Pipe installer vs welder-fitter apprentice

The differences between pipe installers and welder-fitter apprentices can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a pipe installer has an average salary of $50,468, which is higher than the $46,705 average annual salary of a welder-fitter apprentice.

The top three skills for a pipe installer include HVAC, brazing and install pipe. The most important skills for a welder-fitter apprentice are OSHA, hand tools, and tack.

Pipe installer vs welder-fitter apprentice overview

	Pipe Installer	Welder-Fitter Apprentice
Yearly salary	$50,468	$46,705
Hourly rate	$24.26	$22.45
Growth rate	2%	2%
Number of jobs	15,883	13,632
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 57%	High School Diploma, 42%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	-	-

Pipe installer vs welder-fitter apprentice salary

Pipe installers and welder-fitter apprentices have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Pipe Installer	Welder-Fitter Apprentice
Average salary	$50,468	$46,705
Salary range	Between $37,000 And $68,000	Between $37,000 And $57,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between pipe installer and welder-fitter apprentice education

There are a few differences between a pipe installer and a welder-fitter apprentice in terms of educational background:

	Pipe Installer	Welder-Fitter Apprentice
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 57%	High School Diploma, 42%
Most common major	Precision Metal Working	Education
Most common college	-	-

Pipe installer vs welder-fitter apprentice demographics

Here are the differences between pipe installers' and welder-fitter apprentices' demographics:

	Pipe Installer	Welder-Fitter Apprentice
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 97.7% Female, 2.3%	Male, 93.1% Female, 6.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 23.8% Asian, 1.8% White, 60.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.7% Asian, 1.9% White, 63.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	2%	2%

Differences between pipe installer and welder-fitter apprentice duties and responsibilities

Pipe installer example responsibilities.

Manage telecommunications, data and CCTV equipment.
Work with pex plumbing, PVC drain pipe, and copper pipe.
Configure Cat6 cabling/wall jack terminations, testing voice/data line activity to confirm connections.
Work responsibilities includes installation services such as hot water heater installations, dishwasher, toilet and faucets.
Manage telecommunications, data and CCTV equipment.

Welder-fitter apprentice example responsibilities.

Manage and run production parts through the brake.
Used MIG and TIG welding to fit and weld hand rails and raise walk ways for barges
Receive the qualification for flux & mig welding.
Complete OSHA training, construction site hand signal training, forklift training, confine space training and lock-out tag-out training.
Integrate technology into curriculum, supplementing class lectures and developing student's researching skills and internet and PowerPoint proficiency.
Analyze specifications and decide on tooling according to knowledge of shop mathematics, metal properties and machining procedures.

Pipe installer vs welder-fitter apprentice skills

Common pipe installer skills

HVAC, 27%
Brazing, 21%
Install Pipe, 18%
PVC, 6%
Water Lines, 4%
Copper Pipe, 4%

Common welder-fitter apprentice skills

OSHA, 45%
Hand Tools, 28%
Tack, 6%
MIG, 5%
Brazing, 4%
Stainless Steel, 3%

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Pipe Installer vs Welder-Fitter Apprentice

Updated January 8, 2025

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