Line welder vs ship fitter

The differences between line welders and ship fitters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a line welder and a ship fitter. Additionally, a ship fitter has an average salary of $45,247, which is higher than the $31,712 average annual salary of a line welder.

The top three skills for a line welder include MIG, tack and safety equipment. The most important skills for a ship fitter are hand tools, tack-weld, and tack welding.

Line welder vs ship fitter overview

	Line Welder	Ship Fitter
Yearly salary	$31,712	$45,247
Hourly rate	$15.25	$21.75
Growth rate	2%	2%
Number of jobs	52,702	9,742
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	High School Diploma, 40%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	4	4

Line welder vs ship fitter salary

Line welders and ship fitters have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Line Welder	Ship Fitter
Average salary	$31,712	$45,247
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $39,000	Between $31,000 And $64,000
Highest paying City	Atlanta, GA	Mount Laurel, NJ
Highest paying state	Wyoming	New Jersey
Best paying company	ManpowerGroup	BWX Technologies
Best paying industry	Automotive	Technology

Differences between line welder and ship fitter education

There are a few differences between a line welder and a ship fitter in terms of educational background:

	Line Welder	Ship Fitter
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	High School Diploma, 40%
Most common major	Precision Metal Working	Business
Most common college	-	-

Line welder vs ship fitter demographics

Here are the differences between line welders' and ship fitters' demographics:

	Line Welder	Ship Fitter
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 86.5% Female, 13.5%	Male, 87.7% Female, 12.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 3.1% White, 64.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7%	Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%
LGBT Percentage	3%	3%

Differences between line welder and ship fitter duties and responsibilities

Line welder example responsibilities.

Manage and run production parts through the brake.
Assemble Honda computer frames with robotic and MIG welders.
Experience in auto body repair RSW, GMAW, FCAW welding and assembly
Hire on full time by Toyota
Programme system for welding robotic arms.
Weld frames rails and brackets for Toyota lines.

Ship fitter example responsibilities.

Achieve x-ray certification on aluminum using MIG process.
Lead and assist in executing pipefitting/welding of steel, copper, PVC, and flange piping.
Cut materials with various tools including torches, reciprocating saws, grinders and plasma cutters to ensure exact measurements.
Work includes using torches, grinders and other power tools to cut material to size and prep to weld and paint.
Assemble hoisting and rigging equipment.
Repair and re-fit oil rig platforms.

Line welder vs ship fitter skills

Common line welder skills

MIG, 37%
Tack, 10%
Safety Equipment, 9%
Tape Measure, 6%
Torches, 6%
Jigs, 5%

Common ship fitter skills

Hand Tools, 14%
Tack-Weld, 10%
Tack Welding, 7%
Tape Measure, 6%
Cranes, 6%
Safety Rules, 5%