry | - | Construction |
There are a few differences between a lead welder and a combination welder in terms of educational background:
| Lead Welder | Combination Welder | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 39% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Most common major | Precision Metal Working | Precision Metal Working |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between lead welders' and combination welders' demographics:
| Lead Welder | Combination Welder | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.9% Female, 4.1% | Male, 96.7% Female, 3.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.9% Asian, 2.9% White, 63.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 3% |