Mill operator vs welder operator

The differences between mill operators and welder operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a mill operator and a welder operator. Additionally, a mill operator has an average salary of $39,045, which is higher than the $31,669 average annual salary of a welder operator.

The top three skills for a mill operator include CNC, OSHA and math. The most important skills for a welder operator are MIG, arc welding, and hand tools.

Mill operator vs welder operator overview

	Mill Operator	Welder Operator
Yearly salary	$39,045	$31,669
Hourly rate	$18.77	$15.23
Growth rate	7%	2%
Number of jobs	64,574	51,229
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 49%	High School Diploma, 50%
Average age	43	40
Years of experience	4	4

Mill operator vs welder operator salary

Mill operators and welder operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Mill Operator	Welder Operator
Average salary	$39,045	$31,669
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $48,000	Between $25,000 And $38,000
Highest paying City	San Jose, CA	Chicopee, MA
Highest paying state	Alaska	Wyoming
Best paying company	Freeport-McMoRan	Capco
Best paying industry	Construction	Automotive

Differences between mill operator and welder operator education

There are a few differences between a mill operator and a welder operator in terms of educational background:

	Mill Operator	Welder Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 49%	High School Diploma, 50%
Most common major	Business	Precision Metal Working
Most common college	-	-

Mill operator vs welder operator demographics

Here are the differences between mill operators' and welder operators' demographics:

	Mill Operator	Welder Operator
Average age	43	40
Gender ratio	Male, 92.5% Female, 7.5%	Male, 85.6% Female, 14.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 14.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 2.4% White, 62.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 2.8% White, 63.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7%
LGBT Percentage	4%	3%

Differences between mill operator and welder operator duties and responsibilities

Mill operator example responsibilities.

Manage the master calendar and schedule resources such as communication equipment, weapons, transportation and ammunition forecast and delivery.
Perform all work in respirator and other proper PPE.
Skil at training other machinists on CNC machines in this shop.
Assemble parts, operate CNC lathe and mills and adjust off sets.
Perform QC testing on products, filing paperwork per company and ISO standards.
Rebuild Rotex sifters, fabricate and replace screens, replace shoes and anvils in impact mills.

Welder operator example responsibilities.

Manage aluminum structural/pipe fabrication turnaround: cross-country CGIT/IPB megawatt electrical power conductors.
Weld carbon steel pipes using GTAW and SMAW.
Weld with (GMAW) on aluminum.
Maintain certifications in SMAW, GMAW, and GTAW.
Perform TIG and MIG welding processes on fabrications according to the blueprints specifications.
Weld heavy industrial clamps together using the MIG and TIG process on AR400 grade steel.

Mill operator vs welder operator skills

Common mill operator skills

CNC, 7%
OSHA, 7%
Math, 6%
Calipers, 6%
Hand Tools, 5%
Safety Rules, 5%

Common welder operator skills

MIG, 12%
Arc Welding, 9%
Hand Tools, 8%
Safety Equipment, 7%
Tig Welding, 6%
GMAW, 5%

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Transportation Industry
Mill Operator
Mill Operator vs Welder Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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